Crossbar - The Sweet Dink

CROSSBARRR - via the website

When you hear someone shout it out on any pitch, anywhere, you immediately know what they're trying to do. That feeling of utter joy after the sweet dink off the bar, first try (or 17th), is universal. Such a simple moment, but unbelievable how much happiness comes from it. You know the feeling... maybe not? But to think that one fleeting moment of bliss is only the smallest bit of Football's potential.

Crossbar is a collaborative design company rooted in community engagement, sustainability, and creativity. It proudly represents Chicago while drawing on a rich international heritage, much like many aspects of the city itself. Beyond design, the brand is deeply involved in community activism and is unafraid to take a stand on global issues. 

It’s impossible to fully capture Crossbar’s impact in just one introductory post. I’ll do my best to highlight key design projects, but Crossbar has been incredibly prolific for the better part of a decade, making it impossible to showcase everything here. All I can offer is a glimpse. 

To start, I’d like to focus on the City Collection. This collection features dozens of kits inspired by Chicago teams past and present. The traditional blue and red of the city’s flag are prominent, but yellow and green also appear, representing older traditions like the Chicago Sting and the iconic Jeppson’s Malört liquor bottle label. Like many of Crossbar’s projects, this lineup utilizes a variety of kit brands as canvases. 

Another standout collection is We Are All Foreigners. From what I can tell, it includes over 100 uniquely designed pieces. These kits feature hand-selected international iconic styles—each with something distinct to offer—while collectively reinforcing the importance of the message. The collection is a response to xenophobic sentiment found in Chicago and, unfortunately, around the world. Proceeds from this collection benefit the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Never afraid to stand by its ideals, Crossbar has also contributed powerful designs to the RESTOFUS football collective. These designs aim to shed light on the corruption surrounding the awarding of the most recent World Cup, as well as the humanitarian issues that arose in the lead-up to and during the event.

As I mentioned, it’s impossible to do justice to the vastness of these collections in just a few paragraphs. However, I want to highlight some of my favorite upcycled creations. The 2002 Nigeria Kit salvage is a standout—I can never get enough of that classic Nike design. Two other completely original pieces I love were the Regent Park FC goalie kits.

While I feel Crossbar has solidified itself as one of my favorite independent kit-makers, the kits are only the beginning. The portfolio extends across a variety of garments, including shoes, shorts, belts, balls, ball bladderssss [sic], flags, bibs, bags, and—my new discovery—Bib Bags. You know, Bib Bags for Bouncing Balls By the Beach…

If you take the time to explore Crossbar, you’re sure to find something original that will ignite your passion for football. The brand seamlessly blends classic visual aesthetics with new ideas and concepts, pushing the fashion of the game into the future. Its strength lies in taking something familiar and beloved, breathing new life into it, and creating something fresh and unique. Crossbar is always aiming for that perfect target—just like hitting the sweet dink off the bar, every time.

PS: Thanks for reading - email w/ a screenshot of this and we’ll send you something for free :)