“Soccer Safari”: The Borough FC x Toronto Zoo Kit
Some sports design projects are about creating a uniform. Others demonstrate how intentional design can create long-term commercial, cultural, and community value for a club. Our collaboration with The Borough Football Club and the Toronto Zoo is one of those projects.
At Contender Studio, we've been aligned with The Borough from the ground up — from shaping its foundational brand identity and inaugural kits to this latest chapter: collaborating with the iconic Toronto Zoo on an official alternate kit.
From Brand Foundation to Pitch Presence
This project didn't start with a kit request. It started with building the world around the club.
A strong sports brand isn't just a logo on a shirt. It's an ecosystem that can evolve, create recognition, build community, and give future partners something meaningful to align with. Seeing The Borough evolve from a new club identity into a growing organization capable of collaborating with an iconic Toronto institution demonstrates the value of building that foundation intentionally.
The identity creates the platform. The platform creates opportunity.
The “Soccer Safari” Concept
Rather than simply placing a sponsor logo onto a standard teamwear blank, we treated the Toronto Zoo partnership as a co-created visual story.
The Jungle Pattern
We took inspiration from the Zoo's recognizable green identity and translated it into a bold, structural jungle-inspired pattern designed specifically for the football pitch.
The Hidden Details
Integrated throughout the pattern are subtle animal motifs inspired by the animals represented at the Toronto Zoo.
The idea was to create moments of discovery — details that might not be immediately obvious, but reward supporters who take a closer look.
The result is a kit that connects football, wildlife, and Scarborough through a single visual language.
The Goalkeeper Kit: Celebrating the Baby Giraffe
Goalkeeper kits are often treated as an afterthought — a functional colour change designed to differentiate the keeper from the rest of the team. We saw another opportunity. To celebrate the arrival of a new baby giraffe at the Toronto Zoo, we designed a standalone goalkeeper kit featuring a bold, abstract giraffe-inspired pattern.
It transformed a real-world moment at the Zoo into a piece of functional matchday apparel — giving the goalkeeper kit its own story within the wider collaboration.
Sunday in Scarborough: The Human Element
Design work happens on screens. Its real test is out in the world.
Attending a Borough match on a warm Sunday afternoon in Scarborough put the work into context. The turnout was impressive. Families. Local supporters. Kids. A growing and passionate fanbase taking ownership of the club.
It was a reminder that a sports identity isn't experienced inside a brand guideline or on a design presentation. It's experienced in the stands, on the pitch, in the neighbourhood, and through the people who choose to show up.
I also had the opportunity to spend time with Andrew Ornoch, Team President of The Borough, and experience the hospitality and vision behind the organization firsthand.
That relationship matters. Great design partnerships aren't transactional. They're built through trust, collaboration, and a shared belief in what the organization can become.
The Borough has treated design as more than a deliverable — it's become part of the club's broader growth story.
The Return on Design
Looking at the trajectory:
Brand Identity → Inaugural Kits → Community Growth → Major Partnerships → Toronto Zoo Collaboration
That's what makes this project particularly meaningful.
A brand gives a club an identity.
A kit gives supporters something to wear and rally around.
A flexible visual system gives partners something credible to align with.
And over time, those individual design decisions can compound into something much bigger: recognition, community, partnership opportunities, and cultural relevance.
The Soccer Safari kit connects The Borough, Scarborough, football, and an iconic Toronto institution through one visual narrative.
For Contender Studio, that's the real opportunity in sports design.
Not just decorating the game. Building the brands, experiences, and connections that shape its future.
Have a Fan Experience Problem to Solve?
The best sports design starts with a problem.
Maybe your club is growing and the brand no longer reflects where you're headed. Maybe you're looking for new ways to connect with fans, activate sponsors, or create a stronger matchday experience. Or maybe your digital products and fan experiences have become complicated and need to be easier to understand and use.
That's where Contender Studio comes in.
We work with teams, clubs, leagues, athletes, and sports organizations to turn complex challenges into clear, engaging experiences — from brand identity and uniforms to digital products, fan experiences, and sports technology.
Whether you're building something new or looking to evolve what already exists, we can help you design the next chapter.
Have a sports design challenge? Let's talk.
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By Jason Jay
CEO | Creative Director