Just for the record, Uniqlo’s quality = or > than Nike

HunterST

HunterST

Hall of Fame
I’m seeing a lot of posts from upset Nike fans suggesting Nike is a top of the line brand while Uniqlo is a cheap, low quality brand.

I actually own several clothing items from Uniqlo and they are quite good quality. They are not athletic wear, so I can’t speak to how that stuff performs, but the casual wear is made with good material and has held up well over time.

Nothing against Nike. I have a lot of Nike gear I like. I just saw Uniqlo being compared to very cheap brands like old navy or even Walmart type brands (both the that there’s anything wrong with those if you’re looking for bargains).

I’d say Uniqlo is along the same lines of Express, Banana Republic, etc.
 
I'd say Uniqlo's quality is better than most, frankly. They clearly have their own take on design and materials and are not just stamping their logos on the generic stuff that many other brands seem to do.

While not generally tennis related - their cold-weather base layers are the best I've found in ANY brand for many years (I used to be partial to Patagonia in this department, but they've slipped badly there, recently.)
 
HunterST said:
I’d say Uniqlo is along the same lines of Express, Banana Republic, etc.
Click to expand...

Banana Republic is the high-end of GAP. Very good quality.

I have a lot of Uniqlo tennis apparel and also Uniqlo non-tennis casual clothing and I have to say the quality of Uniqlo is just as good, if not better than Nike and UA, at a fraction of the cost. The best way to describe Uniqlo non-tennis clothing is comparing it to vineyard vines brand name. Very comfortable and soft. vineyard vines is very expensive (Martha Vineyard) and Uniqlo is very affordable but the quality and comfort is pretty much even.
 
I'm a big Uniqlo fan, especially of their underwear. Their Airism boxer briefs are great, and the whole Airism line works better, functionally, than similar stuff by Under Armour (also have a few of their pieces) and Adidas, IME. I don't know if it looks as good, but functionally, I've been happier with it than anything else.
 
nb1234 said:
I'd say Uniqlo's quality is better than most, frankly. They clearly have their own take on design and materials and are not just stamping their logos on the generic stuff that many other brands seem to do.

While not generally tennis related - their cold-weather base layers are the best I've found in ANY brand for many years (I used to be partial to Patagonia in this department, but they've slipped badly there, recently.)
Click to expand...

For base layers: Icebreaker, X-bionic, Rapha, Orthovox and Arcteryx are hard to beat.

:cool:
 
Bought some 8 dollar Uniqlo Aerism crew neck tshirts this weekend, they are very lightweight thin and dry quickly. May try them for summer tennis
 
galain said:
I'm a big Uniqlo fan, especially of their underwear. Their Airism boxer briefs are great, and the whole Airism line works better, functionally, than similar stuff by Under Armour (also have a few of their pieces) and Adidas, IME. I don't know if it looks as good, but functionally, I've been happier with it than anything else.
Click to expand...

Same here. I use them as well, and they are the best value for money of any briefs I've ever owned.
 
Thank you for starting this thread.

I've bought multiple sets of Djokovic and Nishikori apparel and they have treated me well. Their Dry-EX non branded stuff is also great as well. Also, all of their other stuff is very good quality at an affordable price. Lots of stuff on sales too as they always have a rotation of collab items with some kind of artist or theme.

Heattech is wonderful to wear on colder days as inner layers. I haven't personally tried the Airism line.
 
Uniqlo is one of my favorite brands. You get a ton of value. And I was a Nike fanboy before their quality worsened and prices inflated.
 
Phantasm said:
Thank you for starting this thread.

I've bought multiple sets of Djokovic and Nishikori apparel and they have treated me well. Their Dry-EX non branded stuff is also great as well. Also, all of their other stuff is very good quality at an affordable price. Lots of stuff on sales too as they always have a rotation of collab items with some kind of artist or theme.

Heattech is wonderful to wear on colder days as inner layers. I haven't personally tried the Airism line.
Click to expand...

Where did you get the Djoker and Kei gear? I went to the store in Orlando FL and LA and neither had any tennis stuff.
 
Before everyone gets too terribly excited over Federer's new kit and its pros & cons, Jim Courier yesterday said "You notice anything about Federer's new clothes? If it looks familiar, it should. It hasn't changed." Courier went on to say that it's just rebranded and was no big deal for the manufacturer (whoever that may really be).
 
CosmosMpower said:
Where did you get the Djoker and Kei gear? I went to the store in Orlando FL and LA and neither had any tennis stuff.
Click to expand...

I bought them a while back online. I usually order post-Grand Slams, like a week or so after. They usually put the stuff on sale online after the majors for $20-30 for shirts/shorts comapred to the 40-50 regular price. I usually go for the polos or v-necks. I feel all their athlete apparel is very limtied run so I feel like they don't make a lot of store shelves because of stock? I've only seen Djoko gear once at the SF store. Never seen any Nishikori gear on shelves state-side. Last time I ordered was last year's FO blue v-neck.

In general, I go to the store to try stuff and occasionally buy, but I mostly order online now since I know how the stuff fits me. That way, I can avoid the parking and crowds at the mall.
 
Rabbit said:
Before everyone gets too terribly excited over Federer's new kit and its pros & cons, Jim Courier yesterday said "You notice anything about Federer's new clothes? If it looks familiar, it should. It hasn't changed." Courier went on to say that it's just rebranded and was no big deal for the manufacturer (whoever that may really be).
Click to expand...

No offense to Jim Courier, but is he really a reliable source of information? To me, he's just one of the talking heads on Tennis TV trying to sound smart...I hear him occasionally make remarks on equipment/racquets and he just spouts generic info/nonsense for the average viewer when the informed minority know its just old equipment under new paintjobs...
 
HunterST said:
I’m seeing a lot of posts from upset Nike fans suggesting Nike is a top of the line brand while Uniqlo is a cheap, low quality brand.

I actually own several clothing items from Uniqlo and they are quite good quality. They are not athletic wear, so I can’t speak to how that stuff performs, but the casual wear is made with good material and has held up well over time.

Nothing against Nike. I have a lot of Nike gear I like. I just saw Uniqlo being compared to very cheap brands like old navy or even Walmart type brands (both the that there’s anything wrong with those if you’re looking for bargains).

I’d say Uniqlo is along the same lines of Express, Banana Republic, etc.
Click to expand...
not so sure about that. I heard Uniqlo T-shirts are thin material and they look worn after only few washings
 
Phantasm said:
No offense to Jim Courier, but is he really a reliable source of information? To me, he's just one of the talking heads on Tennis TV trying to sound smart...I hear him occasionally make remarks on equipment/racquets and he just spouts generic info/nonsense for the average viewer when the informed minority know its just old equipment under new paintjobs...
Click to expand...

Point taken and appreciated. I've been told by someone who knows that the clothing is pretty much like the frames. It all comes out of a few locations in China. It wouldn't surprise me at all if RF had Uniqlo rebrand the Nike kit he's already wearing. Courier and it booth mate both mentioned that Federer is not getting $ for his shoes right now which may also explain the faux pas on his shoes....7 vs 8 Wimbledons. I would suspect Federer has enough Nike gear stashed away to open an outlet store albeit in one size.

I also suspect Courier may be a bit more knowledgeable on endorsements and the gear behind them. While he didn't pay much attention to gear, because he had his racket/string/tension locked down, he probably did pay attention to his endorsement dollars and how changes affected him.

If a manufacturer wants a player, they'll go to extraordinary lengths to get them. As evidence, Phillipousis and the Dunlop debacle, Blake and Prince, Yonex and Navratilova, etc. Connors, in his famous match at the US Open against Haarhuis was photographed in mid-jump after the famous 4 lobs/overheads in a row point. His back was to the camera. He had a Reebok endorsement at the time for his shoes. In the photo, the soles of his Reeboks clearly say Nike. Point being they've been faking it a long, long time. Connors was a great player, but he doesn't have the pull of RF nowadays. I suspect Uniqlo would go the extra mile to get the Federer pull.
 
Rabbit said:
Point taken and appreciated. I've been told by someone who knows that the clothing is pretty much like the frames. It all comes out of a few locations in China. It wouldn't surprise me at all if RF had Uniqlo rebrand the Nike kit he's already wearing. Courier and it booth mate both mentioned that Federer is not getting $ for his shoes right now which may also explain the faux pas on his shoes....7 vs 8 Wimbledons. I would suspect Federer has enough Nike gear stashed away to open an outlet store albeit in one size.

I also suspect Courier may be a bit more knowledgeable on endorsements and the gear behind them. While he didn't pay much attention to gear, because he had his racket/string/tension locked down, he probably did pay attention to his endorsement dollars and how changes affected him.

If a manufacturer wants a player, they'll go to extraordinary lengths to get them. As evidence, Phillipousis and the Dunlop debacle, Blake and Prince, Yonex and Navratilova, etc. Connors, in his famous match at the US Open against Haarhuis was photographed in mid-jump after the famous 4 lobs/overheads in a row point. His back was to the camera. He had a Reebok endorsement at the time for his shoes. In the photo, the soles of his Reeboks clearly say Nike. Point being they've been faking it a long, long time. Connors was a great player, but he doesn't have the pull of RF nowadays. I suspect Uniqlo would go the extra mile to get the Federer pull.
Click to expand...

Fair point. like everything, everything is custom made to fit him, so saying he's wearing clothes made by the same factory in China re-branded with a Uniqlo patch is not a farfetched statement.

Either way, I think OPs statement still stands. Even if he is not wearing actual Uniqlo apparel, Uniqlo puts out quality product at affordable prices and is not cheap low quality stuff as is the image that some people may have of the brand. I expect the Uniqlo Roger replica kits that eventually are for sale to be of as good or better than the Nike RF kits. Hopefully, at more reasonable price points as well.
 
onehandbh said:
Just a few solid color T-shirts & and also a v-neck. Wear them all them time -- to gym, tennis, etc. I'll see if I can find the name of it online or in the store the next time I go to one.
Click to expand...
does it have moisture wicking Quick dry tech like Nike does ?
 
Rabbit said:
Point taken and appreciated. I've been told by someone who knows that the clothing is pretty much like the frames. It all comes out of a few locations in China. It wouldn't surprise me at all if RF had Uniqlo rebrand the Nike kit he's already wearing. Courier and it booth mate both mentioned that Federer is not getting $ for his shoes right now which may also explain the faux pas on his shoes....7 vs 8 Wimbledons. I would suspect Federer has enough Nike gear stashed away to open an outlet store albeit in one size.

I also suspect Courier may be a bit more knowledgeable on endorsements and the gear behind them. While he didn't pay much attention to gear, because he had his racket/string/tension locked down, he probably did pay attention to his endorsement dollars and how changes affected him.

If a manufacturer wants a player, they'll go to extraordinary lengths to get them. As evidence, Phillipousis and the Dunlop debacle, Blake and Prince, Yonex and Navratilova, etc. Connors, in his famous match at the US Open against Haarhuis was photographed in mid-jump after the famous 4 lobs/overheads in a row point. His back was to the camera. He had a Reebok endorsement at the time for his shoes. In the photo, the soles of his Reeboks clearly say Nike. Point being they've been faking it a long, long time. Connors was a great player, but he doesn't have the pull of RF nowadays. I suspect Uniqlo would go the extra mile to get the Federer pull.
Click to expand...
Connors was clearly wearing Nike Air Tech Chalenge 4 low. He never signed with Reebok until after he retired.
lpLBXNt.jpg


Fed’s warmup jacket is Uniqlo design. Nike has nothing like that. We will see when everybody isn’t wearing the same white uniform at Wimbledon what Fed’s Uniqlo line will look like. I bet it’s different than Nike clothing
 
Nostradamus said:
does it have moisture wicking Quick dry tech like Nike does ?
Click to expand...

Uniqlo's DRY-EX activewear line is moisture wicking, anti-microbial and anti-odor. They fit and feel better than the Nike and Adidas activewear clothes I have. So far they also appear to be just as durable. The range of sizes is impressive, sometimes XXS-3XL.
 
tennisitis said:
Uniqlo's DRY-EX activewear line is moisture wicking, anti-microbial and anti-odor. They fit and feel better than the Nike and Adidas activewear clothes I have. So far they also appear to be just as durable. The range of sizes is impressive, sometimes XXS-3XL.
Click to expand...
is it light enough to wear for Tennis ? and why is it all plain solid color with no designs ? are they going to add Federer Imoji to them ?
 
I tried out Uniqlo in mid 2016 and now it's my go-to for regular t-shirts, polos, activewear and outer activewear. I've been impressed with the QC (Yonex-esque), price, fit/sizes and durability. I also appreciate the more understated branding - 2 small solid squares usually discreetly placed. Quality is price-dependent but seems fair to me. For example, the $6 Packaged Dry cotton blend t-shirt is good value but is not as thick and soft as the $10 Supima cotton t-shirt. The Nishi-endorsed line is made with better/thicker/softer material than the regular activewear line but the workmanship/QC appears to be the same.

The HEATTECH line is great for layering in cool/cold weather.

The BLOCKTECH line is windproof (my go-to hoodie over my more expensive Nike and Adidas hoodies).

The AIRism line is light and very soft against the skin. I just tried the Airism polos - very nice but just a little shorter than what I prefer - still keepers.

I always buy on sale, online and return in-store.
 
tennisitis said:
I tried out Uniqlo in mid 2016 and now it's my go-to for regular t-shirts, polos, activewear and outer activewear. I've been impressed with the QC (Yonex-esque), price, fit/sizes and durability. I also appreciate the more understated branding - 2 small solid squares usually discreetly placed. Quality is price-dependent but seems fair to me. For example, the $6 Packaged Dry cotton blend t-shirt is good value but is not as thick and soft as the $10 Supima cotton t-shirt. The Nishi-endorsed line is made with better/thicker/softer material than the regular activewear line but the workmanship/QC appears to be the same.

The HEATTECH line is great for layering in cool/cold weather.

The BLOCKTECH line is windproof (my go-to hoodie over my more expensive Nike and Adidas hoodies).

The AIRism line is light and very soft against the skin. I just tried the Airism polos - very nice but just a little shorter than what I prefer - still keepers.

I always buy on sale, online and return in-store.
Click to expand...

Very good summary of their product line and price points! Their Ultra-light Down jackets are my go-to for the Winter. California never gets too cold so it's just right for the chillier days. I like the discreet branding as well but don't mind the big red squares on their athlete lines. Nice to stand out and be different compared to all the Nike, Adidas, etc gear
 
Nostradamus said:
is it light enough to wear for Tennis ? and why is it all plain solid color with no designs ? are they going to add Federer Imoji to them ?
Click to expand...
Yes, it is light enough for tennis. I think Uniqlo embraces a minimalist/understated philosphy when it comes design for most of the clothes. The SPRZ NY and graphic Ts lines are more "expressiveness". Maybe manufacturing solid color Ts helps to keep the cost down.
 
tennisitis said:
Yes, it is light enough for tennis. I think Uniqlo embraces a minimalist/understated philosphy when it comes design for most of the clothes. The SPRZ NY and graphic Ts lines are more "expressiveness". Maybe manufacturing solid color Ts helps to keep the cost down.
Click to expand...

I think the solid color thing is a Japanese/Asian thing of not being too flamboyant. Then they have their design collaborations things to be their more expressive/creative variations.
 
Rabbit said:
Before everyone gets too terribly excited over Federer's new kit and its pros & cons, Jim Courier yesterday said "You notice anything about Federer's new clothes? If it looks familiar, it should. It hasn't changed." Courier went on to say that it's just rebranded and was no big deal for the manufacturer (whoever that may really be).
Click to expand...

If you look at pictures of the shirt Fed is wearing, the construction is clearly different from Nike i.e. shoulder seams, collar construction, etc. It's not to say they don't come from the same manufacturer. But just because they might be produced in the same factory means the quality is the same. The biggest difference will come from the brand's product specifications and quality control strictness.

I personally thought Fed would look weird, but I'm pleasantly surprised how good it looks on him. I'm looking forward to an increase in tennis wear availability from Uniqlo in the future.
 
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Phantasm said:
Very good summary of their product line and price points! Their Ultra-light Down jackets are my go-to for the Winter. California never gets too cold so it's just right for the chillier days. I like the discreet branding as well but don't mind the big red squares on their athlete lines. Nice to stand out and be different compared to all the Nike, Adidas, etc gear
Click to expand...
Agreed about the big red squares, like on the Nishi line and soon RF line, as an option for the regular activewear line. I'm hoping to see more brighter colors and SLEEVELESS - maybe when Nadal signs up.
 
[d]ragon said:
If you look at pictures of the shirt Fed is wearing, the construction is clearly different from Nike i.e. shoulder seams, collar construction, etc. It's not to say they don't come from the same manufacturer. But just because they might be produced in the same factory means the quality is the same. The biggest difference will come from the brand's product specifications and quality control strictness.

I personally thought Fed would look weird, but I'm pleasantly surprised how good it looks on him. I'm looking forward to an increase in tennis wear availability from Uniqlo in the future.
Click to expand...
From Uniqlo's website:
"Design
Roger Federer’s game wear for Wimbledon 2018 was designed at the UNIQLO Paris R&D Center, led by Artistic Director Christophe Lemaire. Instead of the classic polo shirt or crewneck style collar, UNIQLO reflected Roger Federer’s preference for a short stand-up collar to emphasize a more sophisticated look both on and off court. The design of the shirt and shorts is accented by a burgundy color line - incorporated at the edge of the sleeves and the front panel of the shirt, and down the sides of the shorts - to highlight the company's corporate color, especially at the launch of the partnership."
 
Lemaire is also one of a couple of major designers who curate lines for Uniqlo and therefore produce designer clothing at almost budget pricing.

Nike offers nothing equivalent to that although Puma has now that it is more a lifestyle brand.

In all probability Uniqlo see Federer as someone who can sell athletic gear and sophisticated European fashion, so he's worth a lot even in retirement.

tennisitis said:
From Uniqlo's website:
"Design
Roger Federer’s game wear for Wimbledon 2018 was designed at the UNIQLO Paris R&D Center, led by Artistic Director Christophe Lemaire. Instead of the classic polo shirt or crewneck style collar, UNIQLO reflected Roger Federer’s preference for a short stand-up collar to emphasize a more sophisticated look both on and off court. The design of the shirt and shorts is accented by a burgundy color line - incorporated at the edge of the sleeves and the front panel of the shirt, and down the sides of the shorts - to highlight the company's corporate color, especially at the launch of the partnership."
Click to expand...
 
Phantasm said:
Fair point. like everything, everything is custom made to fit him, so saying he's wearing clothes made by the same factory in China re-branded with a Uniqlo patch is not a farfetched statement.

Either way, I think OPs statement still stands. Even if he is not wearing actual Uniqlo apparel, Uniqlo puts out quality product at affordable prices and is not cheap low quality stuff as is the image that some people may have of the brand. I expect the Uniqlo Roger replica kits that eventually are for sale to be of as good or better than the Nike RF kits. Hopefully, at more reasonable price points as well.
Click to expand...

Actually, the poster wanted to say that Nike and Li-Ning are produced in the same factory and Nike is a rebranded Li-Ning.

It hasn't come out yet until now, because noone asked.

8-)
 
Uniqlo is a massive brand with a price range that is low to middling in the retail market. Do I like their heat-tech stuff? Not as much as the UA heatgear material.
I love their SPRZ NY range T-shirts, but those get ragged, just like any other cotton T-shirt put through the wash. They have guest designers for certain basics.
Nike does the same thing with shoes, not clothes. So each brand comes at it from a different side. Can Fed benefit from both? If he's smart and Tom negotiates well, yes.

Tennis_Hands said:
Actually, the poster wanted to say that Nike and Li-Ning are produced in the same factory and Nike is a rebranded Li-Ning.

It hasn't come out yet until now, because noone asked.

:cool:
Click to expand...
Just because it comes out of the same factory does not mean it's a rebrand. Since Li Ning started later, one can argue it's Li Ning that's the being rebranded and looking at the designs of Li Ning, I'd think Nike has the better designers for now.
 
Sardines said:
Just because it comes out of the same factory does not mean it's a rebrand. Since Li Ning started later, one can argue it's Li Ning that's the being rebranded and looking at the designs of Li Ning, I'd think Nike has the better designers for now.
Click to expand...

It was a subtle jab at the poster I was responding to.

Volkswagen also produces Volkswagens and Bentleys in the same factory, but noone claims they are the same car.

Anyone with a knowledge about manufacturing structures knows that the businesses need a high level of integration, and rationalisation in order to be effective.

Next is the claim that, because it is chinese, therefore it is bad.

China allows for a very competitive highly industrialised production of all sorts of goods (if you don't believe me, flip through the leaflet of your IPhone and see where it is produced), so all this talk about "chinese" brand (it is japanese, but for the fanboys it is easier to distinguish between companies, if one is american, that produces in China and the other is chinese, thus inferring lower manufacturing standards, when the truth is that Uniqlo, being a japanese brand, is exactly in the same position when it comes to the chinese-produced goods as Nike (as are many of the most widely-known western brands)) is intentional mud-slinging.

It is a very low level of fanboyism, and, sadly, one that often is effective.

:cool:
 
Watching Fed’s match now. Only 1 data point but Fed’s shorts have a tear at the bottom of one of the legs; never saw that with Nike shorts. I’ve never had that with any Nike shorts - and I’m sure mine get a lot more use than his (probably ‘retired’ very fast). So those touting Uniqlo’s incredible quality might want to wait a while.
 
West Coast Ace said:
Watching Fed’s match now. Only 1 data point but Fed’s shorts have a tear at the bottom of one of the legs; never saw that with Nike shorts. I’ve never had that with any Nike shorts - and I’m sure mine get a lot more use than his (probably ‘retired’ very fast). So those touting Uniqlo’s incredible quality might want to wait a while.
Click to expand...

Really?

8-)
 
tennisitis said:
From Uniqlo's website:
"Design
Roger Federer’s game wear for Wimbledon 2018 was designed at the UNIQLO Paris R&D Center, led by Artistic Director Christophe Lemaire. Instead of the classic polo shirt or crewneck style collar, UNIQLO reflected Roger Federer’s preference for a short stand-up collar to emphasize a more sophisticated look both on and off court. The design of the shirt and shorts is accented by a burgundy color line - incorporated at the edge of the sleeves and the front panel of the shirt, and down the sides of the shorts - to highlight the company's corporate color, especially at the launch of the partnership."
Click to expand...
So Roger's the reason Nike has been making so many henley shirts the last few years I take it. I don't know how he plays in those, those stubby half-collars would annoy me so much.
 
Tennis_Hands said:
It was a subtle jab at the poster I was responding to.

Volkswagen also produces Volkswagens and Bentleys in the same factory, but noone claims they are the same car.

Anyone with a knowledge about manufacturing structures knows that the businesses need a high level of integration, and rationalisation in order to be effective.

Next is the claim that, because it is chinese, therefore it is bad.

China allows for a very competitive highly industrialised production of all sorts of goods (if you don't believe me, flip through the leaflet of your IPhone and see where it is produced), so all this talk about "chinese" brand (it is japanese, but for the fanboys it is easier to distinguish between companies, if one is american, that produces in China and the other is chinese, thus inferring lower manufacturing standards, when the truth is that Uniqlo, being a japanese brand, is exactly in the same position when it comes to the chinese-produced goods as Nike (as are many of the most widely-known western brands)) is intentional mud-slinging.

It is a very low level of fanboyism, and, sadly, one that often is effective.

:cool:
Click to expand...
Yup,
China knows exactly what they’re doing. I used to work in social housing and our refrigerators were made in China. And the number of refrigerators that would fail on the very same day their warranty ran out was incredible, astonishing, magical and terrifying.
 
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