Pathetic Quality From Castore

In advance of the Xmas rush (ie now) could any fans media do another Q&A with Castore to update us on issues, upcoming releases, but importantly stock expectations for Xmas.
 
I imagine this will go down like the proverbial led balloon, but I’m surprised so many bought into the castore hype.

We were between a rock and a hard place and got a decent deal out of it, so no complaints there, but the ‘quality’ angle? Nah, they’re a company set up a few years ago with little track record, and little evidence of ever being capable of mass producing quality goods. It’s all very well saying you can, and having glitzy advertising (alongside luxury goods prices) to support the claim, but until you actually do it means very little.
 
Do people actually return football tops because the lettering from inside the collar that no one can see when you’re wearing it begins to deteriorate? That’s happened to almost every football top I’ve had.
 
Have both the black travel tracksuit and orange training top. Both superb quality and no issues, although I’m a small in the trackies and training top when usually a medium
 
They also said that unsponsored kits would be out later in the year also. It’s still early right enough but I don’t hold out much hope.
I asked the question at the time about these and I think I was told that they were discussing it. I'm not a holier than thou person, but I would much prefer if we didn't have a betting company as our main sponsor as I think betting advertising has got completely out of control, and gambling companies are showing themselves to be absolute snakes with luring "VIP" customers in who are clearly addicts.

For us to run an "Everyone, Anyone" campaign that means we are a club that is inclusive to all no matter your colour or creed, and also have a gambling company on the front of our shirts which is absolutely forbidden in Islam for instance is completely at odds with each other.
 
I imagine this will go down like the proverbial led balloon, but I’m surprised so many bought into the castore hype.

We were between a rock and a hard place and got a decent deal out of it, so no complaints there, but the ‘quality’ angle? Nah, they’re a company set up a few years ago with little track record, and little evidence of ever being capable of mass producing quality goods. It’s all very well saying you can, and having glitzy advertising (alongside luxury goods prices) to support the claim, but until you actually do it means very little.
Hindsight is brilliant. Didn’t see anyone saying this before any of the stuff was released.
 
Hindsight is brilliant. Didn’t see anyone saying this before any of the stuff was released.

I realise it comes across a bit like that. I wasn’t on here at the time though.

Ultimately it isn’t me having any special insight into this sort of thing, just very skeptical of the supposed quality of brands that have popped up on social media in recent years. There’s loads of them, and their mark of quality is basically just a high price tag.

It actually touches on a mistake a lot of people make imo - conflating something being expensive with it being valuable.
 
I realise it comes across a bit like that. I wasn’t on here at the time though.

Ultimately it isn’t me having any special insight into this sort of thing, just very skeptical of the supposed quality of brands that have popped up on social media in recent years. There’s loads of them, and their mark of quality is basically just a high price tag.

It actually touches on a mistake a lot of people make imo - conflating something being expensive with it being valuable.

I've purchased some of their golf stuff and it's genuinely first class, after umpteen times through the wash.

As you say though, different ball game when you have to mass produce.
 
The inside lettering for my two China tops has peeled massively. Turkey one seems fine still.

Not bothered about inside lettering, but I worry what it means for the other printed areas.

Definitely quality issues with all tops - hopefully they hold out and Castore learn and improve for next season.
 
Admin edit: Since I started this OP, I'm adding this post to my OP rather than creating a new thread.

I appreciate lots of people are delighted with the quality of Castore's Rangers products.
However, I've had the exact opposite experience, sadly.

I returned my home shirt for a full refund at the time because the quality was extremely poor – and my away and third shirts haven't held up well at all.

Please note: I know how to wash football shirts and I've never had a problem with any football gear prior to these Castore ones.

As you can see from the below images, most of the lettering is peeling off both shirts.
The back is the third kit is particularly embarrassing.

The away kit isn't as bad, but the colours of the sponsor have bled, something I've never seen on a football shirt before.

@Greg Marshall , as you were kind enough to chat to me at length about Castore previously, can you share these images with the club/Castore please and ask if this is the quality we should expect?

These two shirts will be going in the bin at the end of the season – but I've got massive concerns about the quality of our future merchandise.
If they make a mess of the 150 anniversary stuff, it'll be unforgivable.

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Always wash football shirts on the lowest , quickest cycle. Helps massively.
The point is that you shouldn't need to. If they can't produce a garment that can be washed at a standard 40° temperature and cycle then they're in the wrong game.

Also, it's worth remembering that it's a football shirt and is intended to be dirty, muddy and grass stained. A cool wash won't deal with that soiling.
 
Looks like they’ve been washed far too high or possibly tumble dried tbh.

No issues with any of my tops and had them since release, seems you’ve just been the unlucky one.
 
My third top is in the same boat, I always like keeping kits from momentous seasons and sadly I don't think i'll be able to do that this season.

Also through rose tinted specs bought the champions shirt but had a change of heart when I was reminded how bad the third kit has gotten - regardless of whether it's embroidered or not.

The fact that this is situation is being kept like some dirty secret between the club and the paying support is a joke and hasn't been addressed remotely properly from where I see it, regardless of whether x% of supporters haven't had a problem as there is THOUSANDS of us who have.
 
It looks there are some products where the quality falls short. However, I have to say that when I pay £60 or so for a top I treat it like that. I never stick in a wash over 30 degrees. Always wash it outside in, never put it in with a lot of other items, never tumble dry always dry on a hanger and never iron.
So far so good, or maybe I've been lucky
 
Admin edit: Since I started this OP, I'm adding this post to my OP rather than creating a new thread.

I appreciate lots of people are delighted with the quality of Castore's Rangers products.
However, I've had the exact opposite experience, sadly.

I returned my home shirt for a full refund at the time because the quality was extremely poor – and my away and third shirts haven't held up well at all.

Please note: I know how to wash football shirts and I've never had a problem with any football gear prior to these Castore ones.

As you can see from the below images, most of the lettering is peeling off both shirts.
The back is the third kit is particularly embarrassing.

The away kit isn't as bad, but the colours of the sponsor have bled, something I've never seen on a football shirt before.

@Greg Marshall , as you were kind enough to chat to me at length about Castore previously, can you share these images with the club/Castore please and ask if this is the quality we should expect?

These two shirts will be going in the bin at the end of the season – but I've got massive concerns about the quality of our future merchandise.
If they make a mess of the 150 anniversary stuff, it'll be unforgivable.

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My black top is exactly the same, the home top has held up slightly better.

they are all washed together at the same time and same temperature as the previous 2 years Hummel tops which are clearly much better quality.
 
Nope, they've always been washed at the lowest setting and have never been tumble dried.
I don't even own a tumble drier :shh:

So far, luckily, I've had the opposite with the new stuff. Missus got me 2 Hoodies at Christmas and Joggies to match one of them, the new Home strip was bought soon after the release and all of it has been great.

So much so im constantly looking for new stuff on their site to see if there's anything else i could get from them. Looking at your pics though you'd understand if you never bought another item from them.
 
Purchased this on Friday:

RFC COTTON LS TEE - NAVY/WHITE; RFC COTTON SWEATER - NAVY/WHITE; RFC COTTON HOODY - NAVY/WHITE.

I was £160 for that lot.
However, I’ve just received them, and I'm disgusted with the lack of quality.

On the sweater, the Castore words are missing letters and the Castore logo isn't straight.
The RFC crest is also miles off being straight.

The t-shirt and hoodie are OK on this front, but the quality in general leaves a lot to be desired.

Are normal Castore items made in India like this cheap shit?
And when I say cheap shit, I mean the quality – not the prices, which are anything but cheap.

I'm so disgusted with the poor quality of the sweater that I'm returning all three.

I've got the home and away shirt, but these will be my last Castore purchases unless the item is embroidered.

Gutted not to be able to support my club.

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I had a quick look on Twitter (which I'm not on, thankfully), and if you search for Castore, it's full of Rangers fans highlighting the poor quality of items, if they actually receive them that is.

This must be doing untold damage to the Castore brand.
A company who prides itself on being premium and the manufacturer of the world's highest quality sportswear are currently a laughing stock.

If I was involved with Castore, I'd be sorting this as a matter of urgency before the entire brand is irreparably damaged.

They are a lot of very unhappy vocal Rangers fans out there just now...
Totally agree with you Bro., I took delivery of a number of Face masks, the material quality and design are substandard. My direct comparison is with UA who provide a superior quality all round.
I should have paid more attention to the SG ‘slipping’ face mask interview.
 
All of my castore rangers gear has been washed correctly and all of the badges and lettering is falling to bits. I will need to think twice when the gear comes out as I'm not paying over the odds again for poor quality.
 
I always hand wash football shirts. Unless the shirts are stained with either playing in them or spilling your curry down them there is not really a need to be machine washed.
Learned with my sons strips years ago that it can be a hit or miss machine washing.
Of course the tops should be able to be machine washed as advertised on the label but with them costing as much it’s not worth taking the chance for me.
 
Well, the new summer launch this year should be interesting.
Certainly don’t see many paying in advance to get a strip of dubious quality at some point in the weeks after the launch date.
As with my perpetual whining about RTV, the club and its commercial partners treat us really poorly with regards to customer service because we are a captive audience cash cow to be milked.

edit: and those who cannot see past the name Rangers, will blame fans for how they wash shirts, not knowing a variety of odd techy stuff to get the streams to work, rather than understanding that it is up to those who we give our money to to make sure we have a fighting chance with the products and services.
 
Football tops shouldnt get so bad that fast I agree on that much but ever since I can remember all football tops end up peeling away, most of my tops as a wee guy had the mcewan's lager or the ntl world peel off over time. Was that my mums fault when washing or the top who knows? But peeling football tops isnt exclusive to castore. But I do agree that is a bit soon for that sort of peeling to happen.

I wash my tops outside in and in a pillow case, feck knows if that makes any difference but my top seems fine.
 
So far, luckily, I've had the opposite with the new stuff. Missus got me 2 Hoodies at Christmas and Joggies to match one of them, the new Home strip was bought soon after the release and all of it has been great.

So much so im constantly looking for new stuff on their site to see if there's anything else i could get from them. Looking at your pics though you'd understand if you never bought another item from them.

The worst thing is, I will buy the items next season in the hope they're better quality.
I must be a fool.

I like to keep my football shirts.
These are the only ones I've ever had that are now only fit for the bin.
 
Any item that has stick on logos/letters should be binned. For the price they're charging it should be embroidered only. If they're just slapping a sticker on generic castore stock that's where the issue will be.
 
Admin edit: Since I started this OP, I'm adding this post to my OP rather than creating a new thread.

I appreciate lots of people are delighted with the quality of Castore's Rangers products.
However, I've had the exact opposite experience, sadly.

I returned my home shirt for a full refund at the time because the quality was extremely poor – and my away and third shirts haven't held up well at all.

Please note: I know how to wash football shirts and I've never had a problem with any football gear prior to these Castore ones.

As you can see from the below images, most of the lettering is peeling off both shirts.
The back is the third kit is particularly embarrassing.

The away kit isn't as bad, but the colours of the sponsor have bled, something I've never seen on a football shirt before.

@Greg Marshall , as you were kind enough to chat to me at length about Castore previously, can you share these images with the club/Castore please and ask if this is the quality we should expect?

These two shirts will be going in the bin at the end of the season – but I've got massive concerns about the quality of our future merchandise.
If they make a mess of the 150 anniversary stuff, it'll be unforgivable.

View attachment 1864View attachment 1865View attachment 1866View attachment 1867View attachment 1868View attachment 1869
I have to say that’s absolutely shocking . Those kits look like they are about 30 years old .

I love the design of this years kits especially the home one and my wee boys has held up ok so far .

Howeber I’ve still got three Nike NTL tops from 1999, they went on numerous lads holidays including poolside , beer stains etc , and honestly now in my drawer still look brand new including the sponsor , badge etc .

I have my doubts that Castore ones will have the same longevity .
 
Glad this thread has resurfaced. My Energy Check sponsor has now cracked and is peeling off, as of last week.
 
In the main it’s been fine for my purchases:

1. Kids home kits - no issues
2. My home shirt and black away - no issues
3. My training kit - labels peeling away
4. My leisure shorts - rfc label on front completely gone.

Being the eternal optimist, I’m sure Castore will fix any issues for next year.
 
Mixed views on their stuff. This was the worst we got, when returned to the store at the beginning of December the lassie said ‘but you’ve had it 3 months.’ Didn’t realise they had a BBD. Worn & washed twice in that period, washed at 30 and inside out with no conditioner before anyone asks. Other stuff we’ve bought the quality has been perfect.

 
The grey and orange training gear is the worst. The ones the players wear are falling to bits and I’m sure Jimmy Bell knows what he’s doing when it comes to getting kits cleaned.

Its no coincidence that the limited edition black and gold training gear have no issues. The badge on my shorts is embroidered and the castore logo doesn’t have the letters, just the logo and the heat transfer is higher quality. They have obviously known what’s went wrong and that looks good for next season.

They’ve been washed the exact same way as my navy and white training shorts (logos hanging on for dear life) and the grey and orange ones (nearly missing full castore logo and star missing from badge) and no issues with them whatsoever, they still look brand new.
 
The lettering was starting to peel off the inside of my collar so not really wore the tops much since I seen it happening

I have a bunch of retro tops I wear more regularly and never had one issue with sponsors peeling off it
 
My 55 champions t-shirt has already started to come away at the seam under the arm. Got a size up and plenty of room it. Really disappointed. It's not even been washed yet.
 
Glad this thread has resurfaced. My Energy Check sponsor has now cracked and is peeling off, as of last week.
There’s a lot to be said for selling jerseys with just the main sponsor or without any . It stands to reason that all these wee thin ironed on sponsors won’t last the test of time . Neither will the tiny “ follow follow” parts in the nape of the neck . While it’s a nice touch it isn’t really required and just causes bother .

My message to Castore is for our next 3 kits please keep it simple . Less is more when it comes to our kits .
 
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The sponsor on my home top is cracking slightly but that’s all I’d say I’d have an issue with and to be fair it’s been washed each week after every game we play so has held up well.
 
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