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Wales football fans hit out at cost of 'Royal' knitwear collaboration

By David Owens
The Corgi x Red Wall collaboration (Credit: FAW)

Wales football fans have hit out at what they describe as the 'joke' prices of products in a collaboration between the FAW and knitwear company Corgi.

An email sent out on the weekend to members of the Red Wall membership scheme notified supporters of the tie-in between the Football Association of Wales and the Welsh knitwear company.

However, it quickly prompted criticism amongst supporters, causing a flurry of complaints on social media by fans who believe the products offered in the Red Wall collaboration are too expensive.

At a time of a cost of living crisis, hats fans said that hats retailing between £45 and £85, and scarves priced at £90 were out of the reach of most pockets.

Many supporters vented their spleen on the Wales Football Fans Group on Facebook.

'HOW MUCH???' wrote one poster, while another called the prices 'a joke' and a third said: 'I dropped my phone in terror when I saw the scarf'.

Others joked: 'At least Dick Turpin wore a mask', and 'Christ. I hope there's a heater installed inside the hat for that cost'.

Corgi, which is based in Ammanford, was founded in 1892 and has historical links to the Royal Family, which includes a royal warrant which was awarded to the company by Prince Charles in 1989.

It's website displays the Prince of Wales three feathers - next to wording which reads: By royal appointment to HRH the Prince of Wales knitwear and hosiery manufacturers.

Many Wales football fans especially those amongst the Red Wall have shown themselves to have republican leanings, and the company's branding of the three feathers and links to the Royal Family didn't exactly endear themselves to some supporters.

'It is by appointment of that English fella to be fair 🙄,' one wrote, while another posted: 'The ‘by appointment’ and feather duster badge was enough for me, they could be 45p each and I still wouldn’t buy.'

In response, a spokesperson for the FAW pointed out that the range with Corgi Socks is one aspect of the licensed merchandise offerings from multiple providers that cater for all different price ranges.

These include:
JD Sports - replica shirts, training wear, fan wear & accessories
The World Football Store - fan wear & accessories
FOCO - gifts
Oddballs - underwear
Visually Speaking - exclusive Cymru prints
Cymru Photography - pictures from matches

All of the above are accessible via the ’Shop’ page on the FAW website

The spokesperson added that: 'The Corgi range is being offered to fans with a discount if they’re a member of The Red Wall.

'The FAW plans to add further licensed merchandise ranges in the future.'

READ MORE:
Petition launched calling on FAW to say ‘no’ to more royal patrons
Wales fans push back against suggestion Kate Middleton could become new patron of Welsh football

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19 comments

karl

They look homemade and very basic with it. Guess I will buy mine from one of the creative minds selling decent scarves around the stadium. THe FAW needs to stop the anti consumer practise of awarding one franchise parts of the business. For instance only JD for a jersey. No price competition available.

Reply
Richard Thomas

I've no idea how republican or otherwise supporters of the national team are in practice compared to the population as a whole. Football fans sing all kinds of things they don't mean, especially if it's a dig at their rivals (in this case a de facto one at England). I'm sure there's a lot of 90 minute patriotism.

Reply
Glen

Na, they're all in daffodil hats watching the rugger.

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Falafel bandit

Yes it does seem expensive- but it’s a collaboration with a Welsh-based company so the products aren’t made in a bangladeshi sweatshop. You’d think welsh football fans would be overjoyed at the opportunity to support a company based in a small town in west Wales …

Reply
GW Atkinson

Not when its overpriced and has links to the english royal family

Reply
Carol Loughlin

Lots of everyday businesses have the same link to the royal family, ie a royal warrant to supply goods to the royal family. Do we also boycott Boots, Cadbury and Heinz as they are warrant holders?

Reply

In reply to Carol Loughlin

karl

Yes, if obvious. I don't support criminal families. Let alone ones occupying our country of Cymru. You named 3 bad brands that are at the forfront of ripping off conusmers ironically. Heinz especially, the prices ouch

Reply
Notttabottt

If its royal, then its a no, no matter how good they look,how well made

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NotAnIdiot

Using that logic I’m assuming you also don’t use HP Sauce, Kellogg’s, Weetabix or Samsung since they also have Royal Warrants. All the royal warrant means is that the Royal Family buy the products. If you don’t like the product or the price then fair enough but don’t go running down a Welsh owned and run business just because Charles happens to like their socks.

Reply
Jeff33

But the products you mention are not to Wales or nationalism. (Nationalism in the sense of support for a national team rather than a political nationalism.)

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Carol Loughlin

It's not owned by the royal family. They hold a warrant to supply goods to the royal family.

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Bethan

This Corgi company, what do the royal family do with the profit?

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Carol Loughlin

The royal family don't receive any profit from Corgi. A royal warrant means that they buy things from the company.

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Bethan

Ah, so it's more like a royal endorsement if anything. Well tbf they do look like high quality knitwear, but if I were to spend over the market price for winter warmers I'd probably go with Patagonia. The founder and his heirs recently declared they were going to donate all their future profits to climate efforts because they're rich enough. Just about hitching wagons to the right stars. More likely I'd buy something cheap from Amazon though.

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Charles Coombes

Supply and demand. Dont buy and the price will come down.

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karl

That tends to work better with no monopoly

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Richard Burton

This company is inherently British. Not a single word of Welsh on their website, products by appointment of a balding English football fan and to top it off they brand it the red wall. Why such contempt for Cymraeg?

Reply
Jeff33

You don’t have to buy it!

Reply
Stefan

Can we get them to knit some football socks and shorts? JD Sport seem incapable of supplying the full kit..

Reply

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