Making Soccer
Balls
How Soccer Balls are Made: The Materials
Soccer has been evolving as a sport for countless years. Ancient cultures originally developed the foundations for the modern game that so many people love. Nowadays, the standard soccer ball is made of synthetic leather stitched around a rubber bladder. Polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride are the two most common materials used to make the exterior panels. A polyester cloth backing is attached to the inside of the panels with a latex adhesive to complete the outer shell of the ball. Finally, we have the interior bladder, which is made of real or synthetic rubber.
Manufacturing the Exterior
Soccer balls are produced in industrial facilities. The first step in the overall process is to prepare the exterior panels. Sheets of synthetic leather are strengthened with the addition of thin polyester cloth. The cloth is attached with a latex adhesive. Cheaper balls have only one or two layers of cloth attached. A more sturdy and expensive ball will have three or four layers. This increases the durability of the soccer ball. Once dry, the sheets of leather are cut in a die-cutting machine. This is how those recognizable hexagonal panels on all soccer balls are created. Then these cut panels are taken to a silkscreen area to be imprinted with the logo and any special designs unique to each manufacturer.
Manufacturing the Bladder and the Finished Product
Synthetic rubber is generally used to make the internal bladder of a soccer ball. This rubber material is gently heated until it is able to be molded until a balloon shape. After cooling, the balloon-shaped bladder is inflated slightly. At this point, the synthetic leather panels are stitched together. The stitching is usually done by hand, and it can be a tedious process. Once almost all of the panels have been sewn together, the bladder is inserted and the panels are sewn shut. The ball is inflated to make sure that there are no problems with leaks or loose stitching, and then it is shipped off to be sold. That is the basic process by which soccer balls are manufactured.
