Lesley Barker, director of the Bolduc House Museum, authored the books "St. Louis Gateway Rail—The 1970s," published by Arcadia, and the "Eye Can Too! Read" series of vision-related e-books. Her articles have appeared in print and online since the 1980s. Barker holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Washington University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Webster University.
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Soccer GearOverview
Ninety percent of all the soccer balls used worldwide are made in Sialkot, Pakistan. They are built from panels of hand-sewn tessellated reinforced vinyl hexagons and pentagons. The standards for soccer balls are established by the International Federation of Football Association, FIFA.
Features
A standard soccer ball weighs between 420 and 445 grams. It has a circumference of between 68.5 and 69.5 centimeters. When it is properly inflated to a pressure of 0.8 bar, it should rebound 120-150 centimeters when the temperature is 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Materials
The outside skin of a soccer ball is made from sheets of vinyl to which layers of cotton and polyester have been fused. Cheaper soccer balls have only one layer of cotton and polyester, while the more expensive soccer balls used in matches have four.
Panels
Each soccer ball is made from 32 panels that are sewn together. First the fabric is sliced into hexagons and pentagons. Then, if there will be any designs, text or logos on the outside of the ball, they are silk-screened onto the panels when they are still flat, before they are sewn.
Hand-stitching
Each panel gets punched with stitch holes. They are hand-stitched together inside out. In all, a regulation soccer ball contains a total of 720 stitches.
Inside the Ball
Before the final panel is sewn up, the deflated round latex inner tube is inserted into the ball. The balls get tested to make sure that they are able to maintain the correct 0.8 bar of air pressure. Then, deflated again, they are shipped throughout the world.
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