Amanda Mustard

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Wilson Tennis Ball Factory - For The New York Times

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Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð Augus...anda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Finished balls are approach the logo stamping process. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : A picture of Thailand's King hangs in an office space on the factory floor. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Natural rubber awaits the curing process to become the foundation of the tennis ball. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : The cured natural rubber is fed into an extruder, which rolls the material into a long rod to be sliced into 'slugs'. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : The natural rubber is cut into 'slugs', which are pellets that will become a half shell each. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Sheets of molded half shells fresh off the press are cut into strips for trimming. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Trimmed half shells are buffed and then aligned to have adhesive applied. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : During the second curing process, is filled with buffed and cemented half shells to make them into pressurized cores. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Pressurized cores in a hydraulic press after being cured and bonded. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Pressurized tennis ball cores are stored on the factory floor according to their type before having adhesive applied. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Pressurized tennis ball cores have their surfaces buffed and texturized before an adhesive coating is applied. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Tennis ball cores, freshly coated in adhesive, are raked into racks to dry. Over 100 million balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Felt rolls are 6 feet wide and 300 feet long upon arrival to the factory. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : An automated stamping machine cuts out the tennis ball felt panels, or 'dog bones' out and stacks them to be counted. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Felt panels are counted, compressed, and placed in racks before being dipped in an adhesive bath. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Racks of felt panels are dipped in an adhesive bath, which coats only the edges of the panels with white adhesive. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Two felt panels are adhered to the pressurized cores during 'ball covering'. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : During 'fluffing', the balls are tumbled to bring the felt back to it's original thickness after the heat and pressure of the hydraulic press. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : 'Fluffed' and finished balls are inspected before logo stamping. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : A worker sits in front of an automated felt stamping machine. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : 'Fluffed' and finished balls are inspected and have their adhesive trimmed before logo stamping. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Finished balls are stamped with a logo. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Various rolls of logo options in storage. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Balls are hand placed in cans before being sealed. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Labels are slipped automatically onto sealed canisters. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Caps are placed onto the labeled and sealed canisters. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Ð August 18, 2016 : Red and yellow 'Starter' balls are hand-packaged for distribution. Over 100 million tennis balls are produced annually (275,000 daily) at the Wilson tennis ball factory outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Amanda Mustard for New York Times

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Public Project

Wilson Tennis Ball Factory - For The New York Times

Copyright Amanda Mustard 2024

Updated Mar 2020

Location Bangkok, Thailand

Topics Business, Design, Documentary, Editorial, Essays, Media, Photography, Photojournalism, Sports, Stock, Tennis

The Wilson Tennis Ball Factory in Thailand

Text and images for The New York Times published first here. This story was subsequently published in WIRED.

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