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Russell Athletic

Russell Athletic is an American clothing manufacturer based in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Currently a subsidiary of global company Fruit of the Loom, Russell Athletic was the main brand of Russell Brands, LLC. until its acquisition in 2006.

Founded in 1902, the company produced team uniforms for a wide range of sports, such as American football, basketball, baseball, softball, and volleyball. Russell Athletic supplied jersey uniforms and apparel for many professional sports teams of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, and also high schools, colleges, universities, and minor league teams, until it shut down its team uniform division in 2017. Nevertheless, manufacturing of team uniforms restarted in 2018 through an agreement with Georgia-based company Augusta Sportswear.

Today, Russell Athletic primarily focuses on casual wear, producing t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, sweatpants, shorts and underwear. The company also manufactures American football, baseball/softball, and basketball uniforms in its partnership with Augusta Sportswear.

The company was founded by Benjamin Russell in Alexander City, Alabama, in 1902. The original mill produced women's undershirts and children's undergarments. The mills beginning capacity was 150 garments daily. During the 1910s, Russell Manufacturing Co. become an established business. In 1920 Russell Sr. & Jr. created the first cotton jersey that is now known as the sweatshirt. By 1925 long underwear, sweaters, athletic shirts, and women's bloomers were added to the production of women's vests, making a more complete product line.

In 1932 Russell acquired Southern Manufacturing Company, which gave the company access to athletic team apparel, and the company became Russell Southern. This was the beginning of the Russell Athletic division's cutting and sewing operations. Later in 1938, Russell began making woven athletic garments, including basketball, baseball, and football pants and jackets.

In 1941, founder Benjamin Russell died on December 16 and the reins of the company were passed to his son Benjamin C. Russell. During World War II, Russell's 'Athletic' Division sold primarily to the military. Shirts, drawers, T-shirts, athletic garments, and special outer garments were made for the Army and Navy. Benjamin C. Russell died in 1945 and was succeeded as president by his brother, Thomas D. Russell. After the War, the company embarked on further expansion and development throughout its knitting, weaving, dyeing, finishing, and cutting departments.

During the 1960s, the 'Athletic' division was the largest marketer and manufacturer of athletic apparel and uniforms in the country. In 1962, Russell Manufacturing Company's name was changed to Russell Mills, Inc. In 1973, Russell Mills' name was changed to the Russell Corporation, and the company expanded manufacturing across the Southern USA, also to Latin America and Scotland.

In 1992, Russell Athletic dealt a five-year contract to serve as the exclusive producer and marketer of athletic uniforms for most Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. The contract also stipulated that the company held the exclusive right to manufacture and market replicas of major league uniforms, T-shirts, and shorts.

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