An Overview of the Roots of the Modern Day Sweatshirt
The sweatshirt (or simply ‘sweat’) was created by Benjamin Russell in 1926. The Russel Corporation was founded in Alabama in 1902. The firm started life by manufacturing underwear for men and women.
Benjamin Russell was the company founder. Benjamin had a football playing son who enjoyed playing football and who in due course played for the Alabama University team. Bertie complained to his father about how uncomfortable the woolen football jerseys worn by players of the time.
Bertie came-up with the idea of using the underwear garment material as football shirts. Being familiar with the garments made at the factory Bertie told his father that this would make excellent football shirts. Benjamin could see the idea could take-off and tried it out.
The idea was a success not just with the Alabama team but with many other football clubs..
Benjamin saw the potential and encouraged Bertie to look for different markets for the new shirts. Bertie found willing customers in athletics clubs and the baseball world and production expanded to meet the new demand.
{The Russell company was able to become the preferred sports shirt supply company by forming Russell Athletic in 1932.|In response to this success the Russell company formed the athletics association Russell Athletic in 1932 establishing Russell as the preferred athletics shirt supplier
Fast forward in time and the sweatshirt style has since become a very popular item of casual clothing being made by many fashion brands for example G Star Sweatshirt.
