Russell Athletic
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Textile |
| Founded | 1902 in Alexander City, Alabama |
| Founder | Benjamin Russell |
| Headquarters | Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States |
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Area served
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North America, Europe |
| Products | Sports uniforms |
| Parent |
Russell Brands (Berkshire Hathaway) |
| Website | russellathletic |
Russell Athletic is an American athletics brand, it is the main brand of eponymous American company and its manufacturer and marketer Russell Brands, LLC.. Founded in 1902, the company produces uniforms for a wide range of sports, such as American football, basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball. With over a hundred years of experience since its founding, it supplied jersey uniforms and apparel for many professional sports teams of the major leagues in the United States of America in the past. Russell today has its focus on Universities, i.e. varsities and minor leagues.
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. 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.
1932 saw how Russell acquired Southern Manufacturing Company, which gave the company access to athletic team apparel. 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 the 16th of December 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 "Russell Corporation", and the company expanded manufacturing across the Southern USA, also to Latin America and Scotland.
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Wikipedia