Russell Athletic Apparel

How Russell Athletic Became What It Is Today

The Russell Athletic story makes sense when you know where it came from. Athletes in the 1920s were stuck with heavy wool uniforms that got soaked and caused irritation. Benjamin Russell Jr. dealt with this playing football at Alabama, and his dad had a textile mill. They made the first cotton practice jersey, which turned into the crewneck sweatshirt by 1930. Teams started buying them because they actually worked better than what was out there. Russell Athletic kept that same mindset—make things that do the job without overcomplicating it. The Eagle R logo they started using in 1906 is still on their stuff today. It's basically a brand that figured out what worked and stuck with it.

What We Carry in Russell Athletic

We've got pretty much everything Russell Athletic makes—hoodies, sweatshirts, tees, athletic shorts, joggers, you name it. The 698HBM Dri-Power Fleece Crewneck sells really well because it's got that soft inside and it handles sweat during workouts. You can get men's, women's, and youth sizes across the board. Sizing stays consistent, which helps when you need to reorder. We keep the popular colors stocked so you're not waiting around for basic stuff like heathers or athletic gold. Buying wholesale here means you get real Russell Athletic at prices that work for team orders or bulk decoration jobs. Whether you need 20 shirts or 200, the quality doesn't change.

Why Decorators Like Working with Russell Athletic

Not all blank shirts are the same when you're printing or embroidering them. Russell Athletic makes it easier because their fabrics handle the heat and pressure without issues. Screen printing ink goes on smooth and the colors stay bright after washing. For embroidery work, the fabric's tight enough that you won't get puckering around your designs, even with detailed logos. Heat transfer vinyl sticks well and doesn't feel stiff like it does on some blends. At GotApparel, we work with Russell Athletic garments every day for screen printing and embroidery, so we see firsthand how they perform through production and after washing. The construction helps too—reinforced seams, solid stitching, and labels that tear away clean without leaving residue. When you're running a print shop or ordering custom apparel, these details matter because you're handing finished products to customers. Russell Athletic causes fewer headaches, and that’s exactly why we recommend it to decorators who want consistent results.

The Performance Features Russell Athletic Uses

Russell Athletic's Dri-Power technology is basically their answer to keeping people comfortable when they're active. It's usually 50/50 cotton and polyester mixed in a way that moves moisture from your skin to the outside of the shirt where it dries faster. You get cotton softness with better performance. A lot of their items have anti-odor treatment and UPF 30+ sun protection built in too. Their Pro Cotton fabric is tougher than regular cotton—they use it in stuff made for athletic programs that wash everything constantly. They also throw in things like mesh panels where you need airflow, side panels cut so you can move easier, and fits that work when you're actually doing something physical. You wouldn't necessarily notice this stuff on the rack, but it makes a difference when you're wearing it all day.

Shopping Russell Athletic at GotApparel

Finding what you need is straightforward—we organize everything by type and show you what's actually in stock. Each product page has the fabric weight, what it's made of, sizes available, and which decoration methods work best. We stock this stuff directly, not drop-shipping from somewhere else. Our connection with Russell Athletic means we get steady supply of their main styles, so you're not constantly scrambling for alternatives when something's out. If you're not sure which Russell Athletic item fits your project, just ask—we know the line well enough to point you the right way. We work with first-timers ordering for kids teams and established printers doing thousands of shirts monthly. That experience helps us keep things simple whether you're placing your first order or you've ordered from us 50 times.