Working with his father Benjamin Russell, (who happened to own a clothing manufacturing company), BR Jr. created a practice jersey modeled on a women’s union-suit top. It was made of thick cotton, which can breathe, as we all know. The Russell Manufacturing Company just so happened to specialize in such materials and designs. The new jerseys were essentially loose, collarless pullovers — the sweatshirt had been born. BR Sr. set up the Russell Athletic Mills in 1930 to just produce sweatshirts, and the company has expanded ever since into a multinational, multi-sport giant called Russell Athletic Co.