MANUFACTURING
Ralph Lauren Looks to the USA for Winter Olympic Uniforms
It didn’t take designer Ralph Lauren long to learn that any Olympics uniforms worn by U.S. athletes need to be “Made in the USA.”
The man behind the Ralph Lauren label was raked over the coals during the Summer Olympics in London two years ago when it was discovered that the uniforms he designed and were worn by the U.S. teams were made in China.
This year, the U.S. teams marched into the stadium for the opening ceremony at Sochi, Russia, wearing uniforms made in the United States. For the sweaters, Ralph Lauren turned to Ball of Cotton, a sweater factory in Commerce, Calif., run by Eddy and Elizabeth Park.
Clover Knits, based in Clover, S.C., worked with the designer to produce a circular knit fleece made with Supima cotton yarns made by Buhler Quality Yarns in Jefferson, Ga. The fleece was fashioned into fleece pants worn by the U.S. teams during the opening ceremony.
The Ralph Lauren 2014 Team USA Collection for men, women and children can be purchased online at
