About Russell Europe
Russell Europe is the European B2B line of the American Russell brand (Russell Athletic / Russell Brands), founded in 1902 by Benjamin Russell in Alexander City, Alabama, as a family knitting mill. Today Russell is part of the Fruit of the Loom group (itself a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary). While the US brand is best known for athletic wear, Russell Europe maintains its own focus on B2B workwear, polos, sweaters and heavy-duty standards. All main models are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified.
Key facts at a glance:
- Manufacturer: Russell Brands LLC / Russell Europe Ltd. (United Kingdom — parent Fruit of the Loom, USA)
- Founded: 1902 (Alexander City, Alabama, USA)
- Market position: European B2B lead for heavy-duty polos and industrial-laundering workwear
- Certifications: OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Fair Labor Association (via Fruit of the Loom group)
- Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Athletic
- Manufacturer website: russelleurope.com
- Main product lines: Classic Cotton Polo 539M, Heavy Duty Polo 599M, Authentic Sweat 262M, workwear lines
Russell × Category — Jump straight to your product
Russell Europe covers the following categories at ShirtStore:
- 👕 Russell T-Shirts printed — Heavy Duty workwear tee (569M), women's range for industry and clubs
- 🧥 Russell Hoodies printed — Authentic Hooded Sweat for crew wear and sports clubs
- 👔 Russell Polos printed — Classic Cotton Polo 539M, Heavy Duty Polo 599M (boil-resistant) for industry & hospitality
- 🎽 Russell Sweatshirts printed — Authentic Set-In Sweat 762M for robust workwear
Brand Story — American Heritage Since 1902, European B2B Focus
Russell was founded in 1902 by Benjamin Russell in Alexander City, Alabama, as a family knitting mill (current corporate HQ: Bowling Green, Kentucky), today part of the Fruit-of-the-Loom group with own European brand line under the name Russell Europe (also "Russell Athletic" or "Russell Collection"). While the US brand is known mainly for athletic wear, Russell Europe specialises in the B2B workwear, polo and sweater market.
The claim is clear: solid standard goods in robust quality, with long durability under industrial laundering and without superfluous fashion factor. Russell textiles are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified.
Core Range — The Most Important Russell Models
Russell Classic Cotton Polo (539M) — The Standard Polo
200 g/m² single jersey from pure cotton, classic polo collar with three buttons, side slits at the hem. The bestselling Russell polo for clubs, hospitality and service teams. Embroiderable with logo and individual name, withstands industrial laundering at 60 °C.
Russell Heavy Duty Polo (599M) — The Industry Polo
215 g/m² heavyweight polo from blend fabric (65 % cotton, 35 % polyester), reinforced collar, double-stitched shoulders. Specifically developed for demanding industrial day-to-day — trades businesses, workshops, logistics. Boil-proof up to 90 °C.
Russell Authentic Set-In Sweat (762M) — The Workwear Sweater
280 g/m² sweater with classic crew neck and set-in sleeves, robust outer look, soft inner fleece. Ideal for trades businesses and clubs looking for a long-lasting crew sweater.
Russell Heavy Duty Workwear T-Shirt (569M) — The Robust T-Shirt
180 g/m² heavyweight T-shirt, double stitching at shoulder and collar, ring-spun cotton.
Russell Workwear Sweat Jacket (267M / 875M) — The Zip Sweat Jacket
Sweat jacket with zip, robust outer look, side pockets with zip. Classic employee jacket in trades, warehouse logistics and service teams.
Russell HD Polo Long Sleeve & More Workwear Specials
Long sleeve polos, workwear trousers, hi-vis components and women's polo cuts (569F).
Advantages of Russell
- Very robust — most models boil-proof up to 60-90 °C, withstand industrial laundering
- Top embroidery quality — dense fabrics hold thread perfectly, embroidered logos last 100+ washes
- Proven workwear lines — reinforced seams, double shoulders, long hem
- Own women's cuts in workwear polo segment — rare in competition
- Mid-range price point — cheaper than Hakro, more robust than pure promotional wear
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 — harmful-substance tested
- Broad size range — XS to 5XL on most main models
Finishing Recommendation
- Embroidery — gold standard for Russell polos and sweaters. 100+ industrial washes, boil-proof.
- Screen Print — economical from 50 pieces. Brilliant colours on heavyweight T-shirts and sweaters.
- DTF Print — flexible for blend polos and functional fabrics.
- Flex print — for individual names on club polos and workwear.
Volume discount for Russell
Tiered for all Russell models at ShirtStore:
| Quantity | Discount |
|---|---|
| from 3 pcs | 3 % |
| from 20 pcs | 10 % |
| from 50 pcs | 15 % |
| from 100 pcs | 25 % |
| from 200 pcs | 30 % |
| from 500 pcs | 32 % |
Free shipping from 100 pcs. Bulk orders above 500 pcs: please use the bulk inquiry — we calculate individually for trades, industry, clubs, hospitality and resellers.
Use Cases
Trades and Industry
Trades businesses typically order 8-40 heavy-duty polos plus matching sweat jackets for staff. With embroidered company logo on chest and optional employee name in flex print. Russell beats Hakro by 20-30 % at comparable robustness.
Sports Clubs and Club Apparel
Sports clubs choose Russell Classic Cotton Polo for official club polos, Russell Authentic Sweat for training outfits, Russell Heavy Workwear T-shirts for volunteer shirts.
Hospitality and Service Teams
Hospitality businesses order Russell Classic Cotton Polo and HD Polo for waiters, hotel staff and bar crews. Robust against industrial laundering, boil-proof, very long-lasting with embroidery.
Logistics, Warehousing and Workshops
Logistics companies and workshops use Russell Workwear Sweat Jacket and Heavy Duty Workwear T-shirt as daily wear uniform.
