Russell Europe is becoming Russell Athletic®
Russell Europe, the well-known promotional and corporate apparel brand, will soon change its name to Russell Athletic®. Starting from the beginning of 2026, this European branch of the American Russell brand will officially operate under the new banner. Why was this step taken, and what does it mean for customers and the promotional clothing industry? In this post, we present the most important information regarding the unification of the Russell brand with its American counterpart, along with our commentary from the perspective of Ies Polska—a company that has been distributing promotional clothing on the Polish market for 20 years.
Why is Russell Europe changing its name?
The name change from Russell Europe to Russell Athletic® is part of a strategy to unify the brand image worldwide. The owner, Fruit of the Loom Inc., aims to create a consistent brand identity across all regions and strengthen its international position. Russell Europe has long been the European arm of the American brand Russell Athletic—now, this bond is being officially highlighted by adopting the global name and logo.
Importantly, the new branding draws on the rich heritage of Russell Athletic® in the USA. Founded over a century ago, the Russell brand played a historic role in the world of sportswear—it was in its factories that the classic sweatshirt was invented. The rebranding can therefore be seen as a return to roots and an emphasis on the brand's American pedigree, while maintaining the product quality that Russell is known for in Europe. As highlighted in official communications, the new branding combines the long-standing tradition and appeal of the Russell Athletic® brand with the product quality that Russell Europe has established in the European market. Through this move, the brand aims to achieve a uniform image across all markets and assert its international position even more strongly.
It is crucial to note that the brand's philosophy remains unchanged and continues to focus on building a unified image for teams, whether in business, sports, or organizations. Russell has always created textiles characterized by particular attention to detail and the finish of every single garment. As the announcement states, the emphasis will remain on high-quality teamwear and sportswear, offering comfort and durability that ensure a consistent, professional look for the entire team—regardless of whether we are talking about a company, a sports team, or everyday wear. In other words: new name—same mission and values.
When and how will the change take place?
The transition process will begin as early as the end of 2025. From the fourth quarter of 2025, the brand will gradually introduce the new logo and name, so that by January 2026, Russell Europe will be fully operating under the Russell Athletic® banner. This means that in company communications, catalogs, and product labels, we will see the new name and the characteristic Russell Athletic® logo.
However, the transition will be smooth and gradual. In the coming months, the first products with the new Russell Athletic® label will appear in the range, while existing products with the Russell Europe logo will remain available in parallel until stocks are fully exhausted and the transition process is complete. Consequently, customers will not experience any stock shortages—it will be a gradual "transformation" of labels and markings on the clothing.
It is worth adding that the formal name change does not involve legal changes to the company structure—it remains the same brand owned by Fruit of the Loom; only the way it is branded in the market is changing.
What will change, and what stays the same?
Below, we have gathered the key changes and the elements that will remain the same to clear up any doubts.
What will change?
Brand name and logo – As of January 2026, the official brand name is Russell Athletic® (always with the ® symbol), along with a new logotype. The current Russell Europe logo will be replaced by the new logo featuring the eagle and the "Russell Athletic®" text.
Consistent global image – The brand will be communicated uniformly worldwide as Russell Athletic®, highlighting its global character and shared heritage. From the customers' perspective, this means simplified naming—no more distinction between Russell Europe vs. Russell Athletic.
Product labels – New collections will have Russell Athletic® labels sewn in. During the transition period (beginning of 2025), both garments with the old Russell Europe logo and those with the new Russell Athletic® logo may appear in circulation, depending on the delivery batch.
What remains unchanged?
The products and their quality – This is the most important information: the products themselves will not change. Proven clothing models (T-shirts, polos, sweatshirts, fleeces, etc.), their cuts, materials, sizing, and production standards will remain the same. You will still receive the same trusted products; only the brand on the label will change.
Orders and logistics – All current orders are being fulfilled without changes—the rebranding will not affect the timeliness or processing of orders. There will be no interruptions or delays due to the name change. Present and future orders will be handled normally.
The Team – The sales and customer service team remains the same. Your current contact persons, sales representatives, phone numbers, and office email addresses are not changing. Cooperation procedures, trade terms, and after-sales service also remain the same.
Brand Mission – The brand philosophy and mission focused on providing clothing for teams—whether sports or corporate—remain the same. Russell will continue to focus on offering high-quality promotional, sports, and everyday wear that ensures a uniform, professional appearance.
Russell becomes Athletic
The new Russell Athletic® brand logo.
Russell Athletic® will gain a new logo (shown above), which will replace the previous Russell Europe markings. The logo features a stylized letter "R" with the silhouette of an eagle—a motif long associated with the brand (the eagle has been present in the Russell logo since 1906). From January 2026, we will use the new logo in all company materials and communications. Along with the logo, the brand is introducing a new motto: "Rooted in heritage, united for the future." This sentence perfectly captures the idea behind the change. It emphasizes Russell's history while uniting it globally with a focus on the future.
In practice, for customers, this means only a visual change. From 2026, the new Russell Athletic® logo will appear on clothing labels and marketing materials, but the construction of the clothes, their colors, and model numbering will remain the same. So, if someone is used to, for example, the Russell Authentic Sweat—they will still be able to order it, just with a new Russell Athletic® patch.
Ies Polska – 20 years with the Russell brand
As an official distributor of the Russell brand in Poland with twenty years of experience, we are delighted to observe the evolution of this brand. Through two decades of cooperation with Russell Europe, we have repeatedly seen the very high quality of their promotional clothing—T-shirts, sweatshirts, fleeces, and jackets from this brand are appreciated by our customers for their softness, durability, comfort, excellent workmanship, and attention to the smallest details. From our perspective, the name change does not affect these strengths. It is still the same company and the same products we have been with for years, and the name change serves to emphasize the brand's global reputation and its American roots and heritage.
At Ies Polska, we have always focused on providing customers with the best work and corporate clothing, which serves as an excellent base for branding with a company logo. Russell clothing has proven itself for years with all types of printing and embroidery—the material handles personalization well via screen printing, heat transfer, or computer embroidery. The new Russell Athletic® brand will continue to be a great medium for applying graphics or logos. We offer the full range of clothing from this brand, and our customers can be sure they are receiving a proven product, ideal for building the image of their company or team. If you plan to order promotional clothing with your own logo—T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, shirts, fleeces, rain jackets, or softshells—Russell Athletic® products will still be a very good choice in terms of quality and aesthetics.
In summary, Russell Europe is becoming Russell Athletic® to unify its global presence and draw from the rich heritage of the American brand. For customers in Poland and across Europe, this is primarily a cosmetic change—the name and logo will be different, but the clothes remain the same. We hope this short guide clears up any doubts. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact our team—we would be happy to tell you more about Russell Athletic® products and help you choose the right clothing solutions for your business. More official information about the change can also be found on the Russell Athletic website or obtained from brand representatives. Together with Russell Athletic®, we look forward to the future, "rooted in heritage, united for the future," ready for new challenges in the world of promotional and work clothing.
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