NBA Jersey Manufacturer History: 2023 Edition (Part 1)

Are you an NBA fan, or do you have any jerseys in your closet? I am a big fan of collecting NBA jerseys and I have an extensive collection. Over the years I've gone on a quest on mastering the art of collecting jerseys and studied the history of NBA jersey manufacturers. In this three part series I'll be going through a journey on which companies have been the exclusive producer for NBA jerseys.

So, who makes NBA jerseys? Many manufacturers have taken on making jerseys for the league. I've gone back through the years to go through it all.

Sandknit 

Sand-Knit was founded In 1921 in Chicago and quickly became a leading manufacturer in custom athletic uniforms and jackets. The brand was sold to Medalist Industries in 1960.
Throughout the 1970s Sand-Knit played a significant role in supplying NBA jerseys for teams. I

In 1982 the brand became the official NBA outfitter and in 1984 became known as MacGregor Sand-Knit after its sale to MacGregor Sporting Goods. Sandknits partnership with the NBA allowed the league to establish a consistent and recognizable jersey style across teams.

The jerseys were a hit with both players and fans. They were a revolution at the time as they provided a cotton and polyester blend uniform that was more comfortable.
Sandknit's jerseys quickly gained popularity among players and fans with their distinctive knit patterns and bold colors and they quickly becoming iconic symbols of the era.

Champion

Founded in 1919 in Rochester, New York, Champion started producing sweatshirts and sportswear for college teams. Identifiable by it's signature "C" logo, Champion became the official uniform outfitter for all NBA teams from 1990 up until the end of the 1996-97 season. 

From the 1989 Champion was the official outfitter of all teams with the exception of a handful of individual players that still wore Sand-Knit jerseys. 

Between 1997 and 2001 just over a quarter of all NBA teams had their authentica jerseys produced by Champion and 8 teams had their jerseys made by for the 2001-2002 NBA season.

At the end of the 2001-02 season Champion no longer held licences to manufacturer any official NBA jerseys and it's affiliation with production both replica and authentic jerseys ended. 

Champion left a legacy of NBA jerseys made of high-quality construction and were a comfortable fit for it's era. Champion's "reverse mesh" fabric in particular has become iconic. 

Legendary players like Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant were outfitted by Champion, and Champion's jerseys have become highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts.

I'll be back with part 2!

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