It's hard to think now the impact USA sweatshirts and T's had in the UK during the 90's. There was nothing like it in the domestic sportswear arena - it was all Gola, Umbro and Admiral.

I remember a small chain of stores that sold it together with Timberland and Carhartt. On a Saturday their store in Birmingham was rammed.

Must admit I was really slow on the uptake not realising you wore the stuff conventionally rather than to the gym. It was pricey too and that added to the attraction in my immature mind. I thought price and quality had a direct correlation. Maybe it did then.

The problem was there was only so much sportswear you would want and the bubble burst relatively quickly.

On the soul and funk scene it had been popular since the Eighties. Linking into to the love of American music.

I remember seeing a black guy in London in an oversize Russel sweatshirt, narrow jeans, a baseball cap and Paraboots who looked just so different to what the average guy in the street was wearing at the time. He looked like a cool jazz funk version of Bazooka Joe.

I have found the Beyond Retro and Rokit Vintage websites to be a good source of Russell and Champion college sportswear., made in the US or Honduras are okay. I’ve got three or four that are my go-to for loafing about the house. The stuff from the 80s and 90s goes on and on, but judging from what I see in the shops the current output is not up to the same standard, well well, no surprise there I suppose.

As to current availability; I can’t comment on Camber but there are a plethora of’ Made in Japan, to military standards on loop wheel looms’ by old women who live on green tea’  blahh blah, heavyweight sweatshirts on sale at extremely heavyweight prices. I don’t feel motivated to shell out three figures for a cotton sweatshirt at this stage. I have recently bought a couple of pairs of old school style sweatpants from Community Clothing and I’m well impressed with them. The only problem is drying them when they’re washed as the material is so heavy. Again the use is home based loafing and trips to the gym, I expect them to outlast me. I would expect their sweatshirts to be of a similar standard.

Community Clothing’s knitwear is excellent and the ‘Relaxed Chinos’ look promising. The focus is on UK made no frills clothing - strongly recommended.

I hadn't realised that Russell Athletic and L.L.Bean had collaborated.  Just doing my usual Ebay trawl over morning coffee and picked up a USA-made quarter-zip. 
Also a Made In USA Duck Head shirt, reduced from £35 to £19.99.  And there was me agreeing with my wife, coming back from the Chinese takeaway last evening, that I really don't need any more clothes.