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High School Letterman, Varsity, Sports Jackets from United Sport Apparel
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Fairfield, NJ Showroom closed today and reopening at 9 AM on Monday
  • Design Your Jacket
  • Find Your School
  • How It Works
  • Corporate Jackets
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The History and Evolution of the Varsity Jacket


1892 Harvard football team 1892 Harvard football team - HarvardMagazine.com
Today’s Varsity Jacket

The iconic varsity jacket’s origins trace all the way back to Harvard University in the year 1865.

Harvard’s baseball team at the time was the first known group of students to sew large old English “H” patches onto their uniforms.

But these uniforms weren’t varsity jackets, so to speak. Not yet, at least.

The Harvard uniform was basically a thick-knitted gray flannel pullover and, with the giant “H” sewn right onto the center, these soon came to be known as “letterman” sweaters.


Did They Get to Keep the Sweater?

The story goes that although lettered sweaters were soon provided to each player, in the spirit of good-natured competition, players involved in the year’s most momentous games got to keep theirs while the rest had to return their letterman sweaters at the end of the season.

The football team at Harvard is said to have followed in adopting lettered sweaters 10 years later. Cardigans gained popularity over pullovers, thus making it necessary to shift the letter over from the center of the chest to the left.


Today’s Varsity Jacket

Soon, different teams from different schools, from all over the nation, had lettered sweaters and eventually high schools started to walk in the steps of their collegiate predecessors.

By 1930, the varsity jacket finally took on the form we’re so familiar with – wool jackets, leather sleeves and chenille lettering.

Modern varsity jackets, like the ones offered by United Sport Apparel, even have cell phone pockets.

Varsity jackets have changed a lot over the years, but one thing that hasn’t changed is that varsity jackets are a sign of achievement. You’ve earned your varsity jacket and now, with the ability to customize jackets with different colors, patches, designs and so on, each jacket can be as unique as the student wearing it.


High-quality, Customized Varsity Jackets Made in the USA

Like you, United has put in 110% to perfect our game. We take as much pride in manufacturing our high school sports jackets as the athletes and students who wear them. With over 65 years of experience, we provide the highest quality in hand-crafted custom sports apparel for teams, businesses and professionals.

Our custom letterman jackets are hand-made in the United States, using only the finest wool and leather materials, highest quality stitching, a wide variety of colors and hundreds of chenille patches and varsity letters.

Start designing your own jacket here: https://www.unitedsportapparel.com/design-your-jacket.

 

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