Athletic Clothing

Athletic clothing was a regular feature in the catalogs, dating back to the early days. A “Jogging Suit” was offered in the 1983 catalogue. In 1985 a line of fleece Athletic Clothing was introduced and it had the a Banana Republic Athletic Department emblem using the Parrot Logo printed on them. The line continued in 1986-87 without the logo. (See thumbnails at the bottom of the page to scroll through the history.)

1985 Athletic Clothing with the Parrot Logo

From the 1987 catalogue: “Athletic wear in honest, straightforward cotton fleece is shockingly unavailable. Yet the simple truth is that no other fabric feels remotely so good, absorbs sweat so efficiently. Manufacturers of “activewear” decline to offer 100% cotton because it’s a pain in the pocketbook–cotton garments shrink, they say, and therefore can’t be made to size. We say a little imagination goes a long way, we say. Our secret is pre-washing, pre-shrinking. Thus, we’re pleased to offer our think, high-quality, all-cotton, pre-washed, pre-shrunk athletic wear–truly an exercise in comfort.”