BEIJING, China — The Closing Ceremony at the Beijing Winter Olympics was perhaps less flashy and glamourous than the Opening Ceremony, but Team USA marched on chic as always in a distinctive Ralph Lauren uniform.
With a buffalo plaid design and a nod to sustainability, Ralph Lauren first unveiled the uniform in October 2021. Team USA will showcase the same uniforms again for the Closing Ceremony at next month's Paralympic Winter Games also hosted in Beijing.
Most Team USA athletes who remain in Beijing paraded into the city's "Bird's Nest" stadium Sunday in a hooded puffer jacket with the red-and-blue plaid front and back. It's made of recycled polyester and recycled down.
A white fleece pant for the men and fleece-lined leggings in navy for the women, along with gloves and sturdy boots, were also made with recycled polyester. The athletes wore a turtleneck sweater in the same blue adorned with the American flag and the Olympic rings in white.
The sweater is made of responsibly sourced U.S. wool, the company said. That effort goes along with a Ralph Lauren promise to use only recycled wool or U.S. wool certified to meet the Responsible Wool Standard by 2025.
“We are highly invested in scaling sustainability solutions that have the potential to significantly reduce our and the wider industry’s impact,” chief branding and innovation officer David Lauren said in a statement.
Every piece was made in the U.S. Ralph Lauren has been an official outfitter of Team USA since 2008.
Team USA fans who just need to get a hold of one of the various jackets, sweaters or tracksuits unveiled at the Beijing Olympics can browse the collection available for purchase using this link.