Admiral's journey from a small factory to a global brand
Admiral's predecessor, Cooke & Hurst, was founded in 1903. At the time, it was a small local factory that produced socks and wool underwear. For over 100 years since then, Admiral has continued to play an active role on the world stage as a traditional sports brand that embodies the "British spirit." We aim to carry this history into the future.
I would like to follow Admiral's journey.
From the early days to becoming one of Britain's leading manufacturers
In 1914, ten years after its founding, Cooke & Hurst expanded its business further. It added a factory and began producing underwear for the military. During World War I, it supplied training wear to the British Navy, marking its first work as a sportswear brand. Around this time, the company name was changed to "Admiral," meaning "admiral." In 1956, a logo modeled after the sleeve insignia of a military uniform was introduced.
In the 1960s, Admiral began to focus on the sportswear market, producing soccer and rugby wear.
In the 1965-66 season, legendary England goalkeeper Gordon Banks made headlines by wearing Admiral apparel.
In the 1960s, Admiral began to focus on the sportswear market, producing soccer and rugby wear.
He began to play an active role in international competitions,
Global recognition is also on the rise
In the 1970s, Admiral's presence in the world of sport grew stronger, with many sports teams beginning to wear Admiral, starting with the British & Irish Lions rugby team, followed by English football giants Leeds United and Manchester United, and the England national team.
Admiral was also adopted by overseas teams such as the Dutch cycling team TI-Raleigh-Kleda and the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League.
In 1977, the Japanese company Capital Industries acquired the Admiral license and began selling the brand in Japan. This was a time when there were no professional soccer leagues, but the brand gained recognition as prestigious high school teams began wearing Admiral jerseys.
Admiral celebrates its 100th anniversary
Support athletes are being born one after another
In 1992, the English Premier League was launched. Admiral was also present in this newly organized, new generation of football league. Throughout the 1990s, Admiral provided items to five professional clubs, including Leeds United, who had won the top league the previous year, greatly boosting the popularity of English football. In the 2000s, Admiral also became active in the world of cricket. In 2005, the England national team, clad in Admiral, achieved great success by winning the Cricket World Cup.
In 2011, Toyota Tsusho acquired the licensing rights, further accelerating the brand's expansion in Japan. In 2014, Admiral celebrated its 100th anniversary.
In addition to its specialty of soccer, the company has also actively expanded into golf, tennis, and gym wear, signing contracts with numerous professional athletes and making its presence felt in a variety of sports.
Admiral accelerates again towards the future
Starting in 2022, Admiral will be the official supplier of Jubilo Iwata, a prestigious soccer club that has returned to the J.League Division 1, creating a new Admiral whirlwind.
Admiral, which began as a small factory in England in 1903, has grown into a global brand loved around the world over the course of more than 100 years. The number of top athletes and sports enthusiasts wearing Admiral both at home and abroad will continue to increase. However, the project of providing better products to sports lovers is never-ending.
To become an inspiring presence in the Japanese sports world.
With the concept of "Be Strong. Be Stylish," Admiral continues to move forward into the future.
