Cotton Tales: 

Stitching the Next Chapter
of the Grayboy

Photography by Chris Milliman

Our 2023 Grayboy reflects our approach to running: simple yet enduring, always striving to do better. The shirt’s origin story began at Georgetown as team-issued tees, and then when Tracksmith started life in 2014, the Grayboy was among our first selection of products. Today, with the help of skilled workers at 99Degrees in Lawrence, Massachusetts, we have made refinements that iterate upon the Grayboy’s enduring quality without losing its traditional touch. 

The Grayboy has always been made in the USA, but with this new generation of tees, we’re moving production even closer to home. Brenna N. Schneider grew up in a manufacturing family and witnessed the impacts of off-shoring firsthand. Driven to make a change, she founded 99Degrees in 2013 with just two sewing machines and a fierce determination to create manufacturing jobs in the US. Today, the company employs over 125 highly skilled people who use cutting-edge technology and the power of speed to compete on a global level.

With the launch of the new Grayboy, we spoke to the team at 99Degrees, as well as members of Tracksmith’s Product team, along with runners who love cotton, to learn more about this updated running icon.

99 Degrees of Separation 

BRENNA SCHNEIDER: ON HER INFLUENCES

“My parents were graphic designers and their manufacturing business grew from that. My mom wanted to raise me and my two siblings, so she started the company when I was a baby,” says Brenna, CEO of 99Degrees. “I grew up in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, and there were a lot of cut and sew factories there. I was in and out with my mom as a kid, going into factories. It just felt like osmosis. When I finally launched – April 2nd, 2013 – my mom bought me a huge cardboard box full of office supplies. It felt like a baby shower. My parents are super supportive. They actually helped me clean up the mill before we launched.’” 

ON HER WHY

"We need jobs. If there was one thing that really bothered me about where we are as a country, it is income inequality and the lack of opportunity for economic mobility. I can't complain unless I do something about it. That was my motivation.  When the company where I worked before 99Degrees closed in 2012, I was committed to pursuing jobs creation opportunities through apparel manufacturing. At that time,  I gave myself four months to either get a job or to start a business, and put in place a different model I thought really could make US apparel manufacturing work.  I  was accepted into a  business  accelerator and ended up winning $7,500.  My vision was so strong that that small seed funding felt like  enough to start a factory. A lot of people had  obvious  doubts  but none of them deterred me."

BRENNA SCHNEIDER: ON LEADERSHIP

“You can empower your team by listening. As leaders, there are some stereotypical feminine characteristics that can be really powerful and effective in business though they are not always recognized for their power and strength. One that I use is a willingness to speak from a place of vulnerability, not weakness, but vulnerability. I have found that this resonates with my team, the market, and my women-majority Board."

The new Tracksmith Grayboy has been created with a new version of our Varsity Cotton, to achieve the same great softness and extended lifespan, but with more size stability.

NIChOLE ASH: ON PARTNERSHIPS

“We work directly with leading US mills to help our customers establish strategic supply chain relationships and in some cases, to create new and innovative fabrics. We believe that true partnerships between our factory, mills, and brands like Tracksmith are necessary to advance US manufacturing,” says Nichole, director of Merchandising at 99Degrees.

"When Tracksmith was looking for a new cotton we introduced them to a US mill to help them develop their fabric. During the process we made many wear test samples so they could ensure they were happy with the fit and the durability of the Grayboy after it was washed. Some of the benefits of the new greyboy fabric include a lower shrinkage rate after washing, easier handling on automatic cutters and sewing machines, and better quality graphics application. This new fabric is definitely a step up."

BRENT JAMES: ON QUALITY 

“We want to make sure we're producing the best, highest quality product that we can," says Brent, Product Director at Tracksmith. "The origin story creates this ambiance around it, a badge of honor. This is something you earn as a runner rather than something you just buy. We’re putting love into the product in that way. We’re striving to make it something you can wear forever, that you can wash, and not worry about. It lives with you, as you use it. People have fallen in love with the Grayboy, which is what we ultimately want from all our products, right? For us here, it was about improving the overall fit, as well as the material itself to make it more durable and long lasting. Going back to the basics and understanding what's working well for it, what we can improve.”

Runners who Love Cotton 

RUBEN SANCA AND LYNDSAY HARPER: ON THAT FEEL

“The majority of the time, when I’m going for an easy run I don’t want to think, ‘Oh I gotta go fast.’ I just want to shut off my brain and go for a stroll,” says Ruben, a 2012 Olympian for Cape Verde in the 5,000m and one of the first athletes Tracksmith ever photographed. When I wear a cotton t-shirt, it puts me in that mood. You’ve had a good burn and sweat without exhausting yourself out there. I’m not trying to be competitive, just trying to get the day’s work done.” 

“Cotton has this understated, old-school grit to it. There’s a lot of overly designed, technical fabrics out there, but cotton is just so straightforward and classic. It’s almost got an underdog feel to it,” says Lyndsay, a 2:03 800m runner, writer, and artist, based in San Francisco. “You embrace the sweat and wear your effort on your sleeve.”