The MILITARY PRINT HOODED SWEATSHIRT / USS ALBANY is a pullover hoodie made from mid-weight 10oz. loopwheel-knitted cotton. This brushed loopback French Terry fabric is warmer and softer than its unbrushed counterpart. Loopwheel machines, used for this tubular-constructed fabric, are renowned for their slow knitting pace, producing only a single meter of fabric per hour. This low-tension technique creates an exceptional and distinctive fabric, reminiscent of hand-woven textiles, with a unique stretchy quality and washed look characteristic of vintage American sweatshirts. This loopwheel sweat is knitted in Wakayama, Japan, using extremely rare machines known as Tsuriami-ki, and requires exceptional skill and technique, exclusively for The Real McCoy’s. Unlike mass-produced sweatshirts, The Real McCoy’s uses different yarns across the layers of the fabric to achieve optimal finish, density, and comfort. The hooded sweatshirt was originally created in the 1930s by stitching hoods onto existing sweatshirt designs as a functional solution for construction workers enduring freezing New York winters. It was quickly adopted by the US military for training exercises and physical education classes. The MILITARY PRINT HOODED SWEATSHIRT / USS ALBANY commemorates the launch of the nuclear submarine Albany (SSN-753) on April 22, 1985. The USS Albany was the last U.S. submarine to be built using the traditional “keel up” construction method and thus was the last submarine to be launched via the shipway. The motif on this sweatshirt is inspired by the June 13, 1987, invitation to the Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Albany's christening and launch ceremony at Newport News shipyard, where Mrs. Kissinger served as the sponsor of the ship. 100% Cotton Cotton Fabric, 10 oz. (Loopwheel Knit Fabric) Cotton Sewing Thread Construction Motif on Front Made in Japan