BEIJING, China — Team USA's opening ceremony outfits at the Winter Olympics in Beijing are once again made by Ralph Lauren, who has helped design the American team's uniforms since 2008.
The uniforms were officially unveiled last month, but fans really got to see Team USA's gear in action as athletes donned them at the Opening Ceremony on Friday.
In a statement, the fashion company said the uniforms are a "modern and fresh take on sportswear," created with sustainability in mind. With the help of a company called Skyscrape, the outfitter added intelligent insulation.
The jackets include a built in smart, honeycomb-like fabric layer that expands or contracts in response to temperature changes — all without the use of a battery or wired technology, they said.
The fashion company said this allows the apparel to have the ability to transition through three-seasons, and from indoor to outdoor environments, which eliminates the need for multiple garments.
Skyscrape is a textile innovation company Ralph Lauren has collaborated with for previous Olympic looks, including this year's. According to Ralph Lauren, the company helped designers formulate Team USA's outfits. The new technology required "years" of research and development.
Ralph Lauren said the outfits are comprised of a mid-layer jacket, pant, gloves and boot. All of the garment pieces are made in the United States and include recycled polyester fiber made with post-consumer plastic bottles.
Fans online loved Team USA's look.
"Best ensembles of the ceremony," one Twitter user said.
Even the official Olympics Twitter account complimented the team.
"They’re looking sharp in their outfits as usual!" the agency wrote on Twitter.