Kevin Plank, a former University of Maryland football player, founded Under Armour® in 1996. Along with co-founder and former teammate Jordan Lindgren, Plank began the business in his grandmother's basement in Washington, DC. Today, Under Armour is recognized as the originator of performance apparel -- gear engineered to keep athletes cool, dry, and light throughout the course of a game, practice, or workout.

As a player, Plank got tired of having to change out of the sweat-soaked T-shirts he wore under his jersey, but he noticed that his compression shorts stayed dry. This was Plank's inspiration to make a superior T-shirt that would provide compression and wick perspiration off an athlete's skin, rather than absorb it.

Under Armour performance apparel is designed to work with an athlete's body to regulate temperature and enhance performance. Advanced innovation has allowed the company to expand its product line to include training gear for athletes of all types. In addition to the signature shortsleeve T's, compression T's, and tech T's, Under Armour produces running shorts, workout pants, tank tops, compression shorts, capri pants, hoodies, and lightweight jackets. Under Armour products are catered to both men and women, including the popular "Escape" and "Catalyst" clothing lines.

The engineering behind Under Armour's famous moisture-wicking technology is complex, but that hasn't stopped athletes around the world from embracing the company's gear and apparel. "Heatgear" and "Coldgear" are specially-designed product lines that allow athletes to maintain top performance, regardless of weather conditions. Under Armour has established itself as an industry leader in workout clothes, yet the company continues to strive forward under the mission of providing technically advanced products engineered with superior fabric construction, exclusive moisture management, and proven innovation.