Sun Surf
Vintage-Style Hawaiian Shirts
The Hawaiian aloha shirts from the 1930s – 1950s have become highly collectible, being perceived by many as an indigenous form of art unique to America and the islands of Hawaii. With the great influx of U. S. service personnel in Hawaii headed to Pacific battlefields during the Second World War, interest in the Hawaiian shirt boomed as every sailor, marine or soldier perceived these shirts as a catalyst for the good times associated with a weekend pass or liberty. After the war, the Hawaiian shirt continued to gain popularity from the exposure it received with returning servicemen; major clothing manufacturers began producing Hawaiian-styled shirts in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower were forever seen sporting these shirts during relaxing moments at ball games, on vacation or while on golf outings. Hollywood icons and entertainers, such as: Elvis Presley, Arthur Godfrey, Bing Crosby, Lee Marvin and, of course, John Wayne, were also quick to identify with these styles. But it was “From Here to Eternity,” the magnificent 1954 academy award-winning film about pre-war army life at the Schofield Barracks near Pearl Harbor, that flung the Hawaiian shirt to the forefront of popularity. This film hosts a feast of magnificent vintage Hawaiian shirts, most of which are prominently worn by lead actors Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Borgnine. Unfortunately, the great demand for the shirts in the late 1950’s spawned mass production of the polyester shirts of the 1960s, thus went the unique beauty, designs, style and quality of the original shirts from the first 30 years, hence the great scarcity and collectibility for these vintage shirts today.
We are proud to present the finest, most authentic vintage-style Hawaiian shirts available in the world – Sun Surf. Sun Surf can trace its beginnings back to the 1980s and is produced by the same people in Japan who bring us Buzz Rickson’s and Sugar Cane brands. Every Sun Surf shirt is an exact copy of an original design from the heyday of Hawaiian shirts (1930s - 1950s), reproduced true to their original and brilliant colors and charm. The fabrics are custom made to precisely match the long-lost formula for the type of high-quality rayon employed in the manufacture of the original vintage examples, while the processes for silk screening of the ornate patterns have been duplicated with care. The fit and shape of the shirts is uncompromisingly just like the originals, not oversized and sloppy. The directorship of this company shares that same passion as our friends in Japan, and thus we are both pleased and proud to offer our like-minded customers in America and elsewhere these fabulous shirts heretofore available only in Japan. Shirt designs are produced only once per year in Japan, then that design is never duplicated again. Supply to the USA is even more limited, especially in larger sizes, thus our customers can rest assured they will not find these designs easy to come by. Aloha!
Sun Surf Vintage-Style Hawaiian Shirts are wearable works of art from the 1930s-'50s, reproduced true to their original and brilliant colors and charm. 
