The name “duffel” comes from Duffel, a town in Antwerp Province in Belgium. This town s specialty, a sturdy twill weave wool cloth known as fustian weave, was exported throughout Europe. It is a strong fulled cloth that does not easily stain in water, and as it offers excellent cushioning it was even used for inner lining of explosive boxes. Originally worn by Scandinavian fishermen as work clothes, a duffel coat s basic design had a toggle and rope closure so that it can be opened and closed wearing gloves. It is said that toggles originated from the buoys used in fishing and for this reason were made of wood. The coat s other characteristic, the hood, is intended to protect the wearer from the cold. By wearing the coat from the head, the hood prevents the body temperature from decreasing. The duffel coat has been adopted by the U.K. Navy since World War II; however, the background that led to its adoption is not clear. The first model is characterized by three toggles at the front and a hood with an adjustable snap button. In addition, the strap attached to the inside hem is designed for the wearer s legs to be passed through to prevent the hem from flapping on the vessel in the sea wind. Simple yet offering cold protection, the U.K. military s duffel coat subsequently had fans in countries all over the world.

AVIATION ASSOCIATES

From the 1920s through the 1940s , various types of flight jackets were commercially available at the market featuring the elements of Army spec. When examining the old photos during the World War, we were able to spot a few pilots with a non-Army issued jacket. Officially, soldiers were not allowed to wear non-Army issued jackets, but the regulation became loose during the actual war time. The difference between Army issued and non-Army issued can mainly be seen on the design and material usage, but the similar color was used in accordance with the original Army-issued products to meet military regulations. And also the design of non-Army products were obviously based on Army issued items, many non- Army jackets were somewhat modified with a bit of original twist, providing really classical look to the eyes. Aviation Associates was the legendary line that commercially manufactured by the previous contractor Buzz Rickson MFG. We would sincerely want you to feel the spirit of our product through these jacket.