When Carrie Birdwell Mann sewed her first pair of two-ply nylon Beach Britches in 1961 in her Orange County living room, a word was born. That word was “bombproof.”
Those hard-wearing trunks with the perfect fit became required kit for every surfer and lifeguard on coastlines around the world. Through word-of-mouth and tiny mail order ads in the surf mags, Birdwell became utterly ubiquitous.
Today, Birdwell maintains their bespoke traditions: The company still maintains the historically resonant Santa Ana factory, where surfers are still welcome at the factory store for fittings and new releases. Seamstresses, some with 40-year histories at the brand, still hand-sew each pair, each cut and built to the same bombproof standard.
TSJ is particularly proud of this authentic, “Made in California” relationship.
