In 1937, a company called Aero Leather Co. was inaugurated as a designated contractor for the United States Air Force. This was the predecessor of AVIREX. Specifications were set for all items that pilots would wear, the details of which included everything from how to tan a hide to label stitch detail, and only those agents which strictly met the requirements were permitted as suppliers. In particular, there were high expectations in terms of item quality, namely in regard to protection against the cold, as well as functionality, since warplanes at that time were not equipped with either pressurization equipment nor heaters. AVIREX met all of these stringent criteria, and has since developed an enormous number of pilot wear products (their so-called "second skin") for delivery to the United States Air Force. Legends of those young pilots who took off for combat at an altitude of several thousands meters, and the images of the flight jackets that accompanied them, have been handed down to the present and remain vividly in people's minds. In 1975, flight jackets started gaining popularity as city clothes. Many people were attracted to them because of their lean functional design, the quality of the material, and their nostalgic flavor. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Aero Leather Co. started to sell their products on the general market, which led to the foundation of AVIREX, Ltd. The company was named AVIREX, which means "king of the sky," in honor of the aviators who set their hopes in the boundless atmosphere. 〔Shops > AVIREX〕