Kahala founders George Brangier and Nat Norfleet met in Hawai’i in 1934, when Norfleet worked for Brangier’s men's shop. When the store sold, the two formed their own company, originally called “Branfleet” and later renamed Kahala. At the time, all aloha shirts were made to order out of Japanese kimono fabric.

As a family-owned local business, Kahala designs and still proudly manufactures the majority of their line locally in Honolulu, Hawaii. In fact, their offices are located less than 500 ft from where the first factory was located.