Walter Hoffman is one of the pioneers of Big Wave surfing. Over many years, he has enjoyed the unique opportunity to express his love for surfing by developing fabrics that capture the carefree beach lifestyle. His keen eye for design and color has inspired many of Hoffman Fabrics’ iconic tropical and novelty prints. Major surf and lifestyle brands come to us seeking the “Hoffman look” for their garments and products.
Our original designs and authentic style are unmatched, as is our quality. Our textiles have stood the test of time. We’re proud to offer the highestquality, 100% cotton fabrics for garment and apparel manufacturers and specialty retailers, as well as quilt shops and other independent retailers.
Demand for tropical and novelty prints in fashion, keepsake quilting and functional home décor continues to grow. With gorgeous landscapes, lush florals, scenic views and memorable motifs, these fabrics are sought by garment and accessory makers, home sewists and quilters looking to make a style statement. Tropical and novelty prints remain popular for their natural themes, unique colors and cool, retro vibe.
WHY HOFFMAN?
Hoffman tropical and novelty prints start with hand-drawn art, giving fabrics a fine-art look and an authenticity that no computer software program can create.
Many designs will stay active in the production pipeline, making it easy to re-order.
The fabrics are well-suited for men’s buttonup shirts and ladies’ and girls’ dresses, as well as tote bags and home furnishings.
Quilters can indulge their love of aloha and retro prints when incorporating them into their quilt and appliqué projects. They’ll find it easy to coordinate fabrics with hand-dyed Hoffman Bali Watercolors, one of several “basic blender” collections created for the retail quilting market.
The possibilities are endless! We invite you to turn the page to start exploring …
TROPICALS AND CONVERSATIONALS
“Island Getaway”
BBYK-1215 7-Blue
swatches shown at 50% scale
“Royal Hawaiian”
BBYK-1216 7-Blue
swatches shown at 75% scale
“Ukulele Tropical”
BBYK-1216 61-Turquoise
swatches shown at 75% scale
“Ukulele Tropical”
BBHC-1061 41-Aqua
“Parrots & Toucans” swatch shown at 60% scale
BBTC-943 19-Navy
“Margarita Paradise” swatch shown at 75% scale
BBLK-943 4-Black
“Margarita Paradise” swatch shown at 75% scale
BBLK-1026 55-Charcoal
“Tropical Island” swatch shown at 60% scale
BBLK-925 19-Navy
“Plumeria” swatch shown at 75% scale
swatch shown at 100% scale
BBLK-1131 22-Ivory
“Palms”
BBDK-1153 18-Royal
“Shark Week” swatch shown at 75% scale
SURFING IS ALL IN THE FAMILY- WALTER AND PHILIP HOFFMAN
From The Surfing Walk of Fame
Both Hoffman brothers were born in Glendale, California-- Philip in 1930 and Walter in 1931. They grew up surfing San Onofre, as well as the highly popular Malibu. As the classic story goes, Walter was enlisted in the Navy at Pearl Harbor and was fortunate enough to be exposed to Hawaii’s more serious surf. He soon sent video footage back to Flippy, who immediately booked a trip out there and, along with shaper Bob Simmons, was the first to rent a house at Sunset Point on the North Shore. Both brothers were among the first crew of renegades to venture to a few of the North Shore’s outer reefs, nearly three-quarters of a mile out to sea. Walter also experimented with new surfboard production methods and passed on much of his knowledge to Hobie Alter.
If there’s any doubt that surfing runs through blood lines, then check out the Hoffman’s. Walter and Philip (aka “Flippy”) were two of California’s first big-wave pioneers. Walter’s daughter Joyce Hoffman was one of the best known female surfers in the late 1960’s and his other daughter Dibi married Herbie Fletcher and soon Walter became the grandfather to aerial masters Christian and Nathan Fletcher. Flippy’s son, Marty Hoffman competed in the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave contest at Waimea Bay in 1990. Of course, this saltwater lineage had to begin somewhere.
Walter and Flippy’s parents opened a textile business in 1924, which the brothers eventually took over. This ultimately engrained a place in Southern California for the new, burgeoning surf culture to blossom. Since Walter and Flippy had conquered numerous big wave breaks by the late ‘50’s on the North Shore of Oahu, they soon realized they could embrace what they love and make a living.
Philip “Fippy” Hoffman
Walter Hoffman quilted by JoAnn Hoffman
Top Left: Walter Hoffman
Top Right: Marty Hoffman (right)
Bottom Left: Indie Hoffman
Bottom Right: Rex Hoffman
By the late 1950’s, the Hoffman brothers were running the family business, Hoffman California Fabrics. A great part of our modern surf industry was built from Hoffman textiles used by brands such as Billabong and Quiksilver. Neither brother was too keen on competitive surfing, although in 1995, Walter received the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association Waterman Achievement Award for his contributions to surfing as a whole. It’s safe to say that without this dynamic duo, the surf industry might not be where it is today.
FROM WOOL TO WAVES
Rube Hoffman founded his company as Hoffman Woolens in 1924. The New York native had relocated to Los Angeles, where he started by selling wool fabrics from a small loft. Within six years, the company was printing its own fabrics from original designs and Rube changed the name of the company to Hoffman California Fabrics. It was in the 1950s that the company took to producing tropicals and conversationals, thanks to the surfing lifestyle followed by Rube’s two sons, Philip and Walter. In addition to being a leader in this niche, Hoffman Fabrics is known for its beautifully designed quilting cottons in a variety of themes. It’s also recognized for introducing authentic Bali Batiks (based on original designs created by in-house textile artists) to the quilting world. It remains a leader in offering the finest, hand-dyed and batiked fabrics.
Philip “Fippy” Hoffman (middle)
BBLK-900 49-Khaki “Surfboards” swatch shown at 75% scale
BBHC-1083 4-Black
“Hawaiian” swatch shown at 75% scale
BBHC-1083 22-Ivory
“Hawaiian”
swatch shown at 75% scale
BBHC-1083 19-Navy
“Hawaiian” swatch shown at 75% scale
BBLK-867 19-Navy
“Route 66” swatch shown at 60% scale
BBLK-867 4-Black
“Route 66” swatch shown at 50% scale
BBLK-972 7-Blue
“Highway 66”
swatch shown at 50% scale
BBHC-1133 19-Navy
“Vintage Vegas” swatch shown at 50% scale
BBKT-1087 22-Ivory
swatch shown at 50% scale
“Kahuku Pineapple”
PAREAU
The name given to a floral print comes from pareo, the rectangular piece of fabric wrapped around the waist to become a fashionable cover-up.
ISLAND FLOWERS
Hibiscus: plant with showy flowers native to tropical and subtropical regions; state flower of Hawaii
Lei: a garland of flowers and/or leaves to be worn
Leilani: heavenly flower
Plumeria: a tropical flowering plant related to the oleander and often used in making leis
swatch shown at 25% scale
Pareaus evolved into men’s button-up shirts, and the fact these shirts became symbolic of the beach lifestyle is due largely to Hoffman California bringing tropical prints to market beginning in the 1950s.
BBKT-641 8-Green
swatches shown at 50% scale
BBLK-194 4-Black
BBLK-194 O5-Red
swatch shown at 100% scale
BBLK-919 4-Black/Turquoise
“For whatever we lose (like a you or a me) it’s always our self we find in the sea. - e.e. cummings ”
Hoffman California Fabrics designs and produces one-of-a-kind, screenprinted Tropical Conversational and Floral fabrics, including authentic pareaus.
Hoffman California Fabrics’ talented, creative teams excel at designing a wide variety of superior-quality fabrics and products to meet the specific needs of wholesale and retail customers, as well as manufacturers:
- Retail DivisionServes fabric stores, quilt shops and businesses selling fabric by the yard. (See the list of our Retail Sales Representatives By Region on inside back cover.)
- Specialty Manufacturing DivisionCaters to entrepreneurs who use Hoffman Fabrics in a wide variety of finished goods.
- Sportswear & Large Manufacturing DivisionSpecializes in custom designs and large-quantity programs for garments, accessories, and home textiles.
If you are an independent retailer or quilt shop owner wanting to place an order or become a customer, please call (800) 547-0100.
If you are a wholesale company or a manufacturer that would like to place on order or have us create a custom fabric and/or manufacture garments, please call (800) 527-8050 or (949) 770-6801.
