Alpha Industries was founded in 1959 in Knoxville, Tennessee. During the Vietnam War, Alpha Industries saw tremendous growth as a contractor to the United States military.
After the Cold War, the company begun looking towards commercial markets. Focusing on military-styled casuals and outwear, their apparel soon became very popular as American youth would buy their jackets from military outlets. The trend then spread to Europe and became popular among mods and skinheads.