Vintage Tropicana Men's Shirt

Circa the 1970's, this vintage and vibrant Tropicana for Liberty House barkcloth shirt is a rare neon wonder! Vintage medium Pit-to-Pit: 21" About Liberty House: Liberty House was a department and specialty store chain founded in 1849 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Originally named the Hackfield Dry Goods Store, the store was renamed B.F. Ehlers in 1852, and finally changed to Liberty House in 1918, partly as a reaction to WWI and to break the negative connection with its German roots. During its heyday, the store expanded into other areas of Oahu, the outer islands, California, Nevada, and Washington - but declined and ultimately declared bankruptcy in 1998. In 2001, the company was bought by Federated Department Stores and all remaining stores were changed to Macy’s stores. About barkcloth (aka tapa or kapa) fabric: The creation of Kapa fabric is a labor intensive process. Traditionally made from the bark of a Wauke (Mulberry) tree, it is first stripped of its outer bark and soaked in water for up to ten days. Next, it is beaten and placed in ti or banana leaves in a warm, shady spot to ferment. These fibers require a fermentation stage to allow the fibers to float freely, resulting in a felted, matted, seamless mass. The fermentation process is essential to the quality and texture of the finished cloth. The second stage of processing requires many more hours of beating, shaping, and stretching the fiber pieces – eventually resulting in a breathable, workable fabric.