World War Two Impressions, Inc.

 Specializing in US Military Uniforms, Equipment, and Footwear
 American-made to WWII era military specifications.

A licensed garment manufacturer in the state of California.
 

Let us introduce you to our company...


Tsgt Juan Gonzalez ready for action!
Juan Carlos Gonzalez,
President, WWII Impressions, Inc

    Juan Carlos Gonzalez is the president and a co-founder of WWII Impressions. Inc.. The company was founded in 1992 as a "Home Business" making replica paratrooper uniforms by Juan and his wife Sylvia. Now it is an incorporated business with a manufacturing section, a warehouse, and sales/shipping department.  Before becoming a self-employed business owner Juan Carlos's professional background was spent 10 years in the fields of Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, and 3D Computerized Engineering Conceptual Design. In 1997 the company won a major contract to supply over 1000 uniforms to a major movie production company. Juan Carlos was then able to diversify his product line to include many new replica items, which today continues to expand and grow month by month. Juan Carlos has a family background in the professional sewing industry which gives him a strong edge in the garment manufacturing industry. He is first generation American and his parents are immigrants from Cuba. They migrated to the U.S. in the early sixties as a result of the Communist take-over of the country. His father served in the elite "Cuban Units" of the U.S. Army formed by President John F. Kennedy shortly after the Bay Of Pigs amphibious assault. His great-grandfather fought in the Spanish-American War on the side of Spain. Juan is a proud citizen of the United States and of his Cuban heritage. Juan has a passion for WWII history and offers professionalism and integrity to the world of Living History. Juan Carlos is Married to Sylvia Gonzalez and has two lovely daughters, Angelica (oldest) and Viviana. Sylvia is the Co-Owner of WWII Impressions and has been instrumental in helping make WWII Impressions the success it is today. She plays an active role in company issues and is poised to help our customers with any questions. Both Juan and Sylvia are committed to delivering customer service and quality merchandise.

    "I started reenacting WWII 82nd ABN in Southern California in 1986 and I've been to weekend events in the sun, rain, seawater, and snow.  I have seen first hand how uniforms, gear, and boots can deteriorate off your back and feet.  Being 6'3" there were few original uniforms that could be found for people like me and I started filling that need in the early 90s.  I know what it's like to be eagerly waiting for purchases to arrive in the mail.  I also know what it's like to be disappointed.  Our professional staff will work hard to earn your business and help to make your ordering experience a pleasant one.  We respect and value you as a customer and we want to bring you back again and again for all your WWII uniform and equipment needs.  We have been in business longer than most others and intend to be here for good." Juan Carlos Gonzalez


 

Thank you for showing interest in our products! Our mission is to offer the BIGGEST selection of new-made WWII era American uniforms and equipment in the world BAR NONE!  Our selection includes uniforms from the US Navy, US Army, US Army Air Force, and US Marine Corps.  Our selection includes complete uniforms from headgear to footwear.  Our products are UNMATCHED BY ANYONE for authenticity and durability. In almost every case, ounce for ounce, the fabrics we use in our garments out-weigh the competition's fabrics, without sacrificing authenticity, thus making our products a better value for your money. 

Our company was founded in 1992. We specialize in just U.S. WWII military uniforms and equipment. This means we can dedicate all our resources to reproducing only the finest garments and accessories in their class. Our selection is so extensive that we can completely outfit a U.S. Officer or Enlisted soldier from head to toe in different fabrics, mounted or dismounted. "We are the WWII U.S. quartermaster."  We offer the biggest selection of new-made WWII era U.S. military uniforms and equipment in the world. We have a world-wide base of happy and loyal customers who give us steady and repeat business over and over again. We believe in customer service and will go the extra mile to earn your business. We either manufacture our own merchandise, or have it made for us according to our specifications. We offer factory-direct pricing. There are other companies out there that manufacture replica uniforms from various militaries. We began as a small home based business but have long since outgrown our humble beginnings.  Now we are a small corporation with big ambitions.  We operate a manufacturing section, a warehouse, and sales office staffed by several employees which continues to grow.  We truly are a success story.

We specialize in WWII U.S. military uniforms and accessories made to military specifications (mil-specs) of the era. This means that our products are made well enough to have actually been worn by service personnel of their time.  One could easily say we make and sell reproductions.  But frankly, this title conjures up expectations of cheaper grade costumes made to be disposable.  With the plethora of lower priced, and lower quality, "reproduction" alternatives we feel the need to distinguish ourselves as a maker of products that meet and sometimes exceed military specifications of the WWII era.  Having copies of the actual government and military specifications in our reference library we can confidently make this claim.  We are supplied by network of US based companies that provide us our fabrics, webbing, and hardware to meet our needs.  With only a few unavoidable exceptions, our materials and hardware are made here in the U.S..  We feel that in quality lies value.  Many of our customers have claimed to have purchased the cheaper alternatives, only to come back to us after the fact because the cheaper alternative did not meet their expectations.  Our garments are proudly made by us in the U.S.A. and we deliver substance. When you compare our products, our competition falls short of authenticity, performance, and value!

We want to assure you that we put as much attention to detail in our garments as did the garment contractors during WWII. All of our quality products have been the result of much research and investigation into their manufacture. Our library of specifications and drawings is impressive. We are even acquainted with National Archivists and museum curators on a first name basis.  We go the extra mile in our research. We opened original WWII era Army bound swatch books containing samples of fabric and leather. To make the tents ordered for the movie "The Thin Red Line", we flew to DC to obtain copies of the original drawings. We followed the original list of materials down to the weight of canvas, type of cotton rope, gauge of steel slips, etc.. We honestly feel that there are no better products than those we sell.

15 years ago when we started there were less than a few companies offering new-made WWII era US military uniforms.  These days there are more and more companies offering foreign made products which obviously offers a very attractive price and rave about their high quality.  Anyone with a keen eye for garment quality can spot the corners cut.  In many cases historical accuracy and/or durability was sacrificed for lower prices.  Few companies outside the U.S. are familiar with U.S. military and government standards.  As a result, much of their merchandise follows commercial standards (not military) which these foreign companies are accustomed to.   Commercial specs are generally considered worldwide as lower quality than military specs. These lower priced products tend to attract customers who are new to the reenacting world and are not necessarily well concerned with historical accuracy and/or country of origin.  In contrast, a great number of our customers have been involved in historical activities for 5 years or more and many insist they will only buy American.  They know we offer better quality products.  Our dedicated and talented production staff work hard to make our quality products that demonstrate the correct look and feel of original WWII era mil-spec items. 

We are the only company offering such a vast selection of WWII military new-made garments and footwear made in America.  We have no interest in selling uniforms made outside of the US.  We will close our doors before we are forced to start selling foreign made United States military uniforms.  This is not meant to be condescending towards foreign labor that can at times produce quality merchandise.  We are merely interested in building an American based company selling American made products, which for a garment manufacturer is quite the novelty these days.  We feel that the best available American military uniforms should be made by Americans, end of discussion.  In contrast to uniforms that were issued in mass by the government, we realize you are paying for these garments with your hard earned money.  The products you buy from us should be worth every penny.  Furthermore, we endeavor to offer a quality product without the tacky and at times offensive language as seen in other websites.  We respect our customers and we realize they should always be maturely respected and not be berated with gags, rants, or insults. 

When placing an order for garments always include accurate size measurements. Call for uniform dimensions to insure proper fitting. We are not a tailor, therefore we do not make alterations to our garments. We recommend you see your own tailor if the uniform needs altering. These uniforms are authentic in every way and are in "off the shelf" sizes. We do not guarantee they will fit anyone whose dimensions deviate from that of a typical fit soldier.

Tanker outfitWe have sold our products to thousands satisfied customers. We sell to collectors, Museums, and Reenactors.  Film productions have purchased our products such as The Company (HBO), Flags Of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, The Good German, Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, Touched By An Angel, South Pacific, Band Of Brothers, Pearl Harbor, Windtalkers, We Were Soldiers Once and Young, Mail Call, "Combat Jump" documentary, Ike, Countdown To D-Day (Starring Tom Selleck) , SHOOT-OUT, and many more titles. We have also sold our products to our heroic veterans and their families, and in some cases our products were used as final attire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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