Dehen Knitting Company was founded in Portland, Oregon by German immigrant William Dehen in 1920. During the 1920's, the company concentrated on knitting sweaters for high school and college athletes. In the 1930's they started supplying motorcycle clubs with riding sweaters and after the Second World War began producing varsity jackets and car coats. Additionally, Dehen has a long history of producing workwear.
Dehen resisted the outsourcing trends of the 1980's and instead shifted the focus of their business to high-quality and custom manufacturing. They are still owned and managed by the Dehen family and continue to produce its products in Portland.
