The origins of Tiger Stripe camouflage trace back to the French 'lizard' pattern, also known as Tenue Du Leopard. The pattern is often credited to the Vietnamese, due to the Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps making subtle changes to the lizard camouflage and using it to reflect the thick jungle conditions and intense tropical heat of Vietnam, by incorporating bold black stripes over shades of green and brown.

The Tiger Stripe pattern gained significant recognition during the Vietnam War when it was unofficially embraced by the U.S. Armed forces. Many young servicemen opted for the Tiger Stripe over the official issue ERDL pattern. USMAAG advisors were even authorised to wear the combat uniform of their Vietnamese units, leading to the production of many uniforms by local tailors. This diversity in production explains the myriad variations seen in the pattern.

Among the various tiger stripe iterations is the Tadpole Stripe, which emerged in 1964 and was produced until the end of the Vietnam War. The pattern seen here, widely referred to as Tadpole Dense (TDD), was introduced in 1970 and features bold black stripes over olive and brown tones. Notably, Japan (and the Ryukyu Islands under U.S. administration at the time) played a significant role in the production of tiger stripe garments, including the Tadpole Stripe.

With the procurement of Tiger Stripe manufacturing in Japan, shirts and trousers typically became available into two types: Anglo (U.S.) variants, designed for American soldiers, and Asian variants, made for Vietnamese soldiers. The main distinction, apart from size, is that the Anglo version features two buttons on the pocket flaps, whereas the Asian version has only one.

The TIGER CAMOUFLAGE SHORTS / TADPOLE are made from 100% printed camouflage cotton twill, sewn with cotton thread and finished with urea buttons. The era authentic design includes two button-closure pockets and two side pockets.

100% Cotton

Printed Camouflage Cotton Twill Fabric

Urea Button

Cotton Sewing Thread Construction

Made in Japan