O'Neill is originally a Californian surf wear and surfboard brand started in 1952 by Jack O'Neill. ... The O'Neill wetsuit business continues to be owned by the O'Neill family and is based in Santa Cruz, CA.

Where are Oneill products made?

It owns its own wetsuit factory in San Francisco and has been in the same location since 1991. Located on the southeast side of the city, approximately 100 people work in the nondescript building producing approximately 35 percent of the company's total wetsuit output.

How did O'Neill lose his eye?

In 1972, O'Neill lost an eye after a surfboard snapped while he tested a leash prototype that his son created. He managed to make the accident work for him, of course, turning crisis into opportunity. O'Neill donned a black eye patch.