Specialty Apparel is your source for high quality garments, work wear programs, and premium dry cleaning services. A Brief History of Specialty Apparel: Founded in Los Angeles in the 1960s Business built by serving the specialized work wear needs of the following industries: security, parking, engineering services, commercial real estate, airports, casinos, hospitality and more UniFirst purchased the company in 1990 but it remains a separate division that retains its focus of serving the needs of upscale uniform wearers, while sharing in the benefits of UniFirst’s international reach and resources.