from kailua
unpretentious wear for luxe beach bums
the origin story
i didn't plan to start a surf tee label. i wore my favorite surf tees threadbare, then my go-to surf shop switched designers and the vibe drifted. i couldn't replace the shirts i loved, so i started designing ones i wished existed.
on meditative kailua beach walks, the ocean kept handing me ideas. random folks would ask me about the tees, so i made a few more.
today, we print each piece to order. keeps waste low and freshness high. it's not about hype. it's about a great tee, gratitude, and carrying a little kailua aloha with you wherever you go.
what we make
two collections. one brand.
our marks
maʻo hau hele
marks our most accessible pieces. you'll find it on the inside neck labels and woven labels on shirts like sea dog and humu², and on shirts that have the mark printed on them like the be pono sunshirts.
pakalolo
marks our more kolohe pieces, character driven, mischievous, elevated consciousness. you'll find it on the inside neck labels and woven labels on most of the hiwa hiwa drops
care for the land. care for each other.
mālama ʻāina
a portion of our profits support sustainable coastlines hawaiʻi. if you see folks walking on kailua beach with green compostable bags picking up trash and wearing kailua hi surf tees. come by and say hi, or better yet, grab a bag and help us out.
ʻōlelo matters
we endeavor to use ʻokina and kahakō correctly and treat hawaiian visual language with care. our pieces are contemporary artwork for apparel, not traditional uhi.
if we miss something, tell us. we listen.