The Story Behind Nāhele Clothing Co. | Hawaiʻi Clothing Brand Rooted in Culture

Nāhele Clothing Co. - A Reflection of My Childhood

I’ll be honest- this brand didn’t start from some big business plan or strategy. There was no “mastermind” moment. Nāhele Clothing Co. came from something way simpler than that. Just growing up here, surrounded by the places, people, and stories that shaped me.

I was raised on ʻOkana Place in Kahaluʻu, over on the Windward side of Oʻahu. If you grew up around here, you already know, life moves at its own pace. When I wasn’t at school, my dad would be dragging us out into the mountains of Kāneʻohe to go hiking, or taking us down to the parks and beaches to burn off energy and spend the day outside.

But it wasn’t just about the hikes or the beaches. It was everything else too. I grew up surrounded by family, plenty of aunties and uncles always hanging out in the open garage (see picture at the top of the page), singing songs, cooking, talking story, probably making too much noise, but at the end of the day, just enjoying each other’s company. That was normal life. Laughter, music, and the smell of good food filling the neighborhood.

Those moments stick with you. And it wasn’t just the places or the people themselves that left an impression, it was the stories tied to them. Stories about the mountains, the ocean, the people, the old gods and demi-gods, and the history of these islands. Not just the stories from textbooks, but also the kind of stories you hear growing up around family and friends, or sitting outside after a long day.

 

Why I Started Nāhele Clothing Co. 

As I got older, I realized how much of that upbringing stuck with me, and how rare it was to see it represented in a way that felt real. A lot of the shirts out there feel either too touristy or like they were slapped together just to “look cool” with no deeper meaning or value to it.

I didn’t want that.

Nāhele Co. started because I wanted to make something that felt like home. Shirts that locals could wear proudly. Designs that actually told a story about the places we grew up loving, the legends we heard as kids, and the everyday experiences that shaped us here in Hawaiʻi.

It’s not about selling shirts just to sell shirts. It’s about keeping those experiences and connections alive through design, through story, and through the clothes we wear.

 

Where We’re Headed

 

Right now, we’re keeping it simple. We’re using high quality transfers on premium shirts, because that’s what we can do with what we have right now. But the goal is to grow into local screen printing very soon to make those big, bold, timeless, and high quality prints by hand, right here at home.

And looking ahead, one of my biggest goals is to launch special collections where all proceeds go back into the community to support local organizations that help our people and educate Hawaiʻi’s keiki (children). This isn’t just a business to me, it’s something of a personal goal in life for me.

 

What Nāhele Means To Me 

 

The textbook definition of Nāhele is “forest”, But it’s not just about trees- it’s about that feeling. A quiet place, full of life, steady and grounded and everlasting. That’s the mindset I try to carry with me, and it’s really what Keep it Nāhele means- stay rooted, stay connected, and move through life with that same grounded mindset.

That’s the story behind this brand. And if you’re here reading this, mahalo for being a part of it.

 

Explore more stories at Nāhele Clothing Co.