About The Ka Hoe Uli Brand Project

Promoting the normalization of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) via our clothing brand along with community input.

Currently, there are only a handful of clothing brands that use ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi solely as the medium of their designs and messaging. We acknowledge and mahalo these brands for being the pioneers of this niche. 

But think about this. In Hawaiʻi, we are very loyal to local lifestyle brands, surfing brands, popular worldwide brands and, of course, our sports teams, which are predominantly designed in English with some local brands using Hawaiian words. So unless you are affiliated with a Hawaiian school, program, club, hālau hula or a political movement, etc., having access to Hawaiian-language apparel beyond these types of groups are slim. The majority of the brands that we wear are in English.

Enter Ka Hoe Uli. Our mission is to provide apparel with Hawaiian-language designs and messaging that draws from our kuanaʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian worldview) to help steer (uli) our lawena Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian behavior) and grow in our mauli Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian cultural identity). In essence, our Hawaiian cultural identity is, and should be, the brand. This is our WHY.

For now, we will produce our products via an ʻenehana (technology) called P.O.D. or Print On Demand, which will allow us to quickly bring these manaʻo (design concepts) to market so that learners, speakers and supporters of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi can have multiple choices of designs to wear in all aspects of everyday life.

ʻAuamo (carry) our mission forward by not only becoming an ʻelele (ambassador) of our brand, but by also contributing to our brand with your manaʻo, your input.

Concept submissions that are in alignment with our mission will be considered for production. If chosen, you will be credited as the author of the concept of the design and will receive a complimentary shirt or article of clothing produced with your concept. Send us your submissions via the Email link below.

This community-based approach will allow us to make an immediate impact on the normalization of Hawaiian by being able to see our collective designs in our communities on a daily basis, which, hopefully, will lead to the language being spoken and heard even more as we continue to build our critical mass of speakers needed to ensure that our ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian knowledge) will be transmitted to future generations through the language.

We hope to one day become the apparel brand of the Hawaiian language. Until then, we will hilinaʻi (trust) in our mission guided by our motto:

Na ka ʻōlelo e uli. 
The language will steer the course.

–Ka Hoe Uli

Learn more here.