The Mānoa Tee

The ʻMānoa’ colorway is inspired by the deep greens and moody weather in Mānoa Valley.  This design honors our roots in lei making, the wahi pana of Mānoa, and sends a simple and important message: Support Your Local Lei Maker. The lei hili palapalai symbolizes our mission at PALAI to weave together community, culture, science, and creativity.

Designed and printed in Hawai'i.

This buttery soft tee is made from 100% ring-spun cotton. Manufactured using an innovative dye process that uses three times less water, reduces processing time by 40%, consumes less energy, and requires no salt - offering a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to standard commercial dyeing methods.

Behind the Design:

Now more than ever, it’s important to support local lei makers. Lei and flowers hold deep significance in both contemporary local Hawaiʻi culture as well as in traditional Hawaiian cultural practices. To meet the rising demand, many lei and flowers, including the widely used purple orchid lei, are imported from countries like Vietnam. 

By supporting local lei makers, we actively contribute to reducing reliance on imports while supporting Hawaiʻi’s local economy, community, and cultural practices.

Model is wearing a size Medium