Children’s clothing brand Alikaleo Park might be new, but the husband-and-wife team behind it have a long legacy of creating Hawaii-made clothing. Alikaleo Park was launched by Alx and Sarah Kawakami, whose family established alohawear company Iolani Sportswear in 1953.
“After making clothes for grownups for 70 years, we decided it was time for a new adventure,” the couple said in a joint email. “Alikaleo Park ushers in a new generation of Hawaii-designed products, this time for the fun-loving keiki in our lives.”
The Kawakamis said the idea came to them during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when production for Iolani was on pause and the couple was spending a lot more time at home in their backyard with their two young sons, Alika and Kaleo. That time together as a family ended up being the inspiration for the brand, which launched in late 2023.
Designed for keiki playing outdoors, Alikaleo Park clothing is made with sun-protective fabric, with prints that include canoes, pineapples and hibiscus, along with other Hawaii-inspired designs. Items include shirts, shorts, pants and hats, as well as other outdoor-related accessories, such as snack holders.
“Our goal was to create an everyday activewear for kids that has built-in sun protection in colorful and fun designs,” the couple said.
“History is woven into the clothes themselves, as the brand leverages vintage prints from the Iolani Sportswear archives,” they added.
Alikaleo Park clothing can be found across Oahu, where the Kawakamis are based, as well as at one store on Kauai, in addition to online.
“Our list [of retailers] is growing and we are so excited to be sharing our brand with the world,” they said.
As they head into the accelerator program, they said their goal is to “really embrace and soak in the entire experience.”
“Having Mana Up guide us through this entrepreneurship journey and give us structure to build up our brand is going to be very helpful and inspiring,” the Kawakamis said.
When asked about where they would like to see the business a year from now, they noted that they aim to have an expanded product line of clothing designs and accessories.
PBN is partnering with Mana Up to announce the 10 newest entrepreneurs joining Cohort 9 of its product business accelerator program, with profiles on each company slated to roll out one at a time through June 4. Stay tuned to pacificbusinessnews.com, and check out the June 7 print edition for the full roundup.
