Maoli
Maoli is a 100% indigenously owned, founder-led direct-to-consumer apparel brand that designs and print-on-demand produces Native Hawaiian-inspired clothing and accessories for Native Hawaiian people, cultural allies, and families through its Shopify storefront at hawaiimaoli.com.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersO'ahu, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Maoli does
Maoli is a 100% indigenously owned direct-to-consumer apparel business that designs, markets, and sells Native Hawaiian-inspired clothing and accessories to Native Hawaiian people (Kānaka Maoli), cultural allies, and families with children (Keiki). The product portfolio spans short- and long-sleeve t-shirts, tank tops, hoodies, crew sweatshirts, rash guards, shorts, hats, and stickers, organized around cultural collections including Hula, Lawai'a (Fishing), Mana Wahine, Kalo, and Kaipo's Favorites. The company also sells eGift Cards in denominations from $10 to $200 USD. Pricing ranges from $19.95 to $69.95 per item, with free shipping on orders over $65.
Maoli operates a print-on-demand production model using Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing with eco-friendly water-based inks on soft jersey cotton and performance fabrics. This made-to-order approach eliminates warehouse inventory and reduces clothing waste to roughly 50% below conventional apparel production, while supporting a broad size range that includes plus sizes up to 6XL. E-commerce is operated on the Shopify platform at hawaiimaoli.com, with payments accepted via major card networks, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay. The business is registered as a sole proprietorship (Joshua Lucas dba Joshua Lucas), with a business office on O'ahu, Hawaii, and is governed by California law under its Terms of Service.
The go-to-market motion is purely DTC through the company's own online storefront, with no physical retail or wholesale channels. Customer acquisition is driven by organic social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, supplemented by the Maoli Life blog and an email newsletter. The company ships to the US and most international countries (excluding Cuba, Iran, Crimea, Syria, and North Korea). Maoli is bootstrapped, founder-owned, and operates with no disclosed external funding or institutional investors.
Maoli firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Maoli
- Legal name
- Joshua Lucas dba Joshua Lucas
- Website
- https://hawaiimaoli.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Maoli is a 100% indigenously owned, founder-led direct-to-consumer apparel brand that designs and print-on-demand produces Native Hawaiian-inspired clothing and accessories for Native Hawaiian people, cultural allies, and families through its Shopify storefront at hawaiimaoli.com.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Maoli is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- O'ahu
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Maoli business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Apparel Product Sales: Direct e-commerce sales of apparel products including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, tank tops, shorts, rash guards, hats, and accessories. One-time purchase model with customers ordering through the online store.
- eGift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations from $10 to $200 USD, delivered by email with 1-year expiration. These drive future revenue and customer acquisition.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apparel price range from $19.95 to $69.95 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard shipping rates to United States |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | eGift Cards from $10 to $200 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Maoli product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Maoli designs and sells original Native Hawaiian-inspired apparel including t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, tank tops, hoodies, sweatshirts, rash guards, shorts, hats, and accessories, along with digital gift cards. All products are manufactured on demand using DTG printing with eco-friendly water-based inks and sold exclusively through the company's Shopify-powered online store, hawaiimaoli.com.
Product overview
Maoli is a 100% indigenously owned small business offering Native Hawaiian clothing and apparel. The product portfolio centers on everyday wear including short sleeve t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, tank tops, hoodies, crew sweatshirts, rash guards, shorts, and hats for men (Kāne), women (Wāhine), and children (Keiki). Products feature original artwork designed by Native Hawaiian designers inspired by cultural themes including Hula, Fishing (Lawai'a), Mana Wahine, Kalo (taro), and general Maoli imagery. The company operates on a print-on-demand model using eco-friendly DTG (direct-to-garment) printing with water-based inks to reduce environmental impact. Supporting products include stickers, hats (Pāpale), and eGift Cards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Short Sleeve T-Shirts Short sleeve t-shirts offered across men's (Kāne), women's (Wāhine), and kids (Keiki) categories, made from 100% soft jersey cotton with original Native Hawaiian artwork printed using soft-hand ink.
- Long Sleeve T-Shirts Long sleeve t-shirts for men and women featuring premium original artwork designed by indigenous Hawaiian creators.
- Tank Tops Tank tops available for men and women featuring Native Hawaiian cultural designs.
- Hoodies (Pullover) Pullover hoodies with custom original Native Hawaiian artwork.
- Crew Sweatshirts Crew neck sweatshirts featuring indigenous Hawaiian designs.
- Rash Guards Athletic swim/rash guard shirts designed for water activities and island living, available in men's, women's, and kids categories.
- Shorts Athletic swim shorts including Hawai'i Shorts and Moku Camo Shorts in multiple color schemes, featuring 50 UPF protection, 91% recycled polyester, four-way stretch, and moisture-wicking fabric.
- Hats (Pāpale) Hats including Maoli Snapback Hat, Maoli Trucker Hat, and Hanauna Flexfit Hat featuring Hawaiian cultural designs.
- Stickers Decorative stickers featuring Maoli designs and Hawaiian cultural themes.
- Kids (Keiki) Apparel Children's clothing line including short sleeve t-shirts and rash guards sized for toddlers and youth with Hawaiian cultural designs.
- eGift Cards Digital gift cards available in denominations from $10 to $200 USD, redeemable online at HawaiiMaoli.com, delivered by email, and expiring 1 year after purchase.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced clothing waste to nearly zero through print-on-demand manufacturing
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Maoli
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Maoli technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Maoli partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Maoli competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tori Richard: Established Hawaiian-print apparel and resort wear brand. Comparable Hawaiian cultural aesthetic and DTC + wholesale distribution, but serves a more premium, resort-oriented customer.
- Crazy Shirts: Hawaiian-headquartered t-shirt brand with multiple retail locations and DTC e-commerce selling tropical and Hawaiian-themed apparel. Comparable DTC t-shirt positioning and Hawaiian cultural identity, with significantly greater scale.
- Hilo Hattie: Long-established Hawaiian apparel retailer offering aloha shirts, dresses, and gifts across multiple retail stores and online. Comparable product category and Hawaiian-cultural customer base, but at much larger scale and broader assortment.
- KITH: Premium DTC apparel and lifestyle brand using Shopify-led storytelling and limited drops. Comparable DTC mechanics, content-led marketing, and premium price positioning, though operating at significantly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Kealopiko: Native Hawaiian-owned apparel and lifestyle brand featuring original cultural artwork. Directly comparable to Maoli in its indigenous ownership, DTC model, and cultural-design positioning.
- Sig Zane Designs: Renowned Native Hawaiian designer brand offering apparel and accessories rooted in traditional Hawaiian patterns. Comparable in indigenous ownership and cultural-design authority, with a higher-fashion positioning.
- Manuheali'i: Native Hawaiian fashion brand led by designer Manaola Yap, blending traditional Hawaiian motifs with modern apparel. Directly comparable in indigenous Hawaiian creative direction and cultural authenticity.
Others
- Printful: Print-on-demand fulfillment and DTG printing provider used by many DTC apparel brands. Relevant as Maoli's likely underlying print-on-demand partner/infrastructure layer.
Emerging players
- B. Yellowtail: Indigenous-owned (Crow Nation) contemporary streetwear brand. Comparable in authentic indigenous ownership and DTC apparel model with original cultural artwork, though focused on Plains Native rather than Hawaiian themes.
- Natives Outdoors: Indigenous-owned outdoor and apparel brand. Comparable in indigenous ownership and DTC storytelling model, but skews toward outdoor/athleisure versus Hawaiian cultural apparel.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Maoli social profiles
Digital presenceMaoli financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Maoli leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Maoli funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Maoli M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Maoli
What does Maoli do?
Maoli designs and sells original Native Hawaiian-inspired apparel including t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, tank tops, hoodies, sweatshirts, rash guards, shorts, hats, and accessories, along with digital gift cards. All products are manufactured on demand using DTG printing with eco-friendly water-based inks and sold exclusively through the company's Shopify-powered online store, hawaiimaoli.com.
Is Maoli a public or private company?
Maoli is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Maoli founded?
Maoli was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Maoli based?
Maoli is headquartered in O'ahu, United States, in the North America region.
How does Maoli make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Apparel Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are eGift Cards.
Who are Maoli's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tori Richard, Crazy Shirts, Hilo Hattie and KITH. Direct peers are Kealopiko, Sig Zane Designs and Manuheali'i. Printful is listed as an others. Emerging players are B. Yellowtail and Natives Outdoors.
Does Maoli have an API?
No public API is recorded for Maoli.