A KaiKini Confession

Guest blogger Marina here, Quality Control Manager and seamstress for those KaiKinis you love so much. The most wonderful Andrea asked me to step in for this post and talk about my first experience with a KaiKini. Little did she know that…

I have a confession to make. 

My first time owning and wearing a bikini wasn't until after I started working at KaiKini (gasp!). As in, my first KaiKini was my first bikini! Up until that point, I’d never bought a bikini before. Like, NEVER EVER.  Why, you ask? Truth be told, I’m pretty self-conscious. Similar to many other girls out there, I easily find fault with what I see in the mirror, especially when it comes to my bikini body.  I pretty much never felt 'bikini ready.'  I was never comfortable enough to show that much skin so I stuck with unflattering, ill-fitting one pieces and tankinis. It took a move to Hawaii and a job at KaiKini to open my eyes to the possibility of wearing something other than the potato sacks I was used to.

There is something really awesome about Kauai. Actually, there are a TON of awesome things about Kauai, but there is one thing in particular: girls here, of all shapes and sizes, ROCK their bikinis. From high coverage to barely there Brazilians, women here strut their stuff and are proud of it. Never before have I seen as much self-confidence as I've seen walking the beaches of this beautiful island. And you know what? Self-confidence is contagious. If all of these women could kill it in a bikini, why couldn't I??

And this is where KaiKini comes in. When I first started working with Taryn and the girls, I had this mental block about our Kinis. NO WAY would I EVER wear something so cheeky and revealing!

A little known fact about KaiKini (Shhhh! Don’t let Taryn know I told you!):

As quality control manager, I make sure that every single piece produced in our small studio is up to our high standards.  If there is ever a flaw in one of our suits that cannot be fixed, like a hole in the fabric or broken elastic, it will sometimes end up in one of the KaiKini girls’ Kini collections. (Side Note: The downside to being such an awesome team of seamstresses is that flaws like this RARELY happen but when they do, the first thing everyone asks is, “What size is it?!”). We all have a few castaway, un-sellable bikinis in our possession and it was a suit like this that had the honor of becoming my-first-bikini-oh-my-god!

I remember it like it was yesterday… it was a black Okole with a hole. Now, the awesome thing about our Okole bottom is that not only does it offer more coverage than a Kai, but for girls out there who may not be as well-endowed in the booty department (like yours truly) it has this awesome ability to give what you've got some extra oomph! Thanks in large part to the scrunch in the back, the Okole silhouettes your bum and gives it a nice heart shape, magically making it look, well, better.  When I first tried it on, while still self-conscious and not ready to wear it in public, I did have to admit that my tukas looked the best it ever has in a swimsuit.  No saggy fabric or ‘diaper butt’ here!

So that was my first experience with a KaiKini. I have to say, it’s taken me a long time to get to the point of wearing a bikini in public. I’m still self-conscious and am not yet able to strut my stuff and rock it, but I’m getting there. I’m a bit biased because I actually make the bikinis I wear, but I truly have to say that if not for KaiKini, I might still be wearing my ugly tankinis and lamenting my awful tan lines. Not only am I proud to say that my stomach now gets to see the light of day, but my KaiKinis still remain the only bikinis I own. 

I guess the moral of my story and the message I’d like to share is this:

For those of you dreaming about one day wearing a bikini: you’ll get there. Take baby steps. Ease into it. Find the cut and fit that makes you feel the best. Go to an isolated place and wear your Kini without fear.  Work your way to the point of being happy in your own skin and of what you've got. Oh, and if your first suit happens to be a KaiKini, awesome!! Wear it knowing that we were thinking about YOU when we made it and that we see you as beautiful no matter what. But even if a KaiKini isn't the first suit you've ever owned, or even if you don’t own a KaiKini, wear whatever helps you feel like the goddess you are. 

Now go out there and strut your stuff, Kini lovers!

XOXO

Marina

P.S. What’s YOUR first bikini story? We’d love to hear about it in the comments section!

Survey says...We have the best fans in the world!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

We were so blown away by the incredible response we received from our survey last month! The feedback we received is invaluable and we wanted to take the time to let you know we've heard your requests and want to address some of the most common ones specifically.

• Bandeau Tops – Yes! We know those tan lines can be pesky! We have a new design in line to be cut & sewn (as a matter of fact we’re working on it as we speak) that should be released in a month or so and it is beautiful! 

  

  Sneak Peek of our new Bandeau

• More Reversible – We love this one because we’re as excited about the new Reversible styles as you are! We've already released a new Reversible Burnt Orange & Nude Kai and have big plans to expand this line in the coming months!
• More coverage/ Bigger Sizes – We already offer a couple styles that give more coverage than our Cheeky Styles like the Kai. The Okole & Kahuna bottoms are both more of a boy short cut offering more coverage for the booty. The Kahuna even has cute strappy sides like many were requesting! Our Makai bottom is more of a full coverage bottom and actually already comes in our Larger (Size 8-10) and we have plans to bring at least the Okole in size ‘Larger’ in the future, so stay tuned!
• Price – We hear you – bikinis can get expensive! With some brands charging upwards of $200 for a bikini set, we’ve done our best to keep our prices reasonable. Just in case you didn’t know, each piece is cut by hand and sewn with care and aloha right here in our warehouse on Kauai. While most swimwear companies eventually outsource their line to be made overseas where labor is cheaper (or even worse, in a sweatshop), we've held strong to our commitment to keep production here, where we can give back and offer jobs to our local community. Our story and the wonderful people behind KaiKini make it more than just a bikini. Your support and love is something you can feel good about – you can read more of Our Story here: http://www.kaikini.com/our-story/

A few things you asked about that we’re already doing:

• More styles and patterns – You may not know, but we release at least one new pattern each month if not more! We also try to release a new style every couple months. J Keep in mind, we make small batches of everything so we can give you more variety, but we are a small team, so we can’t release every new print or color in every style we offer unfortunately. We do our best to rotate through our most popular styles though, so keep on the lookout. (P.S. We have a new PinUp top and Makai bottoms in the works!)
• Tops for bigger chested women / More supportive tops – We have a few different options for Larger chests that we offer on a regular basis. Our Sport Tops and Elua/Ekolu tops are both offered in sizes up to an ‘E’ cup and our PinUp top is offered in sizes up to an E/F cup. The PinUp’s style and straps are specially designed for better support of the ‘ladies’ and we have customers who love these comfy options sans the usual padding and under-wire.
• Free Shipping – We have a free shipping option for all shipments within the US and there is only a $30 minimum order to qualify! We even have free shipping to Australia for orders over $50! Just select ‘Free Shipping’ at checkout!
• Rewards Program – We have a VIP Rewards Program that was launched at the beginning of the year and we've been awarding our faithful bikini addicts each month! You can find out more about our 2014 Rewards Program here, but be on the lookout, because we have plans to unveil a new and improved Rewards Program for 2015!

…. And finally, we wanted to address something we hear quite often regarding the models and photos we use to promote our products. We receive a lot of heat for using fit models or the same models to represent our line. Many of you have requested to see more curves/bigger breasts/full figure/voluptuous women sporting our suits. The truth is EVERYONE has a different idea of beauty and while we do our best to represent our line with beauties of ALL shapes and sizes, we run up against many challenges that maybe aren’t obvious at first glance. We find that no matter what photo we upload we get comments along the lines of ‘needs to work out’ ‘too skinny’ ‘too big’ ‘ugly’ or some other variation of hate telling these girls that they’re not good enough. We know many of our models and brand ambassadors personally and they are all beautiful, happy and healthy women. Isn’t it sad that no matter the shape or size of a woman, we can count on some type of negativity from every photo we post? We have a hard time posting a picture knowing it will be met with comments tearing the person down rather than lifting them up. At KaiKini we strive for ‘HAPPY.’ We talk about spreading aloha and what it means to us to live in a way that treats others with love and respect. We ask that you consider this next time you’re ready to comment on a photo and realize that these are real people – Real. Beautiful. People. And it’s time we start recognizing that beauty regardless of whether it comes in the shape or package you prefer. And always remember:

Stay tuned! We have another survey coming and we’re going to need your help again soon!

#SpreadingAloha

- ALOHA -

‘We use it in greetings and farewells and in expressing love. But the word means even more, it is a way of life. 

Besides these common meanings, the word Aloha holds within itself all one needs to know to interact rightfully in the natural world. These insights describe an attitude or way of life sometimes called "The Aloha Spirit" or "The Way of Aloha".’ - THE DEEPER MEANING OF ALOHA by Curby Rule 

 ‘The literal meaning of aloha is “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life.” It comes from “Alo,” meaning presence, front and face, and “ha,” meaning breath. Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. Its deep meaning starts by teaching ourselves to love our own beings first and afterwards to spread the love to others.’ The Meaning of Aloha 

Here at KaiKini, we embrace Aloha – sewing it into every bikini – spreading it every chance we get. We keep it local – making our ‘Kinis right here on Kauai with supplies made in the United States. We’ve also made a commitment to sustainable, ethical manufacturing and ‘green’ business practices. We design bikinis made for fun – for adventure – the days that make your heart happy. We’re so fortunate to be doing something we love and we want to spread this Aloha from the little island of Kauai to the rest of the world.

We invite you to show us how you spread and share the Aloha! Maybe it’s as simple as a smile – lounging on the beach in your favorite KaiKini – sharing a wave with your bestie – or diving below the waves with da fish & da honu. Maybe it’s bigger than you, donating your time for a good cause or cleaning up your favorite beach. Whatever it is, show us! Tag us in your photos #spreadingaloha and together let’s show the world a little love and a lot of ALOHA!

Be the Aloha you wish to see in the world.

#spreadingaloha one bikini at a time: your KaiKini Wahines: (from left to right) Kim, Andrea, Taryn, Marina & Kristen

Reversible is here - 2 in 1!!

We are so excited to reveal our REVERSIBLE and SEAMLESS 'Kinis! Yes, you heard me correctly - we're bringing all the best of the bikini world into one amazing suit. Combine our super high quality with seamless design and we are confident we've made the BEST bikinis in the world! (Now's no time for modesty - we're really excited!) Ok, we admit it, we're a little late to the seamless/reversible party, but let us explain... we have been working for months to ensure our seamless 'Kinis are the best out there and live up to our high-quality standards.

I've had the pleasure of trying out a couple of our new seamless designs over the past few weeks! They've been hiking, surfing, SUPing & kayaking all over this little island and WOW! Our new seamless design is so incredibly comfortable and I'm also excited to have a bottom without scrunch (I like to mix it up every now and then)! This little 'Kini that could stayed on playing in one of the heaviest breaks on the Westside of Kauai.

I also have been surfing in a new style that will make its debut next month sometime. It is a 3-String Okole style offering a little more coverage than some of our other 'Kinis and a slightly higher waist as well (thanks for the inspiration Marina)! Seamless comfort with sexy cutouts on the side and our signature scrunch back is the perfect mix of style and function. I can't say enough about this suit for my active and adventurous friends. This suit DOES NOT BUDGE in the waves. Almost every suit needs a little adjusting now and then, but not this one - I'm in love!

Our first Reversible design will be available for pre-order later this week in our ALOHA print (shown below)! It reverses to one of our favorites - Seafoam - and there will be a matching reversible top. This print reminds us of a tropical vacation and is perfect for summer. Did I mention its reversible? That's like two suits for the price of one!

What better way to introduce our new reversible and seamless designs than to say A - L - O - H - A!

Lay Off Me - I'm Starving!

Ahhh... Spring Break - season of the beautiful body and frolicking on the beach! Why is it we can only think about FOOD here at the studio?! Probably because we live on an island only 25 miles wide (and severely starved for some new restaurants that aren't Mexican) but it's hard to complain when the place we call home is what dreams are made of:

I recently plotted out what our conversations consist of while we're busy sewing away 'Kinis...

Our shared obsession with food resulted in this amazing breakfast this morning! Happy Aloha Friday Bikini Addicts! xoxo!

The Hottest Indoor BASE Competition

Professional BASE jumper Clair Marie, breaking world records in her KaiKini! 

{Get the exclusive BASEgirl KaiKini here} 

Flattery or Foe?

Aloha 2014! 

Working in the bikini world is amazing in so many ways. With our Kinis being made by hand right in the studio, we have the rare opportunity to test out new ideas on the fly. With bikini styles constantly evolving and our ever growing desire to stand out among the crowd, we find ourselves inspired to create new designs quite often. On this particular Thursday, I watched from my desk as Becky and Taryn brainstormed to bring a new seamless design to life. Although I can't sew (but wish I did!) the girls asked for my feedback throughout the process and after an hour or two of trial and error we had a prototype! Our first reversible design was born.

It’s always challenging and exciting to bring new, unique designs to the bikini world. Over the past few years, we’ve found companies creating designs similar to ours or using our images without permission or giving us credit - it’s an inevitable part of the business…but it isn't always deliberate. Soon after releasing a pic of our new prototype, we were notified by another bikini company that we were close to infringing on their pending patent. 

"Oh no! Is our new design not original?!" We investigated further and were relieved to find out that their design was actually quite different from ours. "Phew!"

Situations like these can be frustrating, but we also find ourselves unexpectedly flattered. Flattered that another company considered us competition enough to reach out and warn us against making something similar; flattered someone wanted to use our designs or images to represent themselves or their business; but above all, it keeps us relentless in our pursuit of the perfect Kini! That’s why we’re constantly improving our designs and creating new styles as bright and adventurous as our wonderful fans!

We’ve got some exciting designs and announcements coming for 2014 and can’t wait to share them with you!

Xoxo!

Andrea