hand-MADE on Kauai Series

While being one of the most renowned vacation destinations today, the island of Kauai is actually either missing or unrecognizable on most maps. All 1,430 kilometers of greenery and waterfalls in the middle of the Pacific offer some of the world's best produce, products, people, and places on the planet!

KaiKini Bikinis is a locally owned and operated, hand-MADE on Kauai, and is the largest bikini manufacturer in the state of Hawaii! Being located at least 3,000 miles away from any major city and shore line only makes us appreciate and value our out-of-state and international customers even more!

As I walk into headquarters today, music is bumping while Kristen and Kim are running production, Allison (model) and Keith (photographer) are photographing new arrivals, Desirea is marketing and processing sales, and Taryn is directing the whole show.

Everyone was in their own element, zone, and specialty- flowing gracefully. Mama said they'll be days like this! She also warned that there would be days in which you aren't as fluid. Times when you'll be faced with bumps in the road, and the inevitable question of why are you not so inspired?

For anyone on a daily basis it's a rut we know all too well. You snack a little, check your email, scroll through social media, edit your selfies, and drain your brain of motivation while trying to squeeze out of yourself any shred of inspiration.

But maybe the inspiration doesn't come from you. Maybe it comes from other people and requires you to put yourself in their shoes and to see the ambition from their point of view.

Looking around at all these talented people, I found that that kind of empathy breaks my writers block and in turn gives my position and voice an opportunity to represent everyone around me.

I think of all the beauty and talent in Kauai and my community and can see where KaiKini's design inspiration comes from. The blues of the ocean represent the teal, white set suits, the glowing Polihale sunsets radiate both magenta & neon nights collection, and the Aloha print represents the colorful spirits of the people.

As you can guess, our next series of blog posts all stem to honor the community and environment in which we create our bikinis and reside, Kauai- Hawaii.

KaiKini would also like to challenge our readers to ask yourself, where do you come from, who is surrounding you, and what influences your thoughts and behavior when you create? Let us know!

Step outside and consider that the creative process is NOT only about you, but instead you are an honorary channel for others. Lets help make something of each-other!

Hand-MADE on Kauai with Aloha- KaiKini Bikinis
Mahalo-Kona-Kai

P.S- stay tuned for posts through out the week of Kauai Made features!

Source of Creativity- What's original?

Have you ever thought that every book ever written after the dictionary is just a remix? Every scientific theory is just a version of the big bang? Every garment is based on the last? And how in the world are you supposed to find good music, food, art, or heaven forbid a bikini that no one else has? Is there any thing we can say is totally original these days? _________________________________________________________________

 Being a new employee, I am able to see the manufacturing process from an outside perspective, and couldn't be more impressed with the Kaikini team. With the summer rush coming in, and the bikini bods heating up, production records are soaring! The beautifully decorated headquarters offer a positive environment for the creation of award winning suits from the ashes of organization, expertise, design, laughter, honesty, and everything in-between. The only direction is up for Kaikini's and we are progressing every day! But as we all know too well, growing also entails stepping out of your comfort zone and by doing this we are talking on a few extra projects we are excited about!

I love this company because we communicate. Nothing is swept under the rug and topics and ideas are always being discussed.

 A popular subject that seems to be in the hot seat is the source of originality, main focus on bikinis. We recently discovered some bizarre knockoffs of our suits on EBAY, copywriting of model's pictures, and replicas of ours and other suits in popular magazines and media.

And so we discussed: Being an apparel manufacturer and to work in an industry where copying is the rule, NOT the exception is a hard and humbling concept to grasp. Especially when the swimsuit industry is booming and everywhere you turn a new bikini manufacturer pops up usually with styles looking very similar to the last 10 you've already tried on.

 We took the high road and asked ourselves; do you think the swimsuit industry actually thrives because designers borrow and steal from other designers? Can you actually replicate something so much that it re-invents itself as something new?

 Then we took the low road and asked ourselves, is it legal for them to copy designs like this? Should we be watermarking every image? Should we get a lawyer? As you can see, it was easy for us to get upset when a swimsuit that looks remarkably similar to that of which just took months for us to design shows up in a popular underwear catalog.

 But the facts are in the fashion industry- there is very little intellectual property protection. Anyone can copy an image, but to create utilitarian 3 dimensional object to wear and sell is TOTALLY legal.

We also considered our customers: Do more options make it easier or harder to choose a bikini? What criteria is considered when purchasing? Fit? Material? Price?

We then questioned KaiKini's trademark styles that we considered original. What about the day-one scrunch butt bottoms that have been perfected? Or the traditional bikini top that ties around the back of your neck (which gets caught in your hair and strains your neck) that we modified so the straps crisscross in some creative way for more support and comfort?

Sigh. Unfortunately these designs can all be replicated.

So how can we distinguish ourselves? What makes us different from all the other bikini companies out there? Ding! Our tireless efforts to give you the best swimsuit to fit your lifestyle. The consistency and perfectionism applied to every suit that is made. The dedication and persistence to treat every customer with repect, and to make our products affordable. The production management, the designer's ideas, the quality control- all these things are original to us.

I know KaiKini will always continue to transform the things that CAN be copied, by combining the elements we are inspired by; our customers, surroundings (Kauai), adventure, and YES- other bikinis. For all of those who know how hard it is to pick a bikini, we hope we meet your expectations in inspiration and originality.

 So... we welcome all bikini manufacturers, all budding designers, and all dreamers who are willing to create. If your creative impulse is feeling unoriginal don't get discouraged- use it as inspiration! Don't let images from others filter into your work.
Instead perfect your product by putting together what you have in the present moment and be your OWN creative genius! Focus on being innovative, understanding, hardworking, and YOU!- that can never be replicated!

 Hand-made with originality and Aloha, -Kaikini HQ :)

 Mahalo- Kona-Kai Wilson