The Process of Creating

 

Aloha e nā hoa,

We live in an industrialized, fast-paced world. Big companies are at the top because they streamline every step and are constantly pushing the boundaries of bigger, better, cheaper, and faster. As a small, local, family (meaning me and my husband) run business based on the island of Oʻahu we compete with these big companies, not by trying to copy their standards, but by standing firm on our own. 

We are Hawaiians, from Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, raising our kids in Kailua. We speak Hawaiian as a family. My husbandʻs BA is in Hawaiian Language and my BA is in Food Science with a minor in business, but I've loved art and creating since my childhood.

A large part of Kaʻulumaika's purpose is to provide free language resources and support to the Hawaiian community all over the world. The products that we create and sell support our community give back. When you support our business by purchasing an item, you are actually supporting the entire Hawaiian community specifically those trying to learn.

I have worked really hard since day 1 and continue to work to find a balance between local and foreign manufacturing and also quality and price. As a wahine raised pākē I am very mindful of the spending habits of our local families. As a wahine raising 2 kids in Hawaii, I also know that we need to survive as a family and business if we are to continue to provide free resources to the community.

I use a mixture of all of these factors to provide you with quality items and services. Many have asked where I print my fabric. I print my fabric in China. I have tried European and American companies and I have found their selection of fabric and ability to customize inferior to China's. European and American prices are also 4-5 times more expensive than China's so you can only imagine what I would have to charge you to create the same items.

Once I find the perfect fabric I use a variety of methods to create the finished product. This step largely depends on what it is. Some products are simple enough and ordered in large enough quantities that they can be sewn in China. All of my other products are hand-sewn by me or by a local seamstress who I hire on occasion to help me with bigger projects.

Aside from the production of the physical goods all of the designing, drafting, painting, and editing is done by me. I mostly use watercolor paint and procreate on my ipad to make my original artwork. All of the researching and meaning that goes into the artwork is done by me and my husband. We work together to ensure that each product from inception to completion is correct linguistically, accurate in the portrayal of Hawaiian thought and culture, and timeless in providing knowledge for generations to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and learn about the process we go through. Thank you also for your support!

Mahalo,

Emily