What happens when you put together a business major who’s always dreamed of building an empire and a creative spirit with a flight attendant background? You get ALOHA Collection—the beloved everyday essentials brand from co-founders and Native Hawaiians, Heather Aiu (she/her) and Rachael Leina’ala Soares (she/her). Growing swiftly around the globe, ALOHA’s range of bags, pouches, and accessories solve the woes of packing and carrying around all of your basics. Ahead of the company’s 10-year anniversary this summer, it recently announced the House of ALOHA global ambassador program—a 360 marketing campaign composed of surf legends, athletes, content creators, and entrepreneurs.

On starting the brand…
ALOHA was born out of a love for travel, creativity, and, of course, the ocean. In 2014, the company started with just one bag, the signature Splash Proof pouch, and thanks to a kickstarter campaign, there was a little over $6k funded to get it out there. After that, we gained a ton of recognition in Hawaii and Japan and before we knew it, it was in 100 retailers with a full team working behind the operation. Since its inception, 5% of proceeds are donated annually to Hawaiian conservation orgs to preserve (and protect) the beauty of Hawaii. As they say, the rest is history.

On the House of ALOHA global ambassador program…
We’re looking forward to working with this diverse group of inspiring creators. They each exemplify our core company values, and we’re excited to amplify their voices and see the fresh take they bring to our creative content to speak to our community on a deeper level.

From day one, we’ve always aspired for ALOHA to be a catalyst for fostering a global community of like-minded people. House of ALOHA encompasses a group of individuals around the world who we believe are the true stewards of our brand. Eventually, we hope to expand this group to our larger community to allow everyone to be a part of this ohana in a unique and meaningful way.

On expansion…
ALOHA was introduced to Nordstrom shoppers over the holidays, and you can now shop select styles online and in-stores. It’s also available on Amazon, our site, and physical store locations.

On what’s next…
You can expect new silhouettes, patterns, and everyday solutions for packing and bringing all of your favorite things on the go! There are also a few exciting collaborations in the works and much more to come from House of ALOHA. And, some surprises as well.