About
About Kila Kai
Kila Kai was born from two things: recycled wine barrel rings and 20 years of living in Hawaii. What started during COVID as handcrafted metal art became something bigger — a lifestyle brand built on ocean culture, the Aloha Spirit, and the belief that how you live matters.
The name says it all. Kila Kai — Steel Sea. Strength meeting flow.
Our Aumakua — Spirit Animals
Every brand has values. Ours have teeth and tentacles.
The Octopus and the Hammerhead Shark are our spirit animals — our aumakua — and they don't just look good on a rash guard. The Octopus embodies adaptability, creativity, and resilience. The Hammerhead brings strength, tenacity, and determination. Together, they represent the way we move through the world.
Where It All Started
It started with a single dive. St. Thomas, USVI, 1977. My Aunt "Scuba Sue" ran a dive shop there, and that first breath underwater changed everything. I went on to become a SCUBA instructor, moved to Maui in 1989, and spent a decade teaching people to fall in love with the ocean. Surfing, diving, fishing, boogie boarding — living in 360.
That life never left. It's woven into every piece we make.
Always Aloha
Aloha isn't just a greeting. It's a practice — kindness, compassion, and harmony with the people and planet. Our mantra, Always Aloha, travels beyond Hawaii's shores as a universal way of showing up in the world.
We're here to spread it. Every day.
Always Aloha.