With much of the activewear brands out there today, especially for Wahine, you begin to wonder what’s really the difference between all of them. Or maybe you are looking for a brand that aligns with your values and speaks to you with a bit of innovational flair and cultural responsibility.
After learning about the new Native Hawaiian owned activewear brand, KŪMANA, we realized the difference maker is not only it is environmentally responsible clothing but most importantly is its founder, Kawehi
“Kūmana Activewear is made of pre-and post-consumer and industrial waste,” Kawehi says, “things like carpets, fishing net, plastic bottles, etc. can all be recycled into nylon yarns to be knit into the fabric that I’m using.”
How often do you find yourself walking the beaches finding those materials washed up ashore? Studies have shown that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. One of the fabric manufacturers KŪMANA works with is in Italy. They have a team of 200 volunteer divers and 950 fishermen who have collected 75,000kg of fishing nets to date (that’s 11 full-grown elephants) Kawehi shares with us.
The Why behind what people do is always inspiring and tells a lot of the intention and values the brand upholds. Kawehi says her reason is “to set an example in fashion and business that business CAN and SHOULD be more than just profits”. KŪMANA has become her way of “merging aspects of myself, from fashion and business to the practice and education of Hawaiian language and culture, to ethical and sustainable business operations,” according to Kawehi.
KŪMANA activewear collection features sports bra styles, a bike short, and three leggings each in two colors. She uses classic and natural colors like fern, taupe, cream and black.
We were excited to test out some of the activewear from KŪMANA over here at the KU Project. We asked KŪ Wahine, Kayla Saunders, who is in our style and fashion department, to try them out for us.
As some may know, at KŪ Project our uniform is black.
“These leggings look at feel great”, Kayla says, “They have a perfect high waistband with really good compression.” One of the biggest concerns for many activewear leggings is whether or not they are squat proof which Kayla mentions they definitely are and also comes with a dual pocket feature which is an extra positive.
Another legging available are the The High Waist Leggings.
“I have a short torso,” Kayla shares and it could work well for those with a longer torso. Again, when it came to the squat-proof test, Kayla adds that it passes and has great compression.
“I really appreciated appreciated that they used eco friendly packaging” says Kayla, “they even considered down to the detail of the individually wrapped item packaging, which I fully respect.”
The theme of sustainability and caring for the environment is a constant reminder that KŪMANA stands for more than an innovative activewear brand, but also a steward of the environment and embodies Aloha ʻAina.
“I am committing to one pound of plastic removed from the environment for every two items purchased,” Kawehi says, “I’m going to be cleaning this up myself, but will also host cleanups for others to join me as my clean-up commitment grows.”
When we asked, “Where does the name KŪMANA come from?”
Kawehi shares she was in a yoga class with her yoga instructor friend Maile. While Kawehi stood in mountain pose, engaging every muscle in the body to stand strong and with purpose, that moment of clarity brought the inspiration for KŪMANA.
Her ability to continue to stand strong and work forward with a purpose has led her to where she is today launching a Native Hawaiian Owned Activewear brand that roots in caring for the environment, Aloha ʻAina, the Hawaiian language, and caring for yourself through health and wellness.
To learn more about KŪMANA and visit their shop at https://www.kumanaactive.com/ and follow them on Instagram: @kumanaactive
KŪ Project Photography by: Krstyn Yata
