KAPA‘A — Two Kaua‘i surf brands are coming together to “Collab for a Cause,” with a planned series of limited-edition merchandise releases benefiting island change-makers.
Tamba Surf Company and Pulu, an apparel designer and plant nursery, will drop “Volume One” of their project this Friday at noon, at Tamba’s storefront in Kapa‘a. All profits from the sale, which coincides with the online ‘Ohi‘a Love Festival, will support Rapid Ohi‘a Death response on Kaua‘i.
The initiative stems from brain-storming sessions between Tamba staff and the man behind Pulu, Kuio Young.
“I was like, let’s do something where we can come together, collaborate and get something going,” Young said. “Make it a little more selfless and pay it forward to some kind of an effort that we believe in, that we think needs more attention.”
ROD, a fungal disease, was first confirmed on Kaua‘i in 2018 at Moloa‘a State Forest Reserve. Since then, conservationists including the Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee have conducted surveys to track and mitigate spread.
Kim Rogers, KISC’s ROD Outreach Specialist, was approached by Pulu and Tamba during Volume One’s development phase. She thinks it’s “just wonderful” to see concern for Kaua‘i’s forests spring from a community that spends its time on the water.
“Here are a bunch of surfers … that are realizing the importance of the relationship of their livelihood or their sport with what’s happening in the forest,” she said. “They totally get that a healthy forest equals a healthy reef and a healthy ocean.”
Each of the 200 Volume One “capsules” includes a hat, shirt and sticker packaged in a specially-made box. Each item features ‘ohi‘a- and i‘iwi-inspired artwork by Young, who will be giving away free ‘ohi‘a trees to the event’s first 35 customers.
Tamba and Pulu plan to release the next installment sometime after the 2021 holiday season, with at least a couple of collaborations occurring each year going forward.
Young hopes the project will introduce customers to global issues by highlighting local topics.
“Yes, we might have focus on a smaller subject, which is native plants and animals native to Hawai‘i … but I think it all alludes to a greater overall topic, which is really conservation,” he explained.
Neither Tamba representatives nor Young know what cause they’ll serve first in 2022. But Young has an idea.
“Now that we’ve done something that pays attention to mauka, the mountains, it’s only right that for the next one, we try to do one that focuses on makai, or the ocean,” he said.
The capsules are priced at $74.95 plus tax, and can be ordered online with free shipping at tamba.com. Tamba estimates all proceeds will generate a minimum of $6,000 for the project’s beneficiary.
