[Interview Series] Owner of Kahunakai Swimwear, Shelby Lynn
“If your clothes are not natural fabrics consider them plastic. Your body will absorb all of that” Shelby Lynn, 26, owner at KahunaKai swimwear.
I’m so stoked to introduce you all to Shelby Lynn, friend of mine, mom, total #GIRLBOSS & entrepeneur!
Recently, Shelby moved to Sacramento from Maui to raise her 2 twin boys close to her family & open her own business once and for all.
KahunaKai has really hit the ground running the past year. She launched her first round of bikinis last year in June which have all sold and since then, she has grown her instagram over 7,000 followers, moved into a large studio space & is ready to launch her second round of bikinis for this summer (TONIGHT).
Shelby’s line KahunaKai is something you wont find just anywhere–
her swimwear is made out of 100% recycled material, abandoned fishing nets to be exact.
The dyes she uses to color her beautiful, sustainable bikinis & yoga wear are from 100% non toxic colorants and sometimes the dyes are even purely PLANTS.
Shelby’s clothing is making a statement that a healthy body also needs HEALTHY CLOTHES to absorb. Yes, that’s right, what we wear can get into our skin and Shelby is shining MAJOR light on that.
Each of her bikinis are made carefully by her and a few of her staff members.
Shelby basically works and raises her 2 little ones all day everyday. #GirlBoss
Shelby has had an itch for designing fashion her whole life– in high school she was in the newspaper wearing a prom dress she designed made out of milk jugs, garbage bags, wire & more.
What I admire so much about Shelby and her brand is how she shows how important ALL NATURAL products are. She even goes above & beyond just eating natural foods– she only wears and puts things on her & her boys body that are completely natural/organic!! What she shares is so important and I would have never thought about it before: our skin is the biggest organ we have in our body and it absorbs everything, even our clothes and what their made with. KahunaKai makes an amazing statement with the way the clothes are made.
I asked her a few questions just so you guys can get to know her a bit more as well as her brand and how it SHINES brightly compared to others.
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Greenjuiceandyogapants:So, tell us when you had the idea for the brand? What did your life look like at the time?
Shelby: Kahunakai was born the moment I landed in Maui. I decided I wanted to actually make an impact and no longer work a regular job, I wanted to be my own boss, I also wanted to create and blossom rather then stay in one place doing the same thing over and over and over. My life at the time was stressful and not stressful at the same time, I was in paradise with the urge to create, it was pretty magical.
Greenjuiceandyogapants:Did you ever consider going to fashion school?
Shelby:I was planning on going to fashion school, in fact, in high school I made my own prom dresses! One was made from recycled milk jugs and the other was made from 1 million small beads, both dresses were made from materials people would just throw away and I took in and made something new. My goal was to go to FIT but it was never fully in the cards for me, I eventually gave up and pushed that part of my life away. No matter where I moved though I always had a sewing machine and overtime I felt some serious inspiration to sew again, which then led me to KahunaKai!
Greenjuiceandyogapants:When did you launch KahunaKai?
Shelby: Kahunakai Swimwear first opened June 2016. Since then we have almost tripled in sales as well as followers and demand. Its kind of amazing and I cant wait to see how much Kahunakai grows this year.
Greenjuiceandyogapants:Why do you use the products you do to create your clothes (all natural, abandoned fishing nets, hemp, etc)
Shelby: I choose ECONYL because why not? We have all this plastic surrounding us, and why not reuse it. Honestly, hemp, cotton and bamboo are amazing textiles but they are not changing our current issues with plastics in the ocean.We need to start making these changes because if the oceans ecosystem is ruined then so is ours. Our fabric is made from fishing nets that are either left behind or lost at sea. These “Ghost” nets are one of the most damaging things to the oceans ecosystem- fish get stuck in these nets then they die, when they die, they attract larger sea life, as that sea life gets stuck it too dies, attracting even larger fish like sharks and whales. Once the net is full it will sink to the bottom of the ocean and decompose which then allows the net to float back up and start the process over again. This needs to end and we are proud to say we are playing a part of ending this cycle. Other textiles we use are all organic hemp, we choose hemp because its one of the most versatile plants on earth! Hemp can replace paper, plastics, fuel and fabrics. Hemp is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, biodegradable and even offer UV protection! All of our dyes are low impact and non-toxic and some times even herbal dyes made from plant matter.
Greenjuiceandyogapants: What’s your motivation everyday? What keeps you going even on your worst days?
Shelby: I drink a lot of Yerba Matte! Tea really helps me stay balanced through out this whole process, my kids are a huge push for me as well as myself. I push for myself because I know I am capable and I know my kids need me to be strong and successful and I know I can be so I do it. I push myself a lot, trust me, this last month has been my hardest yet– making 300 items in less then 20 months. I went from a small studio to a larger space with a factory set up which is a whole different ball game. I wouldn’t be able to do all this with out all the support and help I receive from my friends and family.
Greenjuiceandyogapants:When you have time, what is your favorite way to workout?
Shelby:When I have time I prefer hot yoga! I love to get my booty kicked into gear and sweat out all my stress and fears. Afterwards, I feel like a new person ready to tackle the world. If I am unable to go to yoga I do my best to play outside at least once a day and stretch on some aerials.
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I was able to MODEL some of Shelby’s new bikinis that are launching “TONIGHT” (May 10th) at 12am PST (!!!!!) which you can watch here:
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!
I'm Amanda, 21 years old, living in sunny California. Health and Fitness is my niche. I'm a strong believer in mindfulness & positivity and the role they play in overall health and you will notice that through my posts. My goal is to spread the idea that you can have whatever you want. I want everyone to know that a healthy lifestyle is key to being as happy as possible. I want to create a positive place where people can come and visit, leaving feeling inspired, refreshed, and ready to kick ass.
I'm studying full time to get my degree in Science & Nutrition and plan to become a certified Personal Trainer by February of 2017 through NASM. During the long school semesters I am also working on my own workout regime, beauty hacks, how to stay healthy and sane, and learning anything else I can on the side! Working out, eating healthy, staying glam, and positive is possible for whoever you are/wherever you are and you can make it fun. For nutrition advice, fun up-beat workouts, & motivational posts-- Consider me your new bff, let's chat!
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One thought on “[Interview Series] Owner of Kahunakai Swimwear, Shelby Lynn”
Awesome! You are both amazing women!
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