Haiku, a maker of women's bags and accessories sold by REI and many other outdoor retailers, has been acquired by Blackstone Investment Group of Springfield, MO.
Haiku will remain independent while capitalizing on financial and operational efficiencies that will allow more time for product development, innovation acceleration and creating consumer demand, according to a joint statement from Haiku’s founder and chief designer, Sharon Eisenhauer, and Renee Pitra, president of Blackstone Recreational Brands.
The Recreational Products Division is managed from Blackstone’s Seattle offices and now includes Carry Gear, Detours, Haiku, LEGO Bags and Mountainsmith. Blackstone has also produced private label sewn products for a variety of companies, including Burton Snowboards, Orvis, Bass Pro Shops, Eddie Bauer, Duluth Trading Co., Asics and Merrell.
