The sandals incorporate actual pieces of sail from the traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe that traveled around the world to deliver its message of “Mālama Honua” (to care for Mother Earth).

Writer: Carly Terwilliger

Looking for a pair of sandals that’s even more well-traveled than you are? OluKai has you covered with a limited footwear collection that incorporates actual pieces of sailcloth used on Hōkūle‘a, a replica of an ancient Polynesian voyaging canoe that has visited 100 ports and 27 nations over the past three years.

Hōkūle‘a navigators and crew have used the stars, sea and waves to navigate the traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe around the world to deliver their message of “Mālama Honua” (to care for Mother Earth).

The Hōkūle‘a Homecoming is one of the most significant cultural achievements in Hawai‘i, delivering her message of Mālama Honua. The iconic vessel is scheduled to return from its Worldwide Voyage on Saturday, June 17 after sailing nearly 40,000 nautical miles since departing Hawaiian waters in May 2014.

The Hōkūle‘a PaePae features part of the sailcloth as a badge formed in the shape of a voyaging canoe sail, as well as sail-inspired zig-zag stitching on the straps. It will be available in limited quantities at select Hawai‘i-only retailers in June 2017 and in select Mainland specialty retail stores in January 2018.

The third sandal of the collection, the Hōkūle‘a Kia, combines zig-zag stitch detail on the upper straps with a laser-etched footbed of the Hōkūle‘a underway and will be available in select retail stores as well as OluKai.com in January 2018. The Hōkūle‘a PaePae and the Hōkūle‘a Kia range from $125-$150, with part of the proceeds going to the Ama OluKai Foundation, helping OluKai continue to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage and Aloha spirit in Hawai‘i.

OluKai is also a title sponsor of the feature-length documentary sharing the story of Hōkūle‘a worldwide voyage, slated for worldwide premiere in Spring 2018. On June 17, to coincide with the homecoming of Hōkūle‘a, OluKai will exclusively live stream a 30-minute preview of the documentary on OluKai.com, taking viewers on a journey around the world.

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Photos and video courtesy OluKai and Polynesian Voyaging Society