Vol. 08 · Collaboration
KILO SUMMIT × Aaron Kai.
August 2026 · 4 min read
Some things are better kept local.
On the third floor of the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival sat something new. KILO SUMMIT brought Hawaiʻi's artists, designers, musicians, brands and storytellers into one curated space. Forty-four local businesses came together through 22 limited collaborations.
Kilo means to observe. The invitation was simple: come to observe, be present and discover what Hawaiʻi creates.
Field Report · The Collab
Built from the ground up.
Our half of the room was built with Aaron Kai. Aaron is a Native Hawaiian artist whose wave murals reach from Hawaiʻi to Los Angeles and San Francisco. He is also family, standing with us through five years of Mālama Wāwāmalu on the Ka Iwi coastline.
For KILO, every detail was custom, including the labels, trims and tags:
- Wavy Camo Mesh Shorts in Orchid and Kai Blue
- Wāwāmalu Crewneck, Puff Print Edition
- Wāwāmalu Tank Jersey
The pieces were exclusive to the summit floor. By day three, we were almost sold out.
“It's our version of an ahupuaʻa system. The larger brands are up here, feeding the smaller ones to help them grow and nourish.”
Zak Noyle · KILO SUMMIT Co-founder
Why We Show Up
Collaboration is community.
KILO was built on the belief that collaboration beats competition. Established names and new voices should grow together. Local brands backing local brands. Makers who have been doing this for decades sharing the floor with people on their first run.
People took a chance on AVVA before anyone else did. Creating alongside the people we have always looked up to, while making room for who comes next, never gets old. Mahalo to Zak Noyle, Kuhaʻo Zane, the KILO team, Aaron and everyone who climbed to the third floor to see what Hawaiʻi creates.
The collaboration has moved beyond the summit floor and is now available at select local stores across Hawaiʻi.