WAVE HAWAII making waves in the European Surf market

WAVE HAWAII is a lifestyle brand known for its laid-back style, sustainable products, and strong connection to board sports culture. With steady growth and a clear identity, the company continues to make waves in the market through innovation, authenticity, and a dedicated team.

What have been the major challenges for WAVE HAWAII over the last 12 months?

In terms of products, we are very well positioned and, fortunately, continue to grow. We are moving to new premises because we handle all our fulfilment ourselves and need more space due to our expanding product range. We also had to hire more staff and now have a great, dedicated team that is highly motivated and forms the backbone of our company. The Pakistan-India conflict has actually hurt us this year, causing us to receive approximately 20,000 ponchos two months late. However, we have resolved this issue and are now fully focused on developing our brand.

Which of your products have sold particularly well this year and why?

Our hero products are still our ponchos. Following our record year in 2024, we are currently up 63% on last year. It seems we haven’t done too badly. As always, our focus is on our styles, sustainability, durability, top service and dealer terms. We are also delighted with the great response to our wooden sunglasses and quick-drying AirLite Multifunction Wear (e.g. under the wetsuit and as everyday wear) and socks. It’s not just board sports enthusiasts who feel at home with us.

What are your key brand values?

This is pretty simple: Authenticity, sustainability, durability, fairness, style. These points make up our DNA and shape our brand. We stand for a cosmopolitan and colourful world view – in line with our new project ‘Necking not Wrecking!’ Better to kiss than to bash each other’s heads in.

How does the brand differentiate itself in the market?

We don’t follow trends or other brands; we have our own unique DNA and identity. Many retailers are – to put it mildly – very cautious about new brands. They watched our development with interest at first. Now, more and more are recognising the potential of our products – and we certainly don’t disappoint them.

How have you made your brand more sustainable?

We now manufacture more in Europe and Turkey and avoid long transport routes as far as possible. Our products are made from natural or recycled materials and are designed to last. Our parcel shipping is green, as is our electricity. We generate a lot of clean energy with a large photovoltaic system. And we take back old or worn WAVE HAWAII products so that they can be properly recycled or upcycled.

What makes the brand so attractive to retailers?

Reliability in terms of top-quality products, trade margins and fast, personal customer service. Our products perform very well in retail, which means that turnover is high and the number of complaints is very low. We make it easy for new retailers to get started with us without any risk by offering special agreements.

How do you market your brand to consumers?

Our marketing activities are wide-ranging and bring us lasting brand awareness, which naturally also benefits retailers. On the one hand, we are very active in social media. In this context, we have an increasing number of great influencers and ambassadors who present WAVE HAWAII from a different perspective. You will also find us regularly featured in relevant magazines. Another area is events where we or one of our partners are actively involved and have direct contact with end consumers. Last but not least, our website is our calling card, where end consumers can find out more about our brand.

What are you most excited about for your plans for 2026?

We will have some great new products on the market and are also expanding our existing range. This means we will be making a statement with fresh new designs. We are also working on a number of collaborations in the form of licensed ponchos, which we will be launching at the end of the year. It’s going to be really exciting and we can’t wait! We will also continue to expand our collaboration with EXITSURF. The connection between board sports and art is a hugely exciting topic that reflects our attitude of seeking out unusual paths.

What else is exciting you at WAVE HAWAII?

We are extremely happy to be working with the impressive people at Wellenbezwingen.de and to be able to support them. This is about surfing as a school of life. The aim is to have a positive influence on young people from socially disadvantaged areas and to give them tools for life. Sport and nature promote young people’s well-being and help them discover their potential and develop their social skills. In year-round surf clubs, important core values and skills are taught, reflected upon and transferred to everyday life through experiences in and around the water.