WANINI is a women-led swimwear brand in Honolulu, making cotton-rich swimwear for women, girls and little ones, cut and sewn by hand.
Women's, girls' and Mini swimwear in the same soft cotton and the same colors, so mothers, daughters and little ones can match at the water.
Every piece comes in the same eight colors, from soft Sky to deep Espresso. Like any natural cotton, colors soften gently over time.
Most swimwear is made from nylon or polyester, plastics made from oil, and synthetic fabrics shed tiny fibers every time they are worn and washed. We wanted something closer to nature.
A plant fiber, grown without synthetic pesticides. Just 10% spandex gives the stretch a swimsuit needs.
A typical swimsuit is almost entirely synthetic. Ours is mostly cotton, and cotton fibers are natural and break down over time.
Each piece is cut and sewn by hand in Honolulu after you order, so we are not overproducing stock that ends up unsold.
She drew this picture of the sun over the sea, with birds overhead and a shell and starfish on the sand. That simple arch of the sun became the WANINI mark.
The name comes from Wanini, an old name for ʻAnini Beach on Kauaʻi.
WANINI began with a simple question: why is almost all swimwear, even for young children, made from plastic-based fabric? We are building an answer we would want our own family to wear.
WANINI was founded in 2026 by Siyu Chen. Every piece is designed, cut and sewn in Honolulu.
Before a style goes into the shop, we wear it, swim in it and wash it again and again, checking fit, comfort, drying, stretch and how the fabric holds up.
Where WANINI is headed.
Women's, girls' and Mini swimwear, cut and sewn to order in Honolulu.
Ongoing swim, wash and wear testing for fit, drying, stretch recovery and durability.
Final body measurements for every size, so choosing the right fit is easy.
Growing the collection for women, girls and Mini, shaped by what our customers tell us.
WANINI is being built to do more than make swimwear. As we grow, we want that growth to create meaningful opportunities for the community around us.
We plan to support swimming and water-safety education for Hawaiʻi keiki, helping more children build confidence and safety in the water.
Our long-term goal is to create paid sewing and production opportunities for women in Hawaiʻi, along with practical skills development that can lead to work.
These are goals WANINI is building toward as the company grows. We will be transparent about what we actually fund and create.
Questions about sizing, fabric or a custom suit? Email us or message us on Instagram.
