Uncommon Threads
Salvage Public is a love letter to Hawai‘i, written by brothers Joseph and Noah Serrao and their childhood friend Napali Souza. The fashion label draws inspiration from Hawaiian culture and celebrates the cherished places that have shaped its owners and designers.
Established in 2013, Salvage Public has evolved from producing graphic T-shirts to becoming a prominent presence in fashion hubs like Los Angeles, New York City, Paris and London, with its strongest following in Japan, boasting more than 150 retailers.
In fact, Japan is woven into Salvage Public's fabric in more ways than one. Designed in Hawai'i, the clothing is produced at small factories in Japan, which removes any pressure of high-volume production orders. This relationship not only ensures the high quality and attention to detail that Salvage Public prides itself on but also fosters a deeper connection to the culture and craftsmanship that define both Hawaiian and Japanese fashion.
Salvage Public offers a diverse range of apparel and accessories, including shirts, shorts, pants, sweatshirts, outerwear, hats, socks, scarves and bandanas. The brand has also introduced sub-lines like Mainline, featuring vintage washes and cottons, and Kehau, focusing on organic cotton layering pieces.
Joseph highlights Kolepa, the brand's golf line that consists of water repellent, wind resistant, breathable and UPF fabrics, which shows off the company's technological advancements.
"(Kolepa is) a great way to see the evolution of our brand, and it makes me proud to see how far we've come," he says. "Some of the pieces we are making now felt near impossible in the early years of our brand when our capability was solely graphic T-shirts."
Joseph mentions Salvage Public's collaboration with Gap as a notable milestone for the biz. The team designed eight colorful, summery graphics which were printed on T-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, hoodies and children's clothing and launched in the retail giant's 500-plus locations worldwide.
Collaboration is nothing new to the company, though. It also fosters partnerships with iconic retailer Ron Herman, Wrangler jeans and various Japanese publications. Looking ahead, Joseph says the trio is off to Japan to design its Spring/ Summer and Fall/Winter 2025 lines, and customers can expect a new variety of jacquard bags and blankets later this year.
Salvage Public is located in South Shore Market in Kaka‘ako, 1170 Auahi St., or online at salvagepublic.com.