Visual identity concept for Malama Kauaʻi, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing local food production and access.
Visual Identity
Illustrator, Indesign, Photoshop
Malama Kauaʻi serves Kauaʻi residents, with a focus on food-insecure communities, including low-income families and elders. Its mission is to strengthen local food systems through the lens of community and sustainability.
This project examines how a refreshed visual identity can strengthen engagement among volunteers, community partners, and funders as the organization responds to growing food access needs and fluctuating levels of support.
I researched Hawaiian cultural symbols and gathered visual references. I then tried multiple concepts, such as an ahupuaʻa and loʻi, before ultimately going with lauhala, testing different patterns for clarity and flexibility.
I developed a visual identity profoundly inspired by lauhala weaving, a Hawaiian practice that transforms natural materials into functional and decorative art. Lauhala weaving promotes sustainability and cultural continuity, and also symbolizes interconnectedness, as individual strands are woven together to create something stronger as a whole.
This project deepened my appreciation for Hawaiian art's layered meanings. For example, lauhala weaving shows unity not just because many strands form strength, but also because the harvester builds care and relationship with the hala tree, which takes years to mature.
The new logo concept features lauhala weaving, a time-honored Hawaiian art that symbolizes the interconnectedness of Kauaʻi’s food systems.”
