FOR PADDLERS, BY PADDLERS
FOUNDED ON A WHIM, SILVERBACK HAWAII HAS EVOLVED INTO MORE THAN A BRAND
MATT DANIELLS AND HIS BROTHERS WERE RAISED IN THE PACIFIC, GUAM, PALAU, MAUI
Left to right: Matt, Mark, Mom Margaret Leach, famous artist, Steve and Brian
They were always immersed in the island lifestyle and the ocean culture. They surf, dive, paddle, windsurf, spearfish, and generally thrive on an seaside existence.
Why the Gorilla?
While growing up Matt’s older brother Mark, who, like Matt, is a gentle giant, would do a gorilla act. He made everyone laugh with his timing and realistic behavior. Soon Matt and his other brothers, starting to do the gorilla act also, but never became as convincing is Mark. Marc would embarrass their mother while driving in the car by making gorilla faces and gestures at passing motorists.
Mark with the original Paddle Beast woodblock
Not long ago, Matt’s big brother Mark, a successful artist, created the Paddle Beast and Big Kahuna Surf figures as woodblock prints. He was originally hand-printing the designs on paper and cotton T-shirts in his gallery in Hanalei Kauai. When Matt first saw the designs he couldn’t help but laugh, because Mark described them as “Self-Portraits”. And the Paddle Beast was born. Over time, the Paddle Beast has evolved into Big Kahuna and Bikinirilla. You will see different versions of the Paddle Beast in our prints, logos, and marketing materials. Matt’s intent was to make a few T-shirts and sell them, but then things took a different turn.
Matt’s ocean time was punctuated with a new awareness of increasing ocean pollution. Every time he was in the water, or on the beach, it seemed like there was more opala (the Hawaiian word for garbage), everywhere. A light came on — what if there were a way to create a product that was not only attractive, but comfortable and protected you from the sun? What if it was sustainable, made from recycled materials? Well, that thought became a reality.
Starting in 2017, after spending two years researching the industry, Matt came up with a product that was all those things, and made in the USA. The fiber, made by Unifi in North Carolina, is called Repreve. The fabric is dyed, cut and sewn by our family-run factory in Los Angeles. Design and testing are done in Maui’s extreme conditions.
In 2022 Matt and his team decided to narrow down the collection and focus on a high-performance jersey and leggings. After several years of research and development, including input from Silverback Hawaii’s customers, the re-designed for better fit and performance Hawaiian Hydro Hoodie and Laki leggings were released in January 2023, featuring the Big Kahuna and Ekola Pua (three flower in Hawaiian) prints.
Silverback Hawaii is looking forward to a summer release of the original tribal tattoo and palm tree prints.
MATT DANIELLS AND HIS BROTHERS WERE RAISED IN THE PACIFIC, GUAM, PALAU, MAUI
Left to right: Matt, Mark, Mom Margaret Leach, famous artist, Steve and Brian
They were always immersed in the island lifestyle and the ocean culture. They surf, dive, paddle, windsurf, spearfish, and generally thrive on an seaside existence.
Why the Gorilla?
While growing up Matt’s older brother Mark, who, like Matt, is a gentle giant, would do a gorilla act. He made everyone laugh with his timing and realistic behavior. Soon Matt and his other brothers, starting to do the gorilla act also, but never became as convincing is Mark. Marc would embarrass their mother while driving in the car by making gorilla faces and gestures at passing motorists.
Mark with the original Paddle Beast woodblock
Not long ago, Matt’s big brother Mark, a successful artist, created the Paddle Beast and Big Kahuna Surf figures as woodblock prints. He was originally hand-printing the designs on paper and cotton T-shirts in his gallery in Hanalei Kauai. When Matt first saw the designs he couldn’t help but laugh, because Mark described them as “Self-Portraits”. And the Paddle Beast was born. Over time, the Paddle Beast has evolved into Big Kahuna and Bikinirilla. You will see different versions of the Paddle Beast in our prints, logos, and marketing materials. Matt’s intent was to make a few T-shirts and sell them, but then things took a different turn.
Matt’s ocean time was punctuated with a new awareness of increasing ocean pollution. Every time he was in the water, or on the beach, it seemed like there was more opala (the Hawaiian word for garbage), everywhere. A light came on — what if there were a way to create a product that was not only attractive, but comfortable and protected you from the sun? What if it was sustainable, made from recycled materials? Well, that thought became a reality.
Starting in 2017, after spending two years researching the industry, Matt came up with a product that was all those things, and made in the USA. The fiber, made by Unifi in North Carolina, is called Repreve. The fabric is dyed, cut and sewn by our family-run factory in Los Angeles. Design and testing are done in Maui’s extreme conditions.
In 2022 Matt and his team decided to narrow down the collection and focus on a high-performance jersey and leggings. After several years of research and development, including input from Silverback Hawaii’s customers, the re-designed for better fit and performance Hawaiian Hydro Hoodie and Laki leggings were released in January 2023, featuring the Big Kahuna and Ekola Pua (three flower in Hawaiian) prints.
Silverback Hawaii is looking forward to a summer release of the original tribal tattoo and palm tree prints.
Big Kahuna
The Original Paddle Beast
Bikinirilla
OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP PLASTIC, PARTICULARLY THE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES THAT SILVERBACK APPAREL IS MADE FROM, OUT OF THE OCEAN AND LANDFILLS
According to Condor Ferries of the UK we, humans, are polluting the ocean with 12.7 million tons of plastic waste every year. There is now 5.25 trillion tons of macro and micro pieces of plastic in our ocean and about 46,000 pieces in every square mile of ocean, weighing up 269,000 tons. Every day about 8 million pieces of plastic makes their way into our oceans. 88% of the sea’s surface is polluted by plastic waste.
Silverback Hawaii LLC aims to do its part in cleaning the environment by the creation of sustainable products, and taking an active role in reversing the negative impact of plastic pollution.
Our dream is to not only keep plastic out of the oceans and landfills by recycling it into our products, but in cooperation with other environmental agencies and institutions, contribute to beach, ocean, and waterway cleanups. At Silverback we want to give back.
