ESCAPING THE EVERYDAY SINCE 1978

OKANUI BRAND PHILOSOPHY

Established in 1978 on the Northern Beaches of Sydney Australia, Okanui heritage apparel was created for people with a passion for coastal living and Escaping The Everyday.

OKANUI HERITAGE

The Okanui story begins with a love of surfing, a touch of ingenuity and a lot of pioneering Australian spirit. Founder Dick Ash was just 15 when he was inspired to create his first pair of cotton board shorts using his mum’s sewing machine and some old canvas mailbags from the Avalon Post Office. The shorts were cut long, and suited perfectly for sitting on the new-style Okanui surfboards that had exploded on to the Aussie surf scene in 1956. Before long, he was making the shorts for all of his surfing mates. He nicknamed them Okanuis, and a true Australian surf icon was born! In 1978 Dick decided to take his shorts to the masses. Not content with plain canvas, he designed the distinctive hibiscus print that remains the signature of the Okanui clothing brand today, typifying the timeless and tropical spirit of days at the beach and in the water. We’ve come a long way since the humble beginnings of the Okanui boardshort. Now with five store locations around Australia, our range has expanded to include men’s and kids contemporary collections including shirts, t-shirts, linen, and accessories and in December 2020 we launched our first-ever women’s line; a capsule collection of summer essentials featuring swimwear made from sustainable textiles using recycled materials. For over 40 years Okanui has remained a family owned business with a core focus on producing high-quality, fun and comfortable clothing. Whether you’re at the beach, on the boat, or at the bar, your Okanui heritage piece is designed to improve with wear to become a faithful favourite, helping you Escape the Everyday.