Lokai (company)


Lokai is a New York-based socially responsible lifestyle brand that creates products representing the importance of balance.
Lokai bracelets carry elements from the highest and lowest points on earth - water from Mt Everest in the white bead, representing the high points in life, and mud from the Dead Sea in the black bead, signifying the difficult moments. These extreme elements provide a daily reminder of balance - to stay humble through those highs, and hopeful through the lows. The company donates 10% of net profits to charitable organizations.

Background

The brand launched in 2013 after Founder & CEO Steven Izen was on vacation with his family and received upsetting news that his grandfather had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The experience of such joy and sadness so close together got him thinking about how important it is to stay balanced through any highs and lows one experiences on life's journey.
The name "Lokai" was inspired by the Hawaiian word "Lōkahi," meaning the blending of opposites.
Lokai.com officially launched in June 2013 with the Classic Lokai and has since grown to include several different product collections, which all serve as a daily reminder of balance. Today, Lokai reaches over 1.5 million followers on Instagram.

Awards & Recognition

The brand was a 2017 New York Winner of Smart CEO's Future 50 Awards.
Steven was a finalist in the 2016 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, named in the 2017 Forbes 30 under 30 list and is a member of the Make-A-Wish National Board of Directors.

Charity Partnerships

The brand has partnered with a wide variety of charities to produce a collection of different colored bracelets. $1 per bracelet sold is donated back to that specific charity. Since 2013, Lokai has donated over 8 million dollars to charitable organizations.

List of Charity Partners

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The company sells officially licensed products of Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Hockey League, the National Football League, Star Wars, and over 100 colleges and universities.

Criticism

It has been questioned whether or not the beads actually contain water from Mt. Everest or mud from the Dead Sea. In response to such criticism, wearers resorted to cutting apart their bracelets to see if there is actually anything inside. Most wearers discovered there was actually some kind of mud and water inside, but some claim to have found just empty beads.

Brand Evolution

In May 2019, the company launched Elements, functional wellness drinks made from adaptogens.