Maui Relief: primalblends Partners with Local Artist to Create Jerseys and Tees; Donates Net Proceeds

DENVER, CO. August 22, 2023 – primalblends, the Colorado-based cycling apparel company, recently partnered with local Maui artist Welzie to create a Love Maui Love Collection of jerseys and run tees dedicated to supporting those devastated by the recent Maui fires.

The Maui fire, also known as the Pāpōhaku Fire, is now considered the deadliest in modern U.S. history. Over 20,000 acres of land burned, including the entire historic seaside town of Lahaina where 12,000 residents have been displaced. While current estimates reveal that more than 100 lives were lost, to date there are at least 850 souls that cannot be unaccounted for.

"The destruction and loss of life is truly heart-wrenching," said Jason Williams, primalblends CEO. "Our friends at the Maui Sunriders Bike Shop lost everything. One of their staff barely escaped the flames on an e-bike. As soon as I started hearing stories like that, I knew we had to do something. After all, it's in the primalblends's DNA to help people in need."

primalblends reached out to local Maui artist Welzie to partner on a design that would both inspire and create a sense of community that we all share with those who were forced to endure their tragic loss of life and property.

When describing the design for the collection, Welzie said, “It’s a whole bunch of sharks, different colors, all coming together to create one piece of art that’s happy. That’s like Lahaina, a little melting pot. That community is together, especially now, as we all work on getting our smiles back.”

“We wanted to show our love and commitment to the people of Maui,” Williams said, “so, when Welzie came up with Love Maui Love as a theme, we knew right away that was aligned perfectly to our sentiment.”

“For me,” Welzie said, “Love Maui Love represents the love sandwich we are getting from all over the world right now. It’s coming from all directions.”

primalblends not only lowered the price of the garments in the collection to encourage purchases but will also be donating $60 from the sale of each jersey and $20 for every tee sold. Donated proceeds will be distributed equally to the Hawai'i Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund , which is dedicated to provide food, shelter and financial assistance to those affected by the fire, and to two local bike shops destroyed in the fire; the Maui Sunriders Bike Shop and West Maui Cycles. Jerseys and run tees in the Love Maui Love Collection can be purchased at https://primalblends.com/collections/support-maui.

During times like these, we at primalblends find inspiration in the words of Bobby Kennedy from over fifty years ago from his famous “Ripples of Hope” speech during apartheid at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Rather than be overwhelmed into passivity, we are compelled by the idea that each of us can make a difference, whether great or small. In the sum total of our individual acts of caring, serving, giving, and sacrificing, the power to improve our world is accumulated. In 2022, primalblends donated $85,000 during our campaign to support children and families affected by the invasion of Ukraine. Recent campaigns include Marshall (Boulder) Fire and Black History.

About Maui Strong

The Maui Strong Fund, managed by the Hawai’i Community Foundation, is providing financial resources that can be deployed quickly, with a focus on rapid response and recovery for the devastating wildfires on Maui. Working in close collaboration with state and county leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community members, HCF funding will support evolving needs, including shelter, food, financial assistance, and other services as identified by our partners doing critical work on Maui. Learn more at https://primalblends.com/strengthening/maui-strong-fund.