How Kulani Kinis Turned Island Prints Into a Sun-Chasing Community
Brands and Designers
April 06, 2026
By Michelle Vi
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
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What started as a Sydney garage operation inspired by a Hawaii trip has become one of swimwear's most recognizable print brands — here's what makes Kulani Kinis worth the scroll.
As you can probably imagine, I spend a lot of my time scrolling through Instagram feeds — brand accounts, influencers, editorial pages — hunting for what's trending, what's fresh, and what's worth writing about next. And every single time something from Kulani Kinis comes up, I stop. Not because of a flashy ad or a celebrity tag, but because their content feels genuinely natural — the kind of effortless, sun-drenched energy that makes you want to book a trip and buy the bikini in the same breath. That's rare for a swimwear brand, and it's exactly what drew me in. This Australian label has built a cult following on the back of exclusive prints, accessible price points, and a community-first model that most swim brands are still trying to figure out. With the launch of Espresso Island, their first athlete partnership, and a 22,000-strong ambassador army, this felt like the right moment for a proper Kulani Kinis brand profile.
Key Takeaways
01Australian-born, island-inspired
Founded in Sydney in 2015 by Dani Atkins and Alex Babich after a Hawaii trip, Kulani Kinis has grown from a garage Shopify store to a global swim brand with 1.2 million Instagram followers.
02Print-first design philosophy
Every collection drops with exclusive prints — active styles restock regularly, but once a print moves to Last Chance, it's gone for good. Sets land under $134.
03Community over ad spend
The Sun Chasers ambassador program generated over $425K in its first six months — a community-driven model that helped grow the brand's Instagram past 1.2 million followers without traditional ad spend.
04New moves in 2026
The Espresso Island collection introduces RE-KINI SHIMMER recycled fabric, and pro surfer Zoë McDougall is the brand's first-ever athlete partner.
The Brand Story
The story starts the way a lot of good Australian brands do — with a frustrating shopping experience and a "we can do this better" moment. Dani Atkins and Alex Babich were a Sydney couple who couldn't find bikinis that matched the energy of their Hawaii trips: bold, colorful, and built for women who actually live in their swimwear. So in 2015, they opened a Shopify store from their garage and started designing their own.
Image Credit:@kulanikinis
Image Credit:@lexxhidalgo
Image Credit:@kulanikinis
What happened next wasn't a marketing masterclass — it was genuine product-market fit. They sent bikinis to women they admired on Instagram. Those women posted. Other women bought. No ad budget, no agency, no influencer contracts. Just product that photographed well and fit even better. Within a year they'd moved out of the garage, found a manufacturing partner in Dongguan, China, and started scaling across Australia, the US, and Europe.
Today Kulani Kinis runs a dedicated RE-KINI eco line made from recycled materials, ships globally, and offers sizes from XS to 3XL. But the core proposition hasn't changed: exclusive prints, seasonal drops, and island energy at a price point that doesn't require a second mortgage.
The Espresso Island Collection
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Their latest drop, Espresso Island, is the collection that made me want to write this review. It introduces RE-KINI SHIMMER — a recycled nylon and spandex fabric that catches light like wet sand at golden hour. The palette runs warm and moody: think coffee tones, sunset corals, and deep ocean blues , all filtered through Kulani's signature maximalist lens.
The timing is no accident. Espresso Island arrives alongside Kulani Kinis x Oceanus: At The After Party — a limited capsule with British label Oceanus that takes a Kulani print and reimagines it through Oceanus's hand-worked embellishment and ready-to-wear silhouettes. As co-founder Dani Atkins put it: "We always daydreamed about what might happen if our prints stepped into the Oceanus world… and then somehow, after all that wishing, we collided." Oceanus founder Hannah Attalah echoed the sentiment: "What drew us to Kulani Kinis was the energy in their prints — nostalgic and full of life." It's a collaboration that proves these prints have a life beyond swimwear — and it sets the tone for everything in the Espresso Island collection.
Lettuce Edge Halter Bikini Top & Lettuce Belted Swim Short — Vintage Vacay
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Most printed bikinis stop at the print. This set doesn't. The lettuce edge detailing adds a textural dimension that catches the eye before the pattern does — adjustable halter ties, no padding, fully lined. Pair it with the belted swim short at a flattering mid-rise and you get retro-sport energy that works poolside and at the beach bar without changing. $134 for the set in Vintage Vacay.
Lace Stitch Slim Bandeau Bikini Top & Lace Stitch High Leg Vintage Bikini Bottom — Summer Seas
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
If you want a strapless option that doesn't feel basic, this is it. The slim bandeau has a structured fit with lace stitch crochet trim that adds handmade charm, and the high-leg vintage bottom creates the kind of elongated silhouette that works on every body type. The Summer Seas print — deep blues and aqua — reads sophisticated without losing that Kulani playfulness.
Classic Tie Halter Bikini Top & Cheeky V Bikini Bottom — Neon Sunset
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
This is the set for the woman who wants to be seen. The Neon Sunset print is pure dopamine — bright, bold, and impossible to miss. Classic tie halter construction means you control the fit, and the cheeky V bottom has just enough coverage to feel confident without sacrificing the tan lines. A set that earns its spot on the 'gram.
Plunge Cross Back One Piece — Cinnamon Sugar
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
I keep coming back to this one. The plunge neckline and cross-back construction create a silhouette that's both sculptural and wearable, and the Cinnamon Sugar colorway — warm, spiced, almost edible — is unlike anything else in the collection. At $98, it's the most expensive piece in the Espresso Island lineup, but it's also the one that looks like it costs twice that.
Halter Bralette Bikini Top & Full Coverage Tie Bikini Bottom — Sun Pop
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
You'll spot this print from across the pool. Sun Pop is pure vacation energy — warm, loud, unapologetically happy. The halter bralette keeps things relaxed with adjustable straps and removable padding, while the full coverage tie bottom is Kulani's answer for anyone who wants bold print without the cheeky cut. $126 for the set. The easiest entry point into Espresso Island.
Slide Bralette Bikini Top & Y Cheeky Bikini Bottom — Ocean Aura
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Save the best for last. Ocean Aura is the collection's calling card — deep blues and shimmering tones that shift every time you move, thanks to the RE-KINI SHIMMER fabric doing exactly what it was designed for. Minimalist slide bralette, high-cut Y cheeky bottom, and a play of light across the surface that no flat matte fabric could replicate. If you buy one set from Espresso Island, make it this one.
The Girls Who Go First: Kulani Kinis x Zoë McDougall
Image Credit:@zoe_mcdougall
Image Credit:@zoe_mcdougall
Image Credit:@zoe_mcdougall
Image Credit:@zoe_mcdougall
In January 2026, Kulani Kinis did something they'd never done before: they signed an athlete. Pro surfer Zoë McDougall became the brand's first-ever athlete partner in a campaign called "The Girls Who Go First" — a celebration of women who lead with courage, curiosity, and a willingness to wipe out in front of everyone watching.
If you don't know McDougall yet, you will. She's 25, raised on the North Shore of O'ahu, and started competing at age five. By 15 she was in the top 50 on the WSL Qualifying Series — the youngest in the world to get there. She won her first QS event in South Africa at 17, and beyond competition she advocates for safety, education, and inclusion in a sport that's still heavily male-dominated. Her energy is exactly what you'd expect from someone who grew up surfing Sunset Beach: fearless, joyful, and completely at home in the water.
It's a natural fit for a brand that built its identity on women showing up for women. McDougall isn't just modeling the bikinis — she's surfing in them — and the campaign imagery has a raw, salt-in-your-hair energy that feels earned rather than art-directed.
Twin Strap Bralette Bikini Top & Twin Strap Cheeky Bikini Bottom — Sunshine Snaps
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Double straps, double purpose. The parallel construction adds visual interest and genuine hold — which matters when you're actually moving in your swimwear, not just posing in it. The Sunshine Snaps print feels nostalgic and sun-faded, like a Polaroid from a road trip you don't want to end. Fully lined, true to size.
Underwire Triangle B-C Cup Bikini Top & Cheeky V Bikini Bottom — Barefoot Breeze
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
For anyone who needs support without sacrificing style, this is the set that delivers. The underwire triangle offers structured lift for B-C cups with adjustable straps and a clasp back — construction you rarely see at this price point. The Barefoot Breeze print is soft and organic, all muted florals and sandy neutrals that feel like a beach walk at dawn.
The Sun Chasers: How Community Became the Marketing Engine
Image Credit:@khiana.smith
Image Credit:@khiana.smith
Image Credit:@khiana.smith
Image Credit:@khiana.smith
The decision to bet on community over ad spend wasn't just a branding play — it was an entrepreneurial move that fundamentally shaped Kulani Kinis' growth trajectory. The Sun Chasers program is a tiered ambassador system: sign up, link your Instagram or TikTok, and receive a voucher based on your follower count. Post content tagging @kulanikinis and you're in the running for "Sun Chaser of the Week" — featured on the brand's channels with all the reach that comes with it.
The strategy paid off. According to a Gatsby case study , the program generated over $425,000 in sales within its first six months in 2022 — split between ambassador purchases and orders driven by their shared discount codes. That early proof of concept set the template for everything that followed: thousands of women creating content because they genuinely wanted to, not because they were contracted to. Today the brand's Instagram has grown past 1.2 million followers, the #kulanisunchaser hashtag has millions of TikTok views, and the ambassador community continues to be the engine behind Kulani's organic reach.
Invisible Underwire Crop Bikini Top & Full Coverage Tie Bikini Bottom — Wild Honey
Image Credit:@khiana.smith
Image Credit:@khiana.smith
Image Credit:@khiana.smith
Image Credit:@khiana.smith
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
There's a reason Wild Honey is the most-posted set in the Sun Chasers community. The invisible underwire crop top gives a structured, flattering shape without any visible hardware — the kind of support you feel but don't see. Pair it with the full coverage tie bottom and you've got the set that converts skeptics into repeat buyers. Rich honey-gold tones, warm retro floral. Photographs beautifully in any light.
Twin Ruched Halter Bikini Top & Thong Tie Side Bikini Bottom — Sun Honey
Image Credit:@everythingisdrea
Image Credit:@everythingisdrea
Image Credit:@everythingisdrea
Image Credit:@everythingisdrea
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
Image Credit:Kulani Kinis
If the Wild Honey is the Sun Chasers' everyday favorite, the Sun Honey is the one they save for the big moments. The twin ruched halter creates a gathered, feminine shape at the center, and the thong tie side bottom is Kulani at their most confident — minimal coverage, maximum print impact. This is the set that has 3.6 million TikTok views behind it.
The Verdict: Who It's For
What stands out about Kulani Kinis, beyond the prints and the price point, is the kind of community they've built around their swimwear. Scroll through the Sun Chasers feed and you'll notice something: the women wearing these bikinis look like women you'd actually meet at the beach. Different body types, different skin tones, different ages — all photographed naturally, in real sunlight, without the over-produced editorial gloss that so many swim brands default to. It's not a marketing decision. It's what happens when your community creates most of your content.
That naturalness extends to the product itself. Kulani's prints are bold — tropical florals, sunset gradients, ocean-inspired palettes — but they're designed to feel like the first thing you'd grab from your wardrobe without overthinking it — bold, yes, but worn with the kind of nonchalance that makes everyone else look twice. Sizes run XS to 3XL across most styles, and the brand recommends true to size with the option to size up for more coverage on triangle and bralette cuts. Sets land between $126 and $134, individual pieces between $62 and $98 — a range that makes it easy to try a print without overcommitting.
If you're someone who sees swimwear as a way to express who you are rather than just something functional to wear in the water, Kulani Kinis speaks that language fluently.
Our Final Take
Kulani Kinis has figured out something that most swim brands are still chasing: how to make printed swimwear feel personal at an accessible price point, and how to build a community that grows the brand from the inside out. The Espresso Island collection shows them evolving — RE-KINI SHIMMER recycled fabric, warmer palettes, more sophisticated silhouettes — while the Zoë McDougall partnership signals they're ready to move beyond Instagram and into the surf. If your swimwear drawer is full of safe neutrals and you're ready for something with a personality, start here.
Frequently Asked Questions
01Where is Kulani Kinis based and where do they ship?
Kulani Kinis is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, with fulfillment centers in Australia and the US (via Barrett Distribution Centers). They ship globally, including dedicated EU operations through Kulani Kinis Europe.
02What size range does Kulani Kinis offer?
Most styles run from XS to 3XL. The brand recommends true-to-size ordering, with the option to size up for more coverage on triangle and bralette styles.
03Do Kulani Kinis prints restock?
Active prints restock regularly — sign up for the waitlist on any sold-out item to get notified. Once a print moves to the Last Chance Sale section, it won't come back. Discontinued prints are removed to make room for new drops.
04What is the RE-KINI eco line?
RE-KINI is Kulani Kinis' sustainability initiative — a line of swimwear made from recycled materials. The newer RE-KINI SHIMMER fabric (80% recycled nylon, 20% spandex) also reflects this commitment.
05What is the return policy?
Kulani Kinis offers returns within 30 days of purchase for unworn items with tags attached. Hygiene stickers must be intact on all swimwear bottoms.