What is Koa?

Koa is an endemic tree found in Hawaii and is a rare commodity.
Not only is it rare, but due to the rarity of Koa it is a prized wood that is sought after for furniture and Koa wood art.
Koa is a tree that is a part of the pea family and is the second most common tree found in the Hawaiian Islands.
Although it is the second most common tree in Hawaii, the tree is rare due to the over harvesting in years past, as well as the restricted areas in which it can be grown.
The wood that is harvested from the Koa tree is exceptionally beautiful.
The eccentric grain patterns and the vibrant contrasting grains in the wood make Koa a spectacular choice for furniture.

Why Koa?

Koa is revered by Hawaiians as a sentimental wood, and due to its sentimentality, it’s their wood of choice for Hawaiian wood art..
Also, because Koa only grows in Hawaii this places a value on the art that is made from the harvested Koa.
As with most high quality goods, the quality begins with sourcing of quality supplies.
Not only is Koa unique in its looks with its wide variety of grains & tones, but it is also a very hard wood which makes the wood ideal for detailed pieces of carved Koa wood art.

How To Get Koa?

Through my years of experience in working with Koa, I am able to source high quality pieces from the designated growing areas around Hawaii through several Koa mills.
I can then utilize my experience in working with Koa to design beautiful pieces of koa wood decor.
Although, I am able to source high quality Koa it comes with a price.
I will do my best to provide the most competitive prices available. The rarity of Koa, as well as its popularity in Hawaii create difficulties in sourcing large pieces.
The high demand and low supply of the wood creates a shortage of the most functional pieces for large carvings.
With this in mind, I do my best to work with the pieces that can be harvested and sourced to create wall decor that is truly a work of art.

Alternatives?

If you have decided that Koa is just not the wood for you, then I do source other locally grown woods which tend to be more economical and equally functional. Locally harvested woods include mango, monkeypod, milo, and many others, which you can request a few options when we work together.

Although the alternatives may be less expensive to harvest and each wood has its own unique look, consideration should be made with regards to your finished product.

For instance, we offer Hawaiian island chains in copper, bronze, aluminum and iron finishes–yet some find the warmth of wood hard to beat.
Through my years of experience working with the exotic woods of Hawaii, Koa tends to be the wood of choice for many of my clients. The preference is the look, the rarity, and the fact that Koa is uniquely one of a kind.