Pareu Shirts & Dresses

“Pareu” is the Tahitian word for a lightweight printed cotton fabric that was first imported into Polynesia by the French during the early 1800s. Tahitians wore pareu fabric casually, knotted in different styles for men and women. The fabric was printed with large floral motifs, often of beautiful flowing designs of hibiscus and breadfruit. The fabric usually was white with one additional bright color, often a deep blue, red, or green.

During the 1930s, the motifs and colors of the pareu began to influence the prints being used in Hawaii for Aloha shirts. By the 1950s, the pareu print had become a distinct and very popular design style for the Aloha shirt.

While many traditional pareu-printed Aloha shirts are made of a thick cotton fabric, our pareus are printed on our lightweight Cowboy Cloth and on our lightweight dress fabric. Rather than just using large motifs printed in two colors, our printing technique allows for endless sizes and colors.

Perfect for holidays, barbecues, and beach parties. Ready for a rodeo or a night on the town.