The Story of the Pareu
The pareu is the printed wrap cloth of Tahiti, and the source of one of the most loved styles of Aloha shirt. Worn by men and women alike, the bold floral cloth crossed the Pacific to Hawaii in the 1930s, where Aloha shirt makers cut it into shirts. By the 1950s the pareu print was a style of its own.
From bark cloth to trade cloth
Long before cotton reached the South Pacific, Tahitians wrapped themselves in tapa, a cloth made from beaten bark. In the 1800s, sailors and traders brought machine-printed cotton from Europe and traded it for goods like vanilla and sandalwood. Islanders took to it quickly. Unlike tapa, cotton lasted and could be washed. A pareu, a length of cloth about two yards long, was tied around the waist or chest and worn by everyone.
The earliest pareu cloth had white leaves and flowers printed on a dark red or navy ground, designs that looked more like European curtain and wallpaper prints than South Seas art. European missionaries pushed for plain, modest dress, but Tahitians kept wearing their bright pareu for almost every occasion.
Tahiti makes it its own
Over time, the pareu began to carry Tahiti's own flowers and plants: tiare, hibiscus, breadfruit leaves and ferns. The classic look took shape, with bold white florals on navy or red and plenty of open ground, so the eye can settle on each flower. Men and women wore pareu, often with a flower tucked behind the ear, and the cloth became part of Tahitian identity, much as the Aloha shirt did in Hawaii.
Pareu comes to Hawaii
In the late 1930s, Honolulu shirt makers such as Kahala began buying pareu cloth in Tahiti and bringing it home to cut into small runs of shirts, shorts and swimsuits. Hollywood helped spread the look. In 1936 Dorothy Lamour wore a pareu in The Jungle Princess, though the studio called it a sarong, a mix-up that stuck for decades.
After World War II, pareu florals became one of the signature looks of the Aloha shirt. By the 1950s they were a distinct style, and in the 1960s and '70s the "Tahitian print" was all the rage in Hawaii. It has been an Aloha shirt classic ever since.
The pareu through the years
- Before the 1800s: Tahitians wear tapa, cloth made from beaten bark.
- 1800s: European traders bring printed cotton, and the pareu becomes everyday wear in Tahiti.
- 1936: Dorothy Lamour wears a pareu on screen in The Jungle Princess.
- Late 1930s: Honolulu shirt makers bring pareu cloth from Tahiti for Aloha shirts.
- 1950s: Pareu florals become a distinct style of Aloha shirt.
- 1960s–70s: The "Tahitian print" is all the rage in Hawaii.
- Today: The pareu print is an Aloha shirt classic.
How we make ours
We draw our pareu prints the traditional way, with bold florals and room to breathe, and put them on shirts made for island life, from the ranch gate in Waimea to dinner in town.
- Tahitian Pareu snap shirts have pearl snaps, shoulder yokes and a Western fit, in Cowboy Cloth, our lightweight, cotton-rich blend. Several are printed on the reverse side of the fabric for a softer, sun-faded face, a tradition in Aloha shirt-making.
- Pohuehue Pareu is a pareu-inspired print of pohuehue, the native beach morning glory with purple flowers, on a camp collar shirt with coconut buttons. It's made in Aloha Cloth, with recycled polyester.
- Colors: Tahitian Pareu in White, Brown and Red White and Blue, and Pohuehue Pareu in Navy and Pink.
Pareu shirts today
Shop pareu
Pareu FAQ
What is a pareu?
A pareu is a length of printed cloth from Tahiti, worn wrapped around the waist or chest by both men and women. Traditional pareu cloth has bold white florals on a navy or red ground.
How do you pronounce pareu?
PAH-ray-oo. It's also spelled pareo, the more common spelling in English.
Is a pareu the same as a sarong?
They're similar wraps from different places. Sarong is a Malay word. When Dorothy Lamour wore a pareu in a 1936 film, Hollywood called it a sarong, and the two names have been mixed up ever since.
What is a pareu print Aloha shirt?
An Aloha shirt made in the style of Tahitian pareu cloth: bold, usually white florals on a solid ground, with plenty of open space. Hawaii's shirt makers began using pareu cloth in the late 1930s, and by the 1950s it was a distinct style.
Sources: "The Pareu Uncovered," Halekulani Living; Pareo (Wikipedia); The Aloha Shirt by Dale Hope. Updated October 2026.
More from Talk Story: The History of the Aloha Shirt · Palaka, Hawaii's Original Work Shirt · Aloha Shirt vs. Hawaiian Shirt