by Zoe Cheng
If you’ve been looking for cute decorations on our website, you may have seen our Maui Themed Stickers from Iwalani’s Creations. If you’ve never taken a closer look at Iwalani’s, however, you may not have seen that it was originally focused on jewelry.
Nyomi José, founder of Iwalani’s Creations, has had a passion for making jewelry since 2018, but it took until 2020, when she faced uncertainty with her college journey, for her to launch the business. Her expansion into stationery, stickers and home decor has allowed her to “explore new creative directions and connect with a wider audience,” Nyomi said.
Nyomi José poses in front of No’eau Designers, a shop supporting small Hawaiian businesses. No’eau Designers carries some of Iwalani’s Creations’ stickers and art prints.
However, Nyomi’s purpose with Iwalani’s Creations goes far beyond high-quality jewelry, sleek home decor and fun stationery. Nyomi is Native Hawaiian, Filipino, Spanish, and German, and it is her Hawaiian heritage that most influences Iwalani’s Creations and its values. Nyomi lives in Washington, thousands of miles away from Hawaii, and can sometimes have trouble accessing aspects of their lifestyle at home. So Nyomi incorporates imagery of Hawaii into her work, honoring her heritage through her brand.
On the website, she has listed her non-jewelry products as “Kupukupu Essentials”, referencing a native Hawaiian sword fern. Nyomi said of kupukupu, “The word itself means ‘to sprout’ or ‘to grow.’ When a new frond emerges, it starts tightly coiled and slowly unfurls—something I see as a metaphor for growth, transformation, and reaching outward. My Kupukupu Essentials collection embodies that idea of blossoming into your full potential.”
The Maui Themed Stickers from Iwalani’s Creations, which you can purchase here. The Maui stickers are among many items in Iwalani’s Kupukupu Essentials.
Nyomi’s commitment to her brand is not just helping her stay in touch with her roots, but also other Hawaiians in Washington. She had already been involved in Washington’s Hawaiian community prior to starting Iwalani’s Creations, being part of the Ke’ala ‘O Kamailelauli’ili’i hula halau. Now, Nyomi offers to sponsor hula halaus—traditional hula schools—by giving each student and the Kumu Hula jewelry to wear at competitions. Nyomi has also donated her art to scores of silent auctions to help fundraise for various Hawaiian schools and organizations. And now as an assistant club volleyball coach, Nyomi likes to spread happiness by giving stickers to players on special occasions.
Iwalani’s Creations isn’t just a cultural force for good; it aims to respect the land, too. Nyomi stays mindful of the choices she is making as a business owner to promote sustainability, making an effort to reduce waste related to her brand’s packaging by using materials like compostable cellophane and recycled paper. Most of the jewelry is upcycled, making the collection highly eco-conscious.
Nyomi at her first pop-up of 2024, selling items at the MAWHCC (Hawaiian Civic Club of Washington State) ‘Aha Mele festival.
Running a business and honoring her heritage through art hasn’t always been simple and easy. Nyomi says one of the biggest challenges she’s faced has been pricing guilt. “I launched my business at the height of the pandemic, a time when many people were experiencing financial hardship,” she said. “I wanted to make my products accessible, even if it meant undervaluing my time and materials.” As time has gone on, Nyomi has gained a greater understanding of valuing her own work and now tries to “find a balance” between accessible prices and fair compensation.
Nyomi says Kurated Kultura has been “incredibly supportive” in helping Iwalani’s Creations gain visibility on social media and reach like-minded customers. By driving traffic to the Iwalani’s website, Kurated Kultura has been helping Iwalani’s grow and move towards even bigger things.
Nyomi has plans for the direction of Iwalani’s Creations, dreaming of being able to operate out of a studio rather than her home, though for now, she’s satisfied with her home workspace, treating it as “a sacred space for business and creativity.” But a dream coming up even sooner for Nyomi is an opportunity to display her work as a featured artist at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle.
“The exhibit, titled DISplace, debuts… June [2025] and highlights Native Hawaiian artists living on the continent,” Nyomi wrote. “It explores how we stay rooted in our heritage while being physically distant from home—and I’m honored to be part of such an important conversation.”
Given Nyomi’s commitment to her heritage, her background and her lived experiences, it is no surprise that many of her jewelry items are named after people who have influenced and affected her.
“My business serves as a way for me to honor and carry my heritage with me,” she wrote, “no matter where I am.”
