About the Program
Big Island Made is a membership-based business development and marketing program to support and promote Hawaiʻi Island makers, manufacturers, and producers.
Did you know?—There are over a thousand locally owned businesses right here making everything from paddleboards to nut butters, ukuleles to vitamins, and boats to beer?
Launched in 2018, Big Island Made’s goal is to provide small, independent makers and food and beverage producers with access to non-cost-prohibitive marketing tools and business resources to help their businesses start, grow, and succeed.
Big Island Made is a program of our parent organization, Hawaiʻi Localist, LLC, a company dedicated to strengthening Hawaiʻi’s homegrown economy. Through our Big Island Made membership program, we are building a coalition of local makers, manufacturers, producers, retailers, community partners, and sponsors working together to build and advocate for a more resilient maker-producer economy on the Big Island and throughout Hawaiʻi.
Click here to learn more about our team!
Through annual membership, we provide access to collaborative business resources and marketing tools that help Hawaiʻi Island makers, manufacturers, and producers expedite permitting and regulatory compliance, hire workers, access capital, find production space, market their products, create new sales channels, and—most importantly—cultivate relationships with other local vendors.
We offer a brand platform and easy-to-use online directory which help our members identify and differentiate themselves, and that help residents, visitors, and businesses looking to contract and purchase from local suppliers to easily identify products made on the Big Island.
Producing things locally means more diverse, living-wage jobs, opportunities for entrepreneurs, reduced environmental impact, and less reliance on foreign goods and tourism. Nothing makes us prouder than saying, “this was made right here on the Big Island!”
We are currently looking for members, retailers, community partners, sponsors, contract opportunities, and tools and resources to support local entrepreneurs. Please contact us at info@bigislandmade.com if you have any ideas, feedback, questions, or are interested in joining or supporting us. Mahalo!