To get to Ilhabela, you first wait for the ferry. You cross the São Sebastião channel by car or on foot, and on the other side the pace is already different. It's hard to explain Hachi without starting there.
An island that is still rainforest
Ilhabela sits on the northern coast of São Paulo state in Brazil, and much of it is still covered in Atlantic rainforest, protected as a state park. The mountains drop almost straight into the sea, and in between there are trails, small beaches and waterfalls. The tallest is Cachoeira do Gato, which became one of our prints, a vintage badge with "onde a serra encontra o mar" (where the mountains meet the sea) arched above it.
Growing up near that changes how you look at things. You learn that the essentials fit in a backpack, that the best spot of the day is usually past a hike, and that nobody needs much to feel good.
The sea sets the rhythm
Ilhabela is known for sailing. People who live here learn early to read the wind and the tide before planning the day. It isn't hurry, it's attention: knowing when to leave and when to come back.
That way of living, without a fixed script, is where Hachi's approach to making clothes comes from. We don't chase trends. We would rather make pieces that last, with prints that have a story, and let the rest follow the tide.
Why an octopus
Hachi means eight in Japanese. Eight arms, one body. The octopus lives on the seafloor, adapts to its terrain and changes with where it is. That fits a brand born on an island with its eyes on the street.
The spiral inside the "O" of our logo is a single tentacle. One curl carries the whole brand, which is why it keeps showing up: on the Maresia tee, with the beanie-wearing octopus and a Hokusai-inspired wave, on the Oitava Dose long sleeve, with an octopus raising a drink in woodcut style, and now on the Ink crewneck, with the wordmark wrapped in tentacles.
From the island to the street
Hachi makes streetwear, and streetwear is the street. But the street we look at belongs to people who carry the coast with them, whether that's Ilhabela, São Paulo or any city we end up in.
Each piece tries to carry a piece of the island:
- The Regata Verão tank has a palm tree, sun and sea, with "Welcome to Ilhabela" across the back.
- The Lighthouse Hat is named after the island's lighthouses.
- The Serra Crewneck features Cachoeira do Gato.
It isn't decoration. It's how we tell people where we come from.
Designed on the island, made to be worn anywhere
Hachi was born in Ilhabela, but it doesn't stay here. The idea was always to take this mix of sea, forest and street to anyone who connects with it, whether they live on the island or thousands of miles away.
If you made it this far, take a look at the full catalog and follow the behind-the-scenes on Instagram, @hachistreetwear.