Ocean Institute and Hoffman California Fabrics have collaborated on an original aloha shirt that tells the story of Ocean Institute and the coastal community it calls home. Designed exclusively by Hoffman California Fabrics for the Dana Point nonprofit, the custom print brings together recognizable animals, vessels and landmarks from Ocean Institute’s waterfront campus in a design rooted in Southern California’s ocean culture.
The collaboration brings a long-held Ocean Institute vision to life at a particularly meaningful moment. Founded in 1977, Ocean Institute will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027. The new shirt offers staff, volunteers, members and supporters an early way to carry that legacy forward and to share the story of the place that has introduced generations of students to marine science, maritime history and the ocean.
Members of the Hoffman team visited Ocean Institute to experience the campus firsthand and photograph the animals, vessels and landmarks that would inspire the design. Longtime Hoffman artist Hue Nguyen then transformed those photographs into an original pattern that serves as a visual tour of Ocean Institute, featuring the historic tall ship Spirit of Dana Point, R/V Sea Explorer, local marine life and specific campus landmarks. Together, the elements reflect the hands-on experiences at the heart of Ocean Institute’s mission: “Using the ocean as our classroom, we inspire children to learn.” “This collaboration captures the spirit of Ocean Institute in a way that feels joyful, distinctive and deeply connected to Dana Point,” said Riley Russell, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Ocean Institute. “Every detail in the pattern represents an important part of the experience we share with our students and guests, from encountering marine life to stepping aboard a historic tall ship. As we approach our 50th anniversary, this shirt gives our community a meaningful way to celebrate the people, programs and place that have shaped Ocean Institute for generations.”
The Ocean Institute is an ocean education organization located in Dana Point, California. Founded as the Orange County Marine Institute in 1977, it offers ocean science and maritime history programs for K–12 students and their teachers.
The collaboration brings together two organizations with deep ties to Southern California’s coastal culture. Hoffman California Fabrics grew from a family textile business into an influential force in surf style under brothers Walter and Philip “Flippy” Hoffman, pioneering big wave surfers whose tropical fabrics helped shape the emerging surfwear industry. The brothers supplied textiles to brands including Quiksilver and Billabong and were inducted together into the Surfing Walk of Fame’s Surf Culture category in 2006.
“This partnership with Ocean Institute was really special—Ocean Institute and their team are dear friends of the Hoffman family. They were excited to know that we could turn their special landmarks and the culture of Ocean Institute into a hand-painted design that could be worn! Seeing the shirt debuted at their Maritime Festival was fun and we know the print will be used for years to come for many different items!” Hailey Hoffman
The custom shirts are now available at the Ocean Institute Gift Shop, with sales going towards supporting Ocean Institute’s nonprofit mission to inspire the next generation of ocean stewards. They are sure to become as iconic as the “Jungle Bird” Hawaiian shirt worn by Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I., which features a tropical screen-print design created by Hoffman California Fabrics, and is now preserved in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.
In other words, you’ll want one . It will be worth the visit!
Until next time,
Karen