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Maui Jim is an American sunglasses manufacturer based in Peoria, Illinois. Founded in
Lahaina, Hawaii Lahaina ( haw, Lāhainā) is the largest census-designated place (CDP) in West Maui, Maui County, Hawaii, United States and includes the Kaanapali and Kapalua beach resorts. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a resident population of 12,702. La ...
, in 1980, the company designs, develops, and manufactures a wide variety of sunglasses marketed under the eponymous brand name. As of 2015, it was the third-largest producer of sunglasses in the world. In October 2022, Maui Jim was acquired by
Kering Kering () is a French-based multinational corporation specializing in luxury goods. It owns the brands Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent. The timber-trading company Pinault S.A. was founded in 1963, by ...
.


History

The company's roots began in 1980 when a fisherman began selling sunglasses on the beaches of
Maui, Hawaii The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, whic ...
. He was known as the original "Maui Jim". Several years later, the company developed polarized sunglasses to protect eyes from glare and ultraviolet rays. In 1991, Walter Hester, a boat captain, purchased the company and built the brand to what it is today. He named the company Hester Enterprises, Inc. In 1994, Illinois-based RLI Vision became the mainland distributor for the company, then called Maui Jim Sunglasses. In 1996, Maui Jim Sunglasses bought RLI Vision from its parent company, Peoria, Illinois-based RLI Corp., and named the new combined entity Maui Jim Inc. The transaction was structured such that RLI Corp became a major shareholder in Maui Jim, and the company moved its headquarters to Peoria. The company kept an office in Maui. In 2004, the company opened a distribution center in
Braunschweig, Germany Braunschweig () or Brunswick ( , from Low German ''Brunswiek'' , Braunschweig dialect: ''Bronswiek'') is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Lower Saxony, Germany, north of the Harz Mountains at the farthest navigable point of the riv ...
, a location that eventually became its European headquarters. In June 2006, the company opened its first prescription lab in Peoria, IL. In 2011, the company bought Zeal Optics, a Boulder, Colorado-based designer and manufacturer of action-sport polarized goggles and sunglasses. By 2015, the company had approximately 500 employees. Also in 2015, the company became the title sponsor of college basketball's
Maui Invitational Tournament The Maui Invitational, currently known as the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, is an annual early-season college basketball tournament that takes place Thanksgiving week, normally in Lahaina, Hawaii, at the Lahaina Civic Center on the island of Maui. ...
. In March 2018, the company started selling optical eyeglasses. In July, the company opened its first prescription lab outside of Peoria, located at its European headquarters in Braunschweig. In March 2022, it was announced the company had been acquired by Kering Eyewear. The acquisition was completed in October 2022.


Products

As of 2016, the company sold 125 different styles of polarized sunglasses in over 100 countries. In addition to their non-prescription sports and fashion sunglasses, Maui Jim also produces prescription lenses for their designs including progressive lenses. The company's glasses incorporate a patented polarization technology called PolarizedPlus2.


Locations

Besides its Peoria headquarters, Maui Jim maintains an office and store front in Lahaina, Hawaii, a Canadian office in Mississauga, Ontario, and a European headquarters in Braunschweig, Germany.


Sponsorships

The company sponsors college basketball's
Maui Invitational Tournament The Maui Invitational, currently known as the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, is an annual early-season college basketball tournament that takes place Thanksgiving week, normally in Lahaina, Hawaii, at the Lahaina Civic Center on the island of Maui. ...
, called the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. The company also sponsors the Australian Sailing Team, professional marathoner
Meb Keflezighi Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi (; Ge'ez: መብራህቶም ክፍልእዝጊ, ''Mebrāhtōm Kifl'izgī''; born May 5, 1975) is a retired Eritrean-born American long distance runner. He is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon and fin ...
, golfer
Ernie Els Theodore Ernest Els (; born 17 October 1969) is a South African professional golfer. A former , he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature (he stands ) along with his fluid golf swing. Among his more than 70 career victor ...
, and kiteboarder Dave Shah, who are brand ambassadors.


References


External links

* {{Official website, mauijim.com 2022 mergers and acquisitions Sunglasses High fashion brands Companies established in 1980 Privately held companies based in Illinois Companies based in Peoria, Illinois Luxury brands Surfwear brands Fishing equipment Lahaina, Hawaii 1980 establishments in Hawaii Eyewear companies of the United States Eyewear brands of the United States