We all have highs and lows, and we all handle those highs and lows differently. CEO and founder Steven Izen took a low point in his life and transformed it into a multi-million dollar company. His grandfather was diagnosed with Alzhemiers in 2013. Amidst the sadness of the diagnosis, Izen chose to create something bigger than any disease.

Balance. It’s all about balance. The highs and lows of life can affect us in many different ways but it’s the way we balance the highs and lows that define us. The word Lokai comes from the Hawaiian word Lōkahi, which means the blending of opposites.

Lokai Bracelets started with it’s classic Lokai that has clear beads and the white and black beads in the middle. The brand slowly over time evolved into hundreds of different prints and styles. GHS student Zach Kopenski says “I don’t know much about them but they seem like a cool idea”. Along with their core original bracelets, rope bracelets with metal beads and game day sports themed collections, their cause collection remains one of their most popular and treasured products. Their cause collection allows for you to choose any of the optional charities. With each purchase, Lokai donates 10% of net profits back to charity. On their website it says that Lokai believes that giving back brings balance. Some charities include a pink bracelet for Breast Cancer Research, a purple one for the Alzheimer’s Foundation and a red one for (RED) Global Fund. Another GHS student Madelyn Dodge adds “Besides them looking really cool, it makes the purchase worth it knowing it’s going to a good cause.” 

Lokai has experienced some criticism in the past concerning whether or not the beads actually contain water from Mt Everest and mud from the Dead Sea. This led to customers cutting open their bracelets with some finding some types of mud and water and others finding empty beads. Eleventh grader Veronica Cortes explains that “The price for the bracelets is really fair in my opinion, the bracelets are really good quality and mine have held up for a solid 2 years!”

The Lokai brand is making a huge impact and raising millions of dollars for all kinds of charities like funding schools, building clean water wells, supporting research for diseases, and more every day. Lokai bracelets are available for purchase on their website at https://lokai.com/ and are also available at retailers like Zumiez and Buckle.