Our New Tahitian Pareo - Maeva Pareu

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

It's been 2 years since we introduced our last custom fabric design - Tehani, to the world. We would have loved to keep going with that classic but due to some problems with the manufacturer, we were no longer able to have it produced. It was difficult to give it up, but as with just about everything in the modern era, we have to move on.

Our new Tahitian pareo print - Maeva, is just what we wanted. The Maeva print is available in five beautiful colors. Each color name was inspired by an element of Tahitian life. Arii Red is named for the arii (or nobility) of old, Mango Orange is named for one of our favorite fruits so endeared in Tahiti, Green Tiare is named for Tahiti's iconic flower and leaves, Poehere Blue is named in honor of last years Miss Tahiti and one of our featured models, and lastly, Brown Tapa is named for the original "pareu" of Tahiti and pays homage to the 'ahu of old.

The Maeva custom fabric design is reminiscent of our Tehani design. We have the same kind of feel and look but we added in more traditional Tattoos. The variation of the otipi or plate/bowl design was added into the leaves and we added more tiare flowers. The Hawaiian lauae leaves were removed and outline marks were also removed. The all-over print is now brighter and distinctly Tahitian/Marquesan in look and feel.

We love our new Maeva design and look forward to making more options available in the future.

Maeva - Our new pareu design

Let's take a look at what we are getting ready to release. It's taken awhile (almost 6 months!!!). It wasn't exactly what we planned on doing. Actually we wanted to continue with our Tehani design but we had some supply problems. Last year, when we had planned on making a reorder of fabric, our manufacturer rep. here in Hawaii told us that they wouldn't be able to print our fabric any more. To say the least, this put a crimp on our plans. What were we going to do?

We have been printing our fabric in Japan because we preferred the quality, feel and the reputation. China was out of the question. We never considered it. Indonesia and Malaysia were suggested but we just didn't feel it was right. Where to print? My first choice was the US. But did you know that there just doesn't seem to be any large scale fabric manufacturers left in the country. It's very sad if you think about it.

So after being very disappointed by my finding, I remember being contacted several years ago by an Indian company, that's the country of India. I tried to contact them and lo and behold they were still there. It's a good sign as they are still in business after all these years. India, for those of you who don't know, is a leader in the textile industry. Their fabrics are known for their softness and exotic prints.


Well to make things simple, we've been progressing through the design and manufacturing process. We've got the design finalized and received strike offs. The first set of strike offs weren't exactly what we wanted so we sent for a second. We will be receiving those shortly. Typically, it is not uncommon to get 2 or 3 sets of strike offs to make sure the design and print is as it is supposed to be printed.

We're on the home stretch and we expect to receive the fabric within the next couple of months. Next steps are for receiving and passing through customs (hopefully without a hitch). We'll keep you posted.
The new fabric design is being printed on 100% cotton. Just like our other design - Tehani. We'll explain about the design on our next blog entry.

New print - Maeva

Tahitian Pareus, fabric and fashion. If you follow us on Facebook, you might have seen our announcement about our introducing a new print this Spring - Maeva. This welcome news is an exciting addition to our fabric offerings. We'll be writing about the development, how and why we moved to a new design. In the meantime, take a look at our teaser ad featuring one of our favorite models - Kamalei.

New Mahana Pareo color - Nave Nave Purple

Don't look for a Hawaiian sarong? Or even an Indian batik sarong? The Tahitian pareo with its vivid colors, comfort and ease of tying to fit your style is the must-have item this summer. Check out the colors, cuts and sets. And look for seasonal colors throughout the year.

Soft and melodious are just a couple of words that can describe our new Nave Nave Purple Mahana Pareo. This Tahitian pareo or pareu in Tahitian, is one of our classics. Add in the two tones of purple and you have a great summer look that is both comfortable and functional.

It's the perfect beach coverup that is light enough to pack away in your purse or small beach bag without a thought about weighing you down. Made from 100% cotton, it breathes effortlessly.

The hand dyed material features a uniquely Tahitian look by adding in the Tahitian tiare motif and photosenitive ink where the suns rays sets the colors and creates variations by highlighting and imprinting designs above and below the fabric. The pareo can hug your body as close as you want or flow freely in the slightest breeze.

New color for Mahana Pareo - Brown Tapa

You might have noticed that we change up some of the colors for the Mahana Pareo from time to time. It's an evolving product as we continue to learn and perfect the process of making the pareos and mixing colors.

We just introduced a new color - Brown Tapa. It's not the brightest color, nor is it an intense color. However, after working on other recent projects that have required "natural" texture and a call to make them look "Polynesian" we realized that we hadn't offered a brown in our growing pareo offerings. It's not that we've gotten many requests for it, but we felt that we needed to offer it. If nothing more, we want to offer a more authentic color that would have been found in ancient Polynesia.

With this new color, we are adding in a new texture to the Mahana pareos. The Mahana pareos are created with photo sensitive dyes and placing various opaque stencils to create a subtle contrast. Many of our pareos are also multi-colored as well. Sea salt is added to absorb the dye and create "specks" for more texture. The stencils have added a definitive touch to make them Tahitian, however they are only a 2-D element. Adding in real palm leaves with their natural curves and their tendency to do everything but lay flat, creates an almost-not-there watermark that lends to an even more authentic look. Because the leaves are three dimensional, when we lay the pareos in the sun to dry and set, the leaves leave darker areas where they are closest to the fabric and lighter and less defined areas where the leaves are raised from the fabric. It creates a more natural organic feel to the pareo design.

A chiffon feel and weight to the 100% cotton Mahana pareo lends to the natural feel. It's a natural fabric and gets nice and soft after multiple washings much the same that real fine tapa feels. The new color-Brown Tapa is an exciting addition for us. It's so reminiscent of a more elegant, nostalgic and simpler time in the South Pacific.

Tahitian Pareo questions

Three of the pareo styles that we offer are all made of 100% cotton of different weights. The heaviest is the Heiva Hibiscus. It is made of a high threadcount of cotton sheeting. The Mahana is more of a chiffon weight, light and airy. And the Tehani is in the middle. It is a broadcloth. When you go shopping for your pareo it all depends on what you are really looking for.

The Mahana pareo is the only one that is hand dyed. It's varying colors and motifs are the result of a photo sensitive dye process that fixes the colors into the fabric depending on how much heat and light it receives. Sea salt that is thrown on the fabric absorbs colors and creates texture to the design.

The Heiva Hibiscus pareo is based on classic Tahitian motifs. Many prints in the past were printed on a polyester and cotton blend. We've decided to stay away from the polyester.

The Tehani pareo is all our own. It's one of the most "Tahitian" that we're proud of. Tehani is based on the Tahitian tiare, Hawaiian lauae and Marquesan tattoo inspirations. The fabric is just the right weight (we think it is) and has a nice balance of weight and durability.

Our last pareo is made of rayon. We've had request after request for rayon and we intend on making a new design in the future on rayon or one of the above in a rayon version. The Tiare pareo is a handmade work of art. Each is screened by hand. The only fabric more softer is silk.

Hope this helps in making your decision when visiting our Black Pearl Designs website.

The Tehani Pareo - Tahitian Design Beachwear and More

After months of design work and production, our Tehani design is finally here. Putting together a Tahitian Pareo has paid off. We've got a great design and I think our customers, old and new, will love it. We're offering it in our classic pareo, mini pareo, pareo set, and fabric by-the-yard. It's a soft fabric - 100% cotton broadcloth. This is a change from our Heiva Hibiscus fabric. It's lighter and drapes more freely. The weight is lighter and softer. It has a feel between the high end rayon and our heavy duty cotton sheeting.

The Tehani Pareo is being offered in five great colors - Arii Red, Mango Orange, Yellow Bounty, Green Tiare, and Poehere Blue. Full size pareos are $14, mini pareos are $7.50, pareo sets (one each of full size and mini pareos) are $21 and fabric by-the-yard is $6 and up.

The timing is perfect. With summer rapidly approaching, it's easy to see that this pareo will fit in perfectly with your beach activities, casual get togethers and those lazy days in the house, yard and wherever comfort is a priority.

The new Tahitian pareo - Tehani will be available starting Monday, April 7, 2008 exclusively online at our website - Black Pearl Designs. Pre orders will be available shortly online.

Putting together a Tahitian pareo design, Part V

Colors are looking great! Here's a sneak peek at our new Tehani Pareo, Black Pearl Designs original artwork. After working with the colors, tweaking and retweaking, we finally came up with colors that we are more than excited about. The five colors that ended up the winners – Arii Red, Mango Orange, Yellow Bounty, Green Tiare and Poehere Blue. It was a difficult task to narrow down the choices. We're excited even more because we know we have other exotic colorways to choose from for our reprint next year.

The reason it took so long is that the printing company didn't exactly use pantone colors that would standardize the process. So going back and forth with the printer was a little long. In the end we finally "eyeballed" the colors, tints and shades from printouts. The actual design had been finished long before. The colors, however, were the hold up.

Off to the printing press. The next step will be to approve the strike offs. The strike offs are samples of each of the colors. This is a critical step that can make all the work done up to now pay off or it can really delay the project. We have five colorways. But the printing company does tropical prints all the time and they are used to island style prints. I'm not too worried...

The strike off should be getting to us within the next week at the latest and so we'll hopefully approve everything and send it back for the full order. We hope to get the fabric by mid December. Pretty much too late for Christmas but a great way to start the new year off with a bang.

Before final approval, there are a few details that we need to take care of such as the border - no border, no name printed on the selvage or top of the roll. We principally make pareos with the material so an extra cut along the top of the pareo is not exactly desired. We also need to verify the fabric style which is 100% cotton broadcloth in this case. Just to remind everyone, we chose this fabric because of it's quality, draping attribute, natural material and comfort. And lastly the delivery location will be verified.

One thing we won't have to worry about is dealing with the customs office. The printing company has a clearing house and the fees are already built into the costs. So no headaches and worries about this step is very welcome.

All in all, we're just eagerly waiting for the strike offs and the arrival of the full order.

Tahitian pareo to make space trip

(Tahitipresse) - A Tahitian "pareo", or wraparound, with messages from young people around the world is due to make a trip into outer space next February aboard the Endeavor space shuttle.

Called "Manareva", this operation launched by Tahiti's Te Mana o te Moana Association and the youth group "Union Polynésienne Pour la Jeunesse" (UPJ) is aimed at make the world's young people aware of the need to protect the Earth.

Read the full story at Tahiti Presse

Putting together a Tahitian pareo design, Part IV

I wish everything about this project would go smoothly. But, you know, we live in an imperfect world. In meeting with the fabric manufacturer this past week, I was reminded that there are many interpretations to color. Tones and hues can be interpreted in a wide variety of colorful options. The Tehani pareo design is definitely Tahitian inspired but the colors are influenced by more modern conservative palettes. I asked for tonal variations of blue, green, yellow and orange. I also asked for a traditional Tahitian red and a black and white mock up. Leaving, I also mentioned some typically loud Tahitian colors might also be a possibility for the fifth color. What I got on the proofs was not exactly what I was looking for.

We're looking to do 5 colorways for our Tehani pareo design. The 100% cotton fabric broadcloth will be printed and manufactured in Japan. Delivery is hopefully going to be early December (cross your fingers).

The only color proof that I liked and what I thought all of you would like is the blue. The rest did not pass my first impression test. The green and orange proofs for some reason had a very noticeable yellow. I've asked that the yellow be changed to a tone of the dominant colors respectively. The background, or ground on each was nice but I'm not sure if they fit right and unfortunately we won't know until we get the new proofs. For some reason, on the yellow design, the artist decided to put in a dark brown for contrast. I just plain didn't like that choice. Obviously, I asked that to be removed and replaced with a tone of yellow.

A red colorway just didn't work for me either. Although creative, it just didn't create any interest. Changes to a more traditional Tahitian red design were requested. But I guess the most perplexing proof was the black and white. I figured that would be the easiest one of them all. We had discussed adding in a tone to give more contrast and we decided on a touch of blue. What we got back turned out to be overwhelmingly dark and... green? Where did the green come from? I asked for lightening up the background to help contrast the leaves. And the green has to go. We'll see if this one is going to make the final cut.

Overall we were 1 for 6. Not a great statistic but I'm optimistic and determined. After all, the deposit is already paid and a substantial investment in time and money can't be abandoned. Sounds familiar? It's like every other investment. But with planning, and familiarity with the design team and a good track record, we're going to get this out to the public.

It's not an option to leave this unfinished. We have dance groups, Heiva competitions and our own customers at Black Pearl Designs just waiting for our new print, not to mention new colors to choose from.

Putting together a Tahitian pareo design, Part III

Our Heiva Hibiscus Pareo design is a classic. It's so much a classic that we are making the Tehani Pareo a "sister" to our staple. Why is it a classic. Well, for one thing, it was created to give the look and feel of the traditional way of printing pareos in Tahiti. Basically, in the old days, pareos were printed one by one. A piece of fabric was laid out flat and a large screen was placed on top and ink was applied. For more complicated and multicolored pareos, more than one screen was used one after the other. It was a long and labor intensive process. However, the outcome was well worth it.

Even before the silk screen method, there was the wood cut method. This was done with a carved wood cut or a series of wood cuts. Ink was applied and transferred to the fabric in a variety of ways. As each was done by hand, the varying pressure that was applied created slightly different prints. Each pareo was unique.

The new Tehani pareo design mimics these organic and artistic methods of manual printing. It pays homage to the old traditional ways but also updates the look with some smooth lines and a modern tiare flower. The detail and precision of the tiare flower would not have been possible using the old methods. So without further delay, we are giving a sneak peak of round 3 of the Tehani pareo design. The design features the tiare flower and a stylized traditional Tahitian tattoo treatment of the tiare leaves and lauae leaves. We should note that this is not the final draft and that we are working on a couple refinements before we send it off to the printer.

Putting together a Tahitian pareo design, Part II

Decisions, decisions, decisions. If you only knew how many places fabric is manufactured. For our new Tehani pareo design we have several options to choose from. We decided to work with a company we used to print the Heiva Hibiscus pareos. It was a fairly easy decision as we work with the company all the time. There are competitors with comparable prices but it always helps to work with the same company for consistency. Building those relationships of trust is a key factor. From there you can also build a credit history with the company and work on terms that will benefit in the long run.

We have decided to use the 100% cotton broadcloth. This is a change from our Heiva Hibiscus fabric. It's lighter and drapes more freely. It has a feel between the high end rayon and our heavy duty cotton sheeting. Once we decided on the fabric, we had the option to pick where it would be printed. The fabric company has textile plants in Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan and specializes in Hawaiian and Polynesian prints. We were given samples of the cotton broadcloth from each of the plants and interestingly enough there were subtle differences in the feel of each. China seemed to be ever so slightly lighter in weight which might account for the lower price. Indonesia had prints that were a more softer feel. Malaysia seems to use more ink but that could be just the fabric sample we received. Which leaves Japan with a more nicer sheen on the end product.

So which one did we choose? We chose Japan. Although not quite as soft as Indonesia, it definitely competes. Quality is great and an added bonus is that we don't have to print as much yardage per color. The usual minimum is 1000 yards per color. The Japanese however only require 600 yards per color. This translates into more colors that we are able to offer. Another factor we considered is the chance of piracy. The other countries are notorious for piracy. Although we've never had that problem and the company we work with has strict control, you never know if it could happen. It seems less likely to happen in Japan.

All these factors played into our decision and we think it is in our best interest and our customers best interest to proceed with our fabric production in Japan. We'd love to print in the USA but costs seem prohibitive. Although, we admit we haven't researched it thoroughly. So if there is a competitive American fabric textile company out there, we'd love to explore the option.

New Mahana Pareo color

As if we didn't have enough already to work on. We just added a new color - Rehu Ash Gray. It features honu (turtle) and our signature Hawaiian salt effect. The dyes react and are absorbed by the Hawaiian salt creating a natural variation in hue. With our model Poehere, we couldn't help but think this is one of our best yet. I admit, I'm a little bias. I love the silver/gray look.

But you can't help feel that the gray look in combination with a black top, Black Pearl necklace and earrings and the finishing touch of our new Tehani Tiare black pearl shell belt is a classic casual elegant look. If you want to dress up knowing that it will be on the warm side, this Mahana Pareo can be tied as a skirt. Tie off on your preferred side and tie the belt over to help secure. Add a tiare flower in your hair (right side if you are available, left side if you are involved or taken). After this, you'll all be wearing your flower on your left. Add a strappy pair of shoes and you're set for an elegant and casual evening.

Putting together a Tahitian pareo design, Part I

It's been a long time coming but we are well under way on our newest pareo. Our Heiva Hibiscus Pareo is so popular and timeless that we just had to see if we could add to it or better yet, complement it. Almost 4 years ago we took the Heiva Hibiscus Pareo and brought it to the public. It was in a single shop and has (and still is) been used as a uniform for the Polynesian Cultural Center. Now, new colors have been introduced and old standards have been brought back and revitalized. The success and your urging has brought us to this current development.

I've been drawing and making notes, tearing out pages in magazines and taking photos of designs and inspirations for this new pareo. We, at Black Pearl Designs, are tentatively calling it the Tehani Tiare Pareo, but we might shorten that to just Tehani Pareo. We'd love input on this. Feel free to let us know your feelings on it. Tehani translates to - the sweet-smelling caress of flowers. And obviously we are featuring the tiare flower in this design.

The design is a "sister" to the Heiva Hibiscus Pareo. That's the way we described it to our design team. It has many of the same feelings and textures but is different in that instead of the hibiscus it features a truly Tahitian icon, the tiare. Once we finalize the design we'll work on colors. We have 5 colorways that we are working on but again, we are open to suggestions and requests.

One other element that will be different from the Heiva Hibiscus Pareo is the fabric. The Heiva Hibiscus Pareo is printed on 100% cotton sheeting. The cotton sheeting is a high-quality, heavy cotton and even heavier on some colors because of the amount of ink that is used to color. For instance, the tropic blue is much heavier than the hibiscus white as the white background is already there to start with. The Heiva Hibiscus Pareo is printed using 5 colors. The new Tehani Pareo is also using 5 colors as well. It will be printed on 100% cotton broadcloth with a 40/40 thread count (133 x 72). The broadcloth is softer, gives a little and drapes better. It's not as heavy duty as the cotton sheeting but for making pareos, it works wonders. It retains color nicely and has a subtle sheen that we think will complement the design nicely.

Creating a Mahana Pareo

There's more to pareo than just color. Back in the early 1980's there were a few Tahitians in Hawaii who were looking for new ways to make a living. They cherished their native culture and wanted to find a new way to share their culture. Lo and behold the idea was wrapped around them the whole time.

The Tahitian pareo has been around for a very long time. From its modest and practical origins, the pareo evolved from Tahitian tapa which adorned and clothed the islanders before European contact. A tiputa poncho, pareu and maro were the forerunners of post-European dress in the islands. The history and origins of the modern day pareo has gone through changes throughout the ages. It progressed from manual printing, block printing and modern textile printing. Yet the art and creativity still remains the core.

Auntie Ura has kept this art alive and well. She is one of the few who have continued this artform. It's an art she is most proud of and enjoys making and knowing that others enjoy her work as much as she does. Originally from Tahiti, she has spent a large part of her life in Hawaii. She has made pareos for almost 30 years. We're blessed to be able to have her create her "Mahana" pareos for us here at Black Pearl Designs.

With a creative flair, Auntie Ura prewashes the fabric and dyes the pareos in photo sensitive dyes, which were introduced from merchants visiting Tahiti from France. It is a unique dye that when exposed to sunlight, creates a fabric effect similar to the batik and tie dye. This, however, can be a softer look. Anything placed on top of the dyed fabric will leave a lighter impression. Anything under the fabric will leave a darker impression.

One of the fun effects that can change the pareos' appearance is the use of Hawaiian sea salt. When spread out over the pareo, it absorbs some of the dye to create variations in the dye intensity. Combine it with leaves and flower silhouettes with intricate patterns, and you have a totally unique piece of wearable art. The pareos are laid out in the sun until the dye is set and then dried on clothes lines using the cool tradewinds. It's a Kodak moment as you pass by watching all the pareos drying flapping in the wind.

Together with all the labor and time that goes into making these pareos and mother nature, each Mahana Pareo is a unique piece of wearable art. Pareo making is one of Tahiti's only surviving folk arts. It is heartening to have visitors in Tahiti purchase the handmade pareos to help the traditions of the native people live on.

Hot Mahana Pareo

The Mahana Pareo is the beach fashion of the summer

What's hot? Do you really need to ask? With summer coming right around the corner, beachwear is a must for upcoming vacations. Here in Hawaii we have warm sunny days all year, but especially during summer. Long white sandy beaches, cool refreshing surf and an unending supply of monoi coconut oil to keep your skin looking great. But what to wear? Whatever you decide you can always add on to show a bit of fashion. That's where the Mahana Pareo comes in.

Aptly named, the Mahana (sun) Pareo originated in Tahiti within the last three or four decades. Created with photo sensitive dyes, tropical themed silhouette motifs, traditional island sea salt and the warm rays of the sun, the Mahana Pareo is the hottest thing on the beach. They are one of a kind works of art.

As much as they are warmed by the sun, they are soft and comfortable to wear. Made of 100% light weight cotton, these light and airy pareos are convenient as well. Lighter in weight than our signature Heiva Hibiscus Pareo, the Mahana Pareo is fast becoming a favorite among our friends.

If you have trouble selecting colors, don't worry. Black Pearl Designs is always adding in colors and can do custom work upon request. The wait is minimal (after all, all we need is sunny skies and a flair for creativity) for custom orders. Ask us. We're more than happy to hear from you.

New Pareo Tying Style - Tahaa

With Summer fast approaching comes a wave of new pareo ties. And we promise to bring a few new ones for our readers, pareo enthusiasts, dancers and collectors in the coming months.

If you've noticed, we've recently introduced our Mahana Pareo at our Black Pearl Designs website. It's a traditional style that has been around for decades. Funny thing though, no one got around to creating a name for it. So it was from many hours of making the pareos and countless hours discussing its attractive attributes that we most appropriately called this style - Mahana - meaning... sun.

Mahana pareos are created by using photo sensitive dyes, tropic motifs, island salts and light from the sun. They are handmade works of art. Each unique. Each of the colors are hand dyed. Along with sea salt and themed silhouette, the pareos are dried in the sun to lock in the colors.

Here is a first look at the first pareo tying style we are featuring using the Mahana Pareo - Tahaa. Tahaa is known as the "vanilla island." Over 75% of all the vanilla that is produced in Tahiti is from Tahaa. The aroma is intoxicating and its scent permeates everywhere you go on the tiny island. Its sister island Raiatea might be more well known, but its every bit as beautiful. So as we expand our style guide, we share this island inspired tying style.

Start off by wrapping the pareo lenthwise around your body, holding the two ends in front of you. From there, move your hands about a foot or so along the top of the pareo close to your chest. Allow the ends to fall and twist once to create an easy tie. Next, reach down to the open ends and bring them together in front.

From there, you fold twice to create a pleat. Bring the pleat flat to your chest and tuck into the top of the pareo above the knot.

There you go. Simple, fun and easy to create.

While you are enjoying your pareo tying accomplishment, we're delighted to announce that we will be introducing two new pareos this summer. Introducing our our first rayon pareo - the Tiare Pareo. Look for it coming shortly. Our second pareo will be coming later this summer. We're still working out the colors and material, but it will be available soon as well. We're excited for both and excited to let our readers know first of these developments.

Is it a sarong or a pareo?

Does it even matter what you call your wrap around? Well, the short answer is yes.

Imagine walking down a street in Bali, Jakarta, or even New Delhi. A street vendor shows you a selection of "Tahitian Pareos". How can this be? I'm sure the appeal of the design is there. The texture is probably so smooth you have to catch yourself daydreaming about relaxing on a deserted beach being pampered with scented coconut oil and a refreshing pina colada at your side. The ambiance of those exotic places lend to the appeal of the wraparound. Those wraparounds are in fact "Sarongs", not "Pareos".

The origins and process from which the Indonesian Sarong is made is called "Batik". The bright colors, bold patterns and vivid artwork showcase Indonesian inspired motifs. Batik is a dying process that involves labor intensive processes and hard work. There are many great sources describing this process available in libraries and on the internet.

A Tahitian Pareo however, can trace its origins from a totally different source. The tapa cloth of central Polynesia is the forerunner of today's pareo. It's amazing that even though the sarong and the pareo came from different sources, they both share a remarkable similarity in today's culture. The Tahitian Pareo came about after the western explorers introduced fabric textiles to the Tahitian royalty. As more and more western ships arrived, more commercial traders arrived with new materials and goods. They inspired the Tahitians to creatively decorate their new "clothing" similarly to how they decorated their tapa.

Local fauna was a favorite motif and in more recent times, Marquesan tattoos have also become a very visible addition. Originally the designs were placed on the pareo using ferns and flowers pressed in ink and transferred by pressing down on the pareo as desired. Later, block prints were created. And still later screen printing simulating block prints have created an "ancient" look. Today, still another method is being used as well. Textile production has expanded to specialize in ethnic prints including Tahitian.

Another method Tahitian Pareo are being made today is somewhat similar to the batik method. Our very own Mahana Pareo is an example of this method. With photo-sensitive dyes, the fabric is dyed while being tied and twisted to create an "organic" and "natural" free-flowing texture and design. This is similarly done with the Caribbean's "Tie-dye" method. Island salt is lightly sprinked to absorb some of the dye and Tahitian and tropical motifs dye-cuts are placed on the pareo according to the artists' desires. All that needed is a sunny sky and patience.

A main difference between the pareo and the sarong comes from the origins from which they have developed. Motifs and color choices also play into the identity of the wraparound. In places such as Hawaii and the Caribbean, these differences have become somewhat blurred. But there are many out there who can tell the difference and who are searching for the authentic. Black Pearl Designs is committed to bring more and more authentic Tahitian goods to its audience. Maururu.