Aura Brand Stories: Style, Function & a Bigger Purpose

Sometimes the best ideas solve the simplest problems.

If you’re an athlete, or lets face it a woman, you know the hair tie struggle. You always need one. It ends up around your wrist, tossed into your gym bag, sitting in the cup holder of your car or disappearing right when you need it most. And that plain black hair tie around your wrist? Functional, yes. Cute? Not exactly.

That everyday problem is what inspired K’Lani and it’s one of the reasons I immediately saw a place for the brand at Aura. K’Lani took something women use all the time and turned it into something that is functional, fun and stylish. But as I learned more about the women behind the brand, I discovered there was much more to K’Lani than a cute hair tie.

The Story Behind K’Lani

K’Lani began in January 2021 with an ordinary moment.

Co-founder Monica was trying to tighten a braided bracelet while, as usual, a plain black hair tie sat next to it on her wrist. When the bracelet broke, she found herself wondering why a bracelet couldn’t be as easy and functional as the hair tie she already wore every day. That simple question stuck with her.

Monica eventually shared the idea with Katie, a graphic designer and photographer she believed would be the perfect partner to bring the concept to life. The two busy moms got to work designing, testing samples and developing what would eventually become the K’Lani hair tie bracelet. After about nine and a half months of development, K’Lani was born.

Today, their hair tie bracelets can be found in thousands of retail stores across the United States and Canada. And I love that such a successful brand started with something so simple: There has to be a better way.

It’s a Hair Tie. It’s a Bracelet. It’s Both.

That's really the beauty of K’Lani. The bracelets are cute enough to wear on your wrist but functional enough to pull your hair back when it’s time to practice, play, work out, or just get your hair out of your face. For female athletes, that makes so much sense. A K’Lani can go from your wrist to your ponytail and back again. And instead of one generic design, there are collections for different styles, sports, interests and team colors. That's one of the things I've enjoyed most about carrying K’Lani at Aura. There seems to be a set for everyone. We have Game Day colors for athletes and fans. Sport-inspired designs for everything from pickleball and tennis to golf. Sets with meaningful charms and messages. And styles that have nothing to do with sports at all, you simply wear them because you love them!

They've also become one of those fun products people notice at Aura pop-ups. Customers stop at the display, start looking through the different sets and inevitably find one that feels like them. But some K’Lani sets represent something much bigger.

Products With a Purpose

One of the things I look for when choosing brands for Aura is purpose. I want to know the story behind the company. What matters to them? What do they stand for? How are they using their brand to make an impact? K’Lani has made giving back part of its story by supporting community organizations and creating specific products connected to causes that matter to its founders. And one of those products has an especially personal story.

The Hope Set 💗

At first glance, the Hope Set is a beautiful collection of pink and silver hair tie bracelets, including a silver heart charm featuring the breast cancer awareness ribbon. But once you know the story behind it, the set means so much more. The Hope Set was inspired by Katie’s mom, who passed away from breast cancer at a young age. K’Lani created the set in her memory and as a way to bring hope and awareness to others whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. A portion of the proceeds from the Hope Set is donated to Susan G. Komen. I love that something so personal became an opportunity to honor Katie's mom while helping support others affected by the disease. Especially as we enter Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it's a reminder that behind the pink ribbons are real women, real families and real stories.

Hope is more than a color. It’s something we can share.

Giving Back in More Ways Than One

Hope isn't the only K’Lani collection with a purpose. The company has also supported organizations including Ronald McDonald House, Foster Utah and Hawaiicommunity.org, along with creating other cause-based sets. Their Protect set supports coastal and marine conservation through WildCoast.org. Journey supports the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and its work with sea turtles. And the Paws set supports the ASPCA and its work helping animals in need. I love seeing a brand find creative ways to connect products people enjoy with causes its founders genuinely care about. Because a product can be fun and meaningful. It doesn't have to be one or the other.

Why K’Lani Earned a Place at Aura

When I choose products for Aura, I keep coming back to the same questions:

Does it serve the female athlete or women who love sports?

Is it functional?

Does it help her express who she is?

Does the company behind it align with what Aura stands for?

K’Lani checks those boxes. Yes, they're hair ties. But they're also a small way for an athlete to show her personality, her sport, her team colors or something she cares about. They're practical enough to throw in a sports bag and cute enough to wear every day. And behind them are two women who took an everyday frustration, turned it into an idea and built something of their own. That part of the K’Lani story resonates with me, too.

The Little Things Can Make a Difference

At Aura, empowering female athletes and women in sports isn't always about the biggest piece of equipment or the newest performance technology. Sometimes it's the little things. A hair tie that's there when you need it. Team colors wrapped around your wrist. A charm that represents something you love. Or a pink bracelet that carries a story of remembrance, hope and giving back. That's why K’Lani belongs at Aura.

Functional. Fun. Meaningful. And created with purpose.

Aura Brand Stories shares the stories behind the brands we choose to carry at AuraAthletic Fit, who created them, the problem they're solving and why we believe they deserve a place in the lives of female athletes or women who love sports.

Explore K’Lani at AuraAthletic Fit
Because even the little things can help her feel confident, prepared and completely herself.