About Us

Aloha & Light was founded in 2013 by Janel Santa Ana in Honolulu, Hawaii. The company was born somewhat by accident, as Janel was simply looking to satisfy her own need for a baby carrier that was functional, versatile, and fashionable. As a nature lover and frequent beach-goer, she also wanted something that could be used both in and out of water.

What she came up with was an innovative new ring sling design that offered unmatched support in a single layer of soft, breathable fabric; when combined with her artistic abilities for hand-dyeing and hand-painting the material, it resulted in something truly unique and beautiful. Friends asked where they could get one for themselves, and word-of-mouth quickly spread, leading to Janel setting up her own little Etsy shop — which ultimately grew in to the Shopify store you see now. In the years since, she has continued to develop beautiful, one-of-a-kind products.

Janel has had a passion for art since she was a teenager, frequently turning to painting as a creative and therapeutic outlet. She draws her artistic inspiration primarily from nature, as she finds that the most beautiful designs and combinations of colors occur naturally in our everyday experiences. From colorful sunrises and sunsets, to changing leaves on trees, to varying shades of blue in the ocean or colorful feathers on birds — Janel believes that Mother Nature is the ultimate artist.

While her artistic inspiration comes from her environment, her motivation comes from her family and in wanting to provide for them. As a mother of four beautiful boys who also love experimenting with color, and wife to a hard-working husband, Janel has turned Aloha & Light in to a true family business. Janel strives to live her life and to run her family business with the spirit of Aloha: love, modesty, harmony, kindness, humility and patience.

Thank you sincerely for your support of Aloha & Light. If you have a question, an idea, or just general feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out — we would love to hear from you!

Mahalo nui loa!