Eat it or wear it? Now you can do both.
An aloha shirt collab between Zippy's and Kahala — both of which are celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2026 — features custom artwork inspired by Zippy's menu.
Designed by Kahala and rendered in a chop suey-style composition, some of Zippy's signature plates, including the chili with rice bowl, Zip Pac and Zip Min, are illustrated along with local greetings like "howzit?!" and "shoots!"
You'll be able to snag a shirt at zippys.com beginning April 14 and at kahala.com and in stores starting April 21.
"At Zippy’s, we truly see ourself as a place where community meets and aloha is shared," Jessica Yamamoto, communications and social media manager for Zippy's, told Aloha State Daily in an email. "Similarly, these aloha shirts we created with Kahala are a product of two local, Hawai‘i-based companies coming together to share their love for this place we call home."
Yamamoto says the conversation between the companies started a year ago after the restaurant posted an Instagram reel.
"Kahala commented on that video and the rest is kind of history," she said. "We reached out to see if they’d be interested in making a collaboration shirt for us to help us celebrate our 60th anniversary and that’s also when we found out that Kahala would be celebrating their 90th anniversary. The collaboration and opportunity to create something special felt natural!"
The shirts will be offered in navy and island green, and each is made in Hawai‘i from 100% cotton broadcloth and finished in Kahala's signature styles, Zippy's said in an announcement Tuesday. They'll be available in men's, women's and keiki fits.
Men's shirts and women's blouses are $128 and keiki shirts are $68.
Both Zippy's and Kahala have been operating in the Islands for decades.
Brothers Francis and Charles Higa opened the first Zippy's Restaurant in Honolulu's McCully neighborhood in 1966. The chain marks its 60th anniversary this year.
Today, Zippy's has 26 locations across on O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai‘i Island and in Las Vegas. And if you're wondering, it sells more than 100 tons of its chili every month.
(ICYMI: Jason Higa, CEO of Zippy's parent company, FCH Enterprises, and Francis' son, recently spoke with ASD about the restaurant's origins, legacy and more. You can read that story here).
Zippy's, which will celebrate the milestone throughout the year, kicked off its anniversary celebration last month with the launch of a new line of 60th anniversary merch.
The collection, which you can find here, includes apparel and accessories inspired by the brand's evolving logos and design history.
Zippy's also will introduce limited-time menu offerings and a series of collaborations with Hawai‘i-based businesses throughout the year, including collabs with Kahala, Hawaiian Island Creations, FITTED Hawai‘i, Keiki Kaukau and others, a recent announcement noted. More will be announced through the year.
Meanwhile, Kahala, which was founded in Honolulu in 1936 and is the oldest operating apparel company in the Islands, celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2026. You can find its apparel and accessories at kahala.com or at six retail locations across the Islands.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
