About Fresh Lei

E lei kau, e lei ho` oilo i ke aloha.

Love is worn like a wreath through the summers and the winters.

Nothing says “ALOHA” like a fresh flower lei…

From weddings to graduations, memorials to grand openings or simply to share some aloha, we’re happy to help you select the perfect lei for your occasion. There is such a wide variety of lei it’s impossible to display them all online but on our “order lei” page you’ll find a wide selection of our most popular and consistently available ones. If there is a particular lei you’d like but don’t see it there feel free to phone us with questions. We can get most any lei that’s in season and that the authorities will allow off the islands.

Our lei are made by kama’aina (local Hawai’i) folks using the tropical flowers, leaves, and seeds that abound on the islands and are flown to us weekly. Given that lei are an important part of Hawaiian culture we feel it’s important that our lei come directly from Hawai’i and support Hawaiian traditions, vendors and farmers.

Some of our aloha-ful lei makers:

Answers to Common Lei Questions:

Do we need to order or do you have lei readily available?

We do our best to keep a selection of lei on hand for (if you roll like I do) last-minute gift ideas and spontaneous surprises, so it’s never too late to call but it’s also never too early to pre-order! Just give us a call before the Sunday of the week you need your lei and we’ll make sure it’s here for you!

When do they arrive and how long do they last?

Our plumeria lei arrive fresh on Wednesday mornings and last really well through Sunday (except during Summer months). All other lei arrive on Thursdays and last just as long. During busy times of the year or for particularly large orders we often bring our lei in on Fridays and Saturdays as well.

How long do they last?

All flowers differ, but generally they will last three to four days in the refrigerator. Once a lei is worn, it depends on how many hugs the wearer receives and how much dancing is going on. 😉 Generally people wear them once or twice (refrigerating in-between) and then hang them somewhere special so they can enjoy the fragrance for days.

Is there a specific lei for certain occasions?

Historically the native Hawaiians did and still do use certain flowers and lei for different events. The scope of meanings is too vast to cover here but we do have books to recommend in our “Book/Puke” sections. In the greater, multi-culture population of Hawaii today most any lei is welcomed at any event. The meaning and intent often come from the heart of the giver. Some long-standing traditions that still hold true are the maile lei for graduations, weddings, business openings, blessings and other major life events. Pikake has long been the wedding flower, but because of its fragility many people have begun to substitute tuberose, crown flower or white orchid.

Are some lei for men and others for women?

Again, historically the native Hawaiians did have specific foods and flowers that were specific to certain genders. Today, however, men and women wear most all lei interchangeably.

Fragrances and allergies: All of our lei and flowers come with only the natural scents they were born with. This cuts down on A LOT of the issues people have with artificial scents. For those who still have an aversion to floral scents or will be stuffed up for their entire party we certainly have fragrance free options. All dendrobium orchid leis are fragrance and pollen free.

Discounts: We do offer discounts on ten or more lei when you order at least one week in advance. To receive the discounts, please call us at the store and we will be happy to assist you. The breakdown on discounts is as follows:

10-25 10% off

26-50 15% off

51-100 20% off

Shipping: All our prices include shipping to our store. If you’d like us to have the lei sent elsewhere we’re happy to do it but there will be an additional shipping cost that will vary depending on the number of leis and zip code of the delivery address. Just give us a call and we’ll be happy to give you a quote.