Leis are beautiful and symbolic Hawaiian gifts that can express various emotions, from love and appreciation to honoring something in someone’s life or celebrating an important event like graduation. A gorgeous ginger lei can help show someone just how much they mean to us! Whether celebrating an important anniversary or simply showing support, leis are an elegant and gorgeous way to show how much care and concern there is between two people.
Ribbon leis are timeless gifts of aloha that endure. This easy-to-follow visual guide shows you how to design ribbon lei designs inspired by local floral favorites like pikake, ilima, hinahina and white ginger for lasting impression.
Lei-making requires both careful handiwork and skilled artistry. While some lei can be strung quickly in just five minutes, others can require several hours’ worth of harvesting and pruning before weaving, knotting, braiding or knotteding of materials to produce their final form. Three of the most popular ways of creating lei are: Kui (straight line strung materials end to end); Haku (plaited materials); and Wili (wrapping around each other).
Although traditional kika leis are traditionally made from fragrant fern leaves, other flowers and seeds make lovely additions to a lei design. Roses, tulips, carnations, tuberose, ginger root and orchids are among those often included for bridal and graduation leis.