The striped t-shirt is timeless. It\u2019s a summer staple: easy, familiar, and always right at home by the water. Its story begins with a clear purpose \u2014 stripes were originally designed for life at sea. At Rapanui, that relationship with the coast still shapes what we make: products for life outdoors, made from natural materials and designed to be remade \u2014 a reflection of where we live and what we love.<\/p>
![\"isqj3vv9hfnp3dvrq6pfzsbjkdqxdaftppwbnpd81zgcftvb.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"](\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/isqj3vv9hfnp3dvrq6pfzsbjkdqxdaftppwbnpd81zgcftvb.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\")
In 1858, the French navy adopted the striped shirt as part of its official uniform. This wasn\u2019t about fashion \u2014 the bold, block pattern was practical: it made sailors easier to spot if they fell overboard. Tradition held that there were 21 stripes, one for each of Napoleon\u2019s victories, adding a layer of symbolism to its practical design. A product designed with purpose, directly responding to the demands of life on the water.<\/p>
That simplicity helped stripes move from ship to shore. Watermen worked in them, artists relaxed in them, and beach lovers embraced their casual charm. Stripes became shorthand for life by the sea.<\/p>
That\u2019s why we chose to design our own stripes. For us, it\u2019s about connection to place. Our stripe designs draw directly from our surroundings: soft greens reflecting seagrass meadows just offshore; burnt oranges mirroring sandstone cliffs; deep blues following sea and sky. Each colour reflects where we\u2019re from and how we live \u2014 a life shaped by tides, salt air, and the weather that comes in from the Atlantic.<\/p>
![\"ng9muvvmy3pmwptp5hkwocsy99uunfaudfjti2w6nztyznei.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"](\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/ng9muvvmy3pmwptp5hkwocsy99uunfaudfjti2w6nztyznei.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\")
And just as the original striped shirt was designed for the sea, everything we make is designed with that same respect for environment and purpose. We make our product using organic cotton, reduce emissions with renewable energy and design for circularity \u2014 so that what we create is durable, recyclable, and reduces harm from the outset.<\/p>
![\"gx2i9btpzs1me5rsen8siwuxn9bksxe8izavjqne2ys6gopp.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"](\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/gx2i9btpzs1me5rsen8siwuxn9bksxe8izavjqne2ys6gopp.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\")
Stripes belong outdoors. They\u2019re practical, enduring, and embedded in coastal life. The reason they work today is the same reason they worked then: thoughtful design, shaped by place and made for the conditions where they\u2019ll be worn.<\/p>
Stripes originated as a design for life at sea, and for us they still belong there. We draw colours from the landscape around us and build every product using natural materials designed to reduce impact on the places we love \u2014 including the sea.<\/p>
![\"fvm9lb2qzu0beagkkstuuwc2jgdclogxmkudxwnhzkaabl1a.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\"](\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/fvm9lb2qzu0beagkkstuuwc2jgdclogxmkudxwnhzkaabl1a.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\")
![\"joay7nhcopjd5k5xurkkm9jlitpquxrowug3n1qq7qmhakls.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\"](\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/joay7nhcopjd5k5xurkkm9jlitpquxrowug3n1qq7qmhakls.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&v=2\")