By luke alo
When Provo mom Jackie Rawlins engages in active water sports, two problems plague her: the immodesty of the bathing suits and how ill-suited they are for water sports.
That''s why Rawlins, a mother of four, developed Ohana Swimwear, a new line of bathing suits designed to address those issues for women.
'You get on the jet ski, and you put on your life jacket,' Rawlins said. 'You don''t have much else on when you''re wearing a regular swimsuit.'
For BYU female students, the issue of modesty is not a new one.
'I think it''s definitely important to be modest,' said Sarah Ebbert, a senior from Allen, Texas, majoring in math education.
The idea of modesty coupled with a swimming suit adapted for water sports is an appealing one for students like Ebbert.
'These days, the majority of swimming suits aren''t modest,' Ebbert said. 'You want something more comfortable.'
The new suits come in four different styles that resemble wet suits but are lighter and cooler, according to a press release. The suit material is 20 percent spandex and 80 percent nylon.
Rawlins thought of the idea three years ago when she realized that women''s swimming suits don''t accommodate the active woman.
She explained the religious side to the concept of Ohana Swimwear
After preparing a family home evening lesson on modesty, her family discussed some of the areas where people don''t think they need to be modest, and swimming suits came up.
'That next morning I woke up at about 4:30, and I kept thinking about it,' Rawlins said.
The term Ohana is Hawaiian for family, and Ohana Swimwear hopes to cater to active families who want to be more modest, she said.
'I came up with the name,' Rawlins explained. 'I wanted something that had to with family, and I wanted something that was island feeling, and I said isn''t Ohana Hawaiian for family.'
Currently, the innovative swimsuit company only offers women''s bathing suits but is looking to expand to the whole family within the next few years, including teen swimwear next year.
Children''s swimwear is in the works as well.
'You can''t just go buy a swimsuit any more because they''re trying to make them look a lot older,' Rawlins said of little girls'' bathing suits.
Thus far, the feedback has been positive. Rawlins received more than 250 personal e-mails during the first week the product became available. The vast majority expressed enthusiasm and even gratitude for the new product.
By focusing on a sporty, surfer look, Rawlins said she hopes the suits appeal to those looking for more modesty and suits that better handle water sports.
To find out more about Ohana Swimwear, check out www.ohanaswimwear.com.