Meet Amber Thibaut | Founder of Coco Moon Hawaii & Mother of Two

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Thibaut and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
1% of all purchases is donated directly to non-profits doing powerful work on the ground here in Hawaii—helping local families thrive, preserving our cherished islands, and building a web of positive influence around our kids. Since 2017, Coco Moon has helped more than 30 local organizations support the health of our communities, environment, and children.

Over the last two years, Coco Moon Hawaii has used our Giving Back program to donate to Kapiʻolani Medical Center’s NICU — an organization that hits close to home for us.

As a company rooted in the culture and spirit of Hawaii and all things babies, it was only fitting that we help support some of the most vulnerable babies of Hawaii in any way that we can. And the Kapiʻolani NICU was the perfect way for us to do just that.

When we say the Kapiʻolani Medical Center is amazing and crucial to our community, we mean it. They are the only Level 3 Pediatric Center serving Hawai’i and the Pacific Region, which means that families and babies from neighboring islands have access to high quality, critical care services if needed. Hawai’i is one of the most remote places in the world, and having a NICU this advanced in our region has given so many babies a fighting chance and helped many families bring their precious keiki home.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Coco Moon designs buttery-soft baby essentials inspired by memories of my childhood in Hawaii. I am a mom to two boys and founded Coco Moon shortly after having my second child and after realizing that there weren’t any high quality, genuinely designed, island inspired products for families on the market. Coco Moon is known for our buttery soft fabrics and vibrant, modern designs that help you create beautiful memories with your ‘ohana (family). We hear time and time again about the special place our products find in the homes and hearts of families all over the world – they often become more than a blanket or a onesie, but a treasured keepsake that is not only beautifully designed, but also gentle on baby’s sensitive skin, brings them comfort, and helps them sleep better at night.

One of the things I’m most proud about is that Coco Moon donates 1% of all sales to local non-profits through our giving program. Giving back to the community is one of my greatest joys as a business owner.

I also love that we are able to genuinely share the stories of Hawaii. One such story is woven into our blankets that feature a traditional Hawaiian Quilt design. The time-honored tradition of Hawaiian quilt making has deep roots here in Hawaiʻi as treasured family heirlooms. Though I did not grow up with a Hawaiian quilt in my childhood home, I had a deep respect and appreciation for them and dreamed of one day creating a modern Hawaiian quilt created specifically with baby in mind. Enter master quilter Patricia Lei-Murray, who has been stitching stories into nuanced textiles for over 30 years. She has authored 2 books on the art of Hawaiian quilting, taught countless workshops and has created over 125 quilts for the likes of local families, quilt aficionados and even sentimental pieces like the Hawaiian flag quilt dedicated to Queen Liliʻuokalani which hangs in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. We worked with her to design a quilt that was not only beautiful, but infused with love and the depth of Hawaiian tradition.

Getting Coco Moon to where it is today was no means an easy feat. One of the best and hardest parts of being a business owner is that things are constantly changing. Just as you’re getting comfortable, things get flipped on their head and you have to relearn a skill or adapt to a change in the world. It can feel really daunting at times. One of the things that has helped me navigate the ever changing business landscape is to adopt a mindset centered around curiosity. Rather than viewing things on a black and white scale of success or failure, I now try to look at things as an experiment. Success or failure isn’t a unit of measurement when experimenting. Rather we are learning, growing, and developing a better understanding of our customers, our business, and ourselves. This has been a big change in mindset that has alleviated a lot of the stress and pressure I put on myself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I was born and raised on Maui, so I always love sharing about my beautiful island home.

I love the Winter months on Maui as the weather is still beautiful but not quite as hot and the wind is usually lighter, which makes for great beach days.

If you do travel during the Winter months, be sure to go whale watching. I recommend going on a smaller boat because it moves faster and can respond quicker to whale sightings. This means you can see more whales and get closer to them (while obeying all laws and safety rules of course).

Another great Winter activity is to watch people surfing as the waves are usually bigger during the winter. Hookipa or Honolua Bay are great places to stop and watch people surfing. On your way to Hookipa, I would stop in Paia to do some shopping and also to grab a bite to eat. Paia has an eclectic mix of shops that are some of the best on the island and there are a handful of great restaurants there too.

If you continue past Hookipa, you can head all the way to Hana. The road to Hana is famed for how lush and beautiful it is. However it’s also known to be narrow with lots and lots of turns. So if you head out that way, take your time and stop often. The best part about Hana is the road to get there.

Another popular spot is Haleakala National Park – everyone comes for the sunrises, but the sunsets are just as gorgeous, but not as crowded.

Favorite places to eat:

Hula Grill
Merriman’s Kapalua
Maui Brewing Company Kihei – you can also get a tour of the brewery here, which is fully powered by solar and is the state’s largest local brewery
Monkeypod Kitchen
Tin Roof Maui
Ululani’s Shave Ice

Favorite beaches:
Kapalua Bay
Napili Bay
White Rock

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to shoutout Toccara of Karizma Marketing. Her creativity and confidence in Coco Moon really allowed us to take the leaps of faith needed to get the business where it is today.

Website: www.cocomoonhawaii.com

Instagram: @coco_moon_hawaii

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-thibaut-731545178/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cocomoonhawaii