Asian Development Bank (ADB) Frontier Seed initiative in the Pacific has announced a USD$130,000 growth capital investment in Manini Wear, a Cook Islands-based contemporary fashion and lifestyle brand designing and retailing modern Pacific-inspired apparel. This marks ADB Frontier’s first investment in the Cook Islands and ADB’s first non-sovereign transaction.
The investment will support Manini to shift to lower-carbon ocean freight, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the company’s supply chain and expand its retail presence into Aitutaki bringing the Manini brand to an underserved market which receives approximately 40,000 visitors annually and is currently underserved by quality retail strengthening its long-term growth.
“The Pacific is home to some of the world’s most innovative and resilient entrepreneurs, and Manini is a testament to that. This investment reflects ADB Frontier’s commitment to backing locally owned businesses that are building industries from within that are creating jobs,” said Azusa Sato, Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office. “We are proud to make our first investment in the Cook Islands and to support a brand that is as purposeful as it is creative.”
While locally designed apparel is common across the Pacific, few brands offer the combination of high-quality fabrics, contemporary Pacific-inspired prints, and versatile designs. Designed in-house and produced using certified sustainable fabrics including ECOVERO, a biodegradable and compostable fibre derived from responsibly sourced wood, the brand offers something distinctive in the Pacific market: fashion with a genuine Pacific identity that is as purposeful as it is wearable. The dresses are produced through a women-owned and women-led manufacturing partner in Bali, where over 95 percent of workers are women, embedding gender inclusion across the supply chain from design to production.
“We started Manini because we wanted to create and express local fashion through a contemporary lens and in our own way; combining Pacific Island influences with a modern aesthetic that felt fresh, relevant, and unique. Since launching from our very first market stall in Rarotonga in 2019, that vision has been warmly embraced by our local people and international visitors alike. This partnership with ADB Frontier gives us the foundation to grow in the right way,” said Tara Tuarae-White, Co-Founder of Manini.
ADB Frontier’s approach is built around providing innovative and flexible financing like revenue-based financing that is tailored to the needs of small and growing enterprises ensuring businesses like Manini have the right support at the right stage of growth.
