Registered domain Pinoybuilt.com

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Maui, Hawaii • 2011-03-29. There are no 'Filipino Strength' t-shirts in Maui: How a family vacation and a search for local threads birthed the PinoyBuilt brand. Filipino-American, Pinoy Built, Maui, Lapu-Lapu, Filipino Strength
MAUI, HAWAII • MARCH 29, 2011

There are no 'Filipino Strength' t-shirts in Maui

Who wants a Pinoy Built t-shirt? Bridging the gap between island inspiration and cultural identity.

My family and I are vacationing in Maui for the first time, and like any good traveler, I went in with a mission: to find the perfect shirt. I planned on getting 'FILIPINO STRENGTH' t-shirts, just as I had done when I had vacationed in Oahu. But I quickly found out that those specific tees are only available in Honolulu.

Lapu-Lapu Filipino Warrior Concept
Lapulapu, first Filipino hero. A potential PinoyBuilt logo? • Photo © J.F.R. Perseveranda.

🇵🇭 Tagalog WOD

Lakas: Strength. In the diaspora, our lakas comes from honoring our roots while building our own paths in new lands.

🔎 Island Threads

Checked out the Maui Built store for some local apparel—heavy inspiration for what a Filipino version could look like.

The lack of local Filipino apparel got me thinking: maybe I can start a 'Filipino Built' brand. When I ran the idea by my aunt, she thought the name was a bit too long. Taking her advice to heart, I shortened it to Pinoy Built.

I officially registered the domain name on March 29, 2011. Now, the real work begins. If anyone has an idea for a 'Pinoy Built' logo, let me know. I'm currently leaning toward a Lapu-Lapu design for our very first drop.

🇵🇭 Fil-Am Trivia

Did you know? Lapu-Lapu is widely celebrated as the first Filipino hero for resisting Spanish colonization in 1521. Using his image for "Pinoy Built" connects modern strength to ancestral bravery.

J.F.R. Perseveranda

Author & Photographer: J.F.R. Perseveranda

J.F. (Jonjo) left the Philippines at age nine, spending a lifetime bridging the gap between his Marikina roots and his Chicago/Vallejo upbringing. A proud Hogan Spartan from East Vallejo and resident of LA/SF, he founded PinoyBuilt not just as a digital archive, but as a cultural compass for his three children to navigate their heritage, language, and identity with Pinoy Pride.

Comments

  1. J.F.R. PerseverandaMarch 14, 2026 at 10:23 AM

    Updated post. I registered Pinoybuilt.com on 3/29/2011! 15 YEARS; time flies.

    ReplyDelete

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