The flowers in that bright-purple lei you may have received on your Hawaii vacation almost certainly weren't grown in the Aloha State.
A non-profit focused on preserving and perpetuating Mele Hawaii has opened a cultural hub filled with pieces of Hawaiian history.
Flower garlands are synonymous with Hawaii. But the purple orchid lei that adorn the necks of tourists often aren't made in the Aloha State. Instead, they are imported from Thailand.