Our Story

The Maker, Shannon Hiramoto

My grandmother, Mildred Hiramoto, taught me to sew when I was 14. Our first project was a pair of shorts using her stash of vintage polyester fabric. Next we made carseat covers for my '69 VW Squareback. After that it was a flurry of sewing everything I could imagine. My grandmother passed in 2011 and I miss her everyday---sewing is one way to keep her spirit close and now Im passing the skill down to my 9 year old daughter Charli. I started my company/experiment called Machinemachine in 2007 and am continually excited about meeting customers and making things everyday!

Over the years I've become known for my obsession with mu'umu'u. I began #muumuumonth in January 2015 as a fun way to celebrate the historic and beautiful garment that is so special to Hawai'i. Ive also been documenting mu'umu'u that I and others come into contact with at TheMuumuuArchive.com

---Thank you! Shannon

Yay!

Happy planet: In 2019 I reaffirmed a mission to use majority secondhand materials to create machinemachine handmade products. This means most of our garments, accessories, and home goods are made with vintage, upcycled, and donated fabrics and raw materials. I'm happy to say I'm no longer buying ANY new fabric to sew with. 

Our Studio + Storefront 

In 2012 I opened my first Studio/Storefront called Workshop in Old Hanapepe town. I relocated in 2016 to Warehouse 3540 in Lawai---keeping the name Workshop and expanding the concept by welcoming my creative father, Charlie, into the mix. In our new space he's built out a sweet printmaking studio home to two letterpresses and one etching press, on which he prints cards and tees with hand set type and handcarved blocks under the moniker Goofy Foot Prints (sorry no website, he's analog!)

We closed the shop in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic---and turned into feral creatives with market pop-up's regularly, please check my instagram for the latest pop-up information.

BIG NEWS:: In March 2025, machinemachine has a brick + mortar shop again at the iconic Kilohana Plantation. Find us upstairs in the large tudor style mansion where we share a shop and work studio with artist Carol Meckling of Hāloa Gallery.

Open:: Monday-Saturday 10:30-6:00pm

3-2087 Kaumualii Hwy, Lihue, HI 96766