Koa is a rare wood, native to Hawaii, and mostly grown on the Big Island and Maui. It has a natural satin finish and a rich, warm color. Its fibers are tightly layered, giving it a durable quality and a perceived depth. Recently, a moratorium on logging Koa has been lifted. However, supplies are still limited and scarcity determines the market price, which currently is so high that helicopters are used in the logging of the prized wood. Pictures framed in Koa add luster few other woods can match. While this tropical hardwood can range from light to dark brown to near black, a saturated reddish golden brown seems most common. The curly variety of Koa, Acacia Koa, is considered by many as more attractive than straight-grained. However, in framing, one has to be careful not to draw attention from the artwork.

At Story of Hawaii, all our Koa wood frames come either hand-oiled in the traditional Hawaiian way, or wax-finished, both of which protect and preserve and bring out the natural beauty of the Koa.

When selecting a frame for your print, consider choosing a frame that is larger than the print, so that the image as well as the frame can be enhanced by a mat.
Apart from adding a neutral area between the image and the frame, a mat helps preserve your print, as it keeps it from coming in contact with the glass, thereby avoiding sticking and/or mildew-forming. All Story of Hawaii mats are double mats. The color is off-white/antique cream. A mat will add 4 inch to the width and 4 inch to the length of the frame.