Zatara Market, Lānaʻi’s Only Vendor at Made in Hawaiʻi
“You get imposter syndrome coming here,” Chant’e Sproat said. “You definitely feel like, do I belong here?”
For Chant’e, that feeling comes from leaving the familiarity of Lānaʻi and setting up beside jewelers and makers from across the state. At home, she said, the people around you are known to you. At Made in Hawaiʻi, the field suddenly becomes much larger, and comparison comes fast.
“You come here and you’re like, you’re the small fish in a big pond now,” Chant’e said.
That is the setting Chant’e is in this weekend at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center, where Zatara Market is the only vendor from Lānaʻi. The 2026 Made in Hawaiʻi Festival runs Aug. 20-23 and marks her second year at the event, this time with 600 handmade pieces of jewelry prepared over roughly three months.
The annual statewide marketplace features more than 800 vendor booths and draws more than 70,000 attendees, while also connecting Hawaiʻi businesses with wholesale buyers.
Despite the nerves of being the small fish, the response from customers has helped settle some of that uncertainty. People have approached her booth saying they have followed Zatara Market for years, while others are returning after buying from her before. One woman recognized Chant’e while she was away from the booth and stopped to ask where it was.
“There’s a lot of repeat customers too,” Chant’e said. “Like people who have bought online from me, like, ‘Oh, I’ve been wanting to see you in person.’”
Those face-to-face moments are what Chant’e values most.
“It’s where you get that connection and you get to know them,” she said. “And it’s fun to put a face to the person buying your product.”
Chant’e started building inventory in May, keeping a tally on her calendar and working toward seven pieces a day. She based the amount on what she had previously prepared for the Lānaʻi Pineapple Festival and Made in Maui, then increased it for the larger Honolulu market.
Getting everything to Oʻahu required its own system. Chant'e changed her booth setup so it could collapse into luggage, while all 600 pieces of jewelry fit inside a single orange Chun Wah Kam insulated cooler bag, about the size of a beach tote.
"All 600 pieces fit in that bag," Chant'e said. "It's my manapua bag my friends tease me about."
Chant’e first participated in Made in Hawaiʻi last year through a Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism program that covered 90% of her booth fee. Made in Hawaiʻi and Made in Maui are the two regular off-island markets she attends, along with events on Lānaʻi and some online sales.
Returning to the larger statewide market has also brought reassurance from people who have followed her work and sought her out in person.
“A lot of people have come and just been like, ‘You deserve to be here,’” Chant’e said.