[2] Founded in Lahaina, Hawaii, in 1980, the company designs, develops, and manufactures a wide variety of sunglasses marketed under the eponymous brand name.

[1] Several years later, the company developed polarized sunglasses to protect eyes from glare and ultraviolet rays.

[7] In 2004, the company opened a distribution center in Braunschweig, Germany, a location that eventually became its European headquarters.

[9] In 2011, the company bought Zeal Optics, a Boulder, Colorado-based designer and manufacturer of action-sport polarized goggles and sunglasses.

[12] The company also sponsors the Australian Sailing Team,[28] professional marathoner Meb Keflezighi, golfer Ernie Els, and kiteboarder Dave Shah, who are brand ambassadors.

[31][32] In 2025, Maui Jim became the official eyewear for the Red Bull Racing F1 team in a multi-year sponsorship agreement.