Our Story and Philosophy

About Oliver James Lilos

Where we've been and where we are going

A boy jumping from the top of a pool house cannonballing into a swimming pool with trees and sky in the background.

Founder's Note

"As a child, my parents would spend their summer days lounging around and soaking up the sun. At the center of our summer experience were Lilos. Parents and friends would share the Lilos, chatting away and telling stories.

For us kids, we were acutely aware of our parents' fondness of their time on the Lilos.

We would eagerly watch, waiting until they were fully settled and completely dry. When the moment arrived, we would sneak up behind them and cannonball them, reveling in our deviousness."

Oliver Micklewright

Our first Lilos c. 2017

The launch of 'LILO'

Starting in Los Angeles, our first and original Lilos

A birds eye view photos of three women relaxing and reading atop 7 luxury pool floats.

The Goal

Design the finest inflatable Lilos. Lilos that would stand the test of time, look great but, beyond a product, also capture that same feeling that our founder had as a child

A woman walking across the screen with a bag that halfway through the animation pops up into a Single Oliver James Lilo

The First Lilos

The initial product concept was simple, develop a more durable inflatable core, not like your typical PVC toys and then upholster this core with outdoor performance fabrics. This process was not novel but had never perfected

Battling the Sun, Chlorine and Saltwater

Curating Materials

To make the best Lilos we need to use the best materials. No short-cuts, a focus on quality and the belief that our customers will only be satisfied with the best

A blue, orange and white fabric swatch with a jacquard woven pattern used for pool floats for adults.

Solution Dyed Acrylic (SDA)

UV, mold and mildew resistant and bleach cleanable. Woven fabric consisting of solution dyed yarns, with patterns woven by jacquard looms

Solution Dyed means the color is in the DNA of the yarn rather than on the surface as per the usual dying or printer processes. When these fabrics are exposed to external factors the colours may fade from the outside of the yarn but the DNA of the yarn remains

A close-up of a boston value welded into Thermal Polyurethane Fabric film used for a pool float for adults.

Thermal Polyurethane

TPU is recyclable and often considered the best material to make performance inflatables. TPU is elastic, meaning you avoid that squeaky feeling of inflatable while also increasing the comfort and durability. TPU is not as simple to weld, but when welded properly with the correct film it is the best option

We currently choose a two-way Boston valve

A close-up of the zippers, stainless steel eyelets and quality base on a luxury pool float.

Marine-Grade Trims

Bases that taper up the side made of Phifertex® material protect our cores and fabrics from general wear and tear

Our Vislon #5 YKK zippers are marine-grade and allow for easy interchangeability of the covers

Stainless steel eyelets reinforced by Tenara® thread allow for an easy tether to structures and other Lilos

Our positioning and our goals

The Brand

To be the leader in performance inflatables

Two adults on pool floats for adults in a swimming pool with a man swimming beneath them underwater.

The OJL Lifestyle

Capturing the feelings of those languid summer days and sharing that feeling with our customers

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The landing page of the online luxury retailer Mr Porter which now sells luxury pool floats.

Retailers

To continue to build our retail network with those at the top of their game

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Two tan luxury pool float loungers shot from a distance in a swimming pool at the Belmond Hotel La Residencia in Mallorca.

Hospitality

To continue to build our network of leading hospitality groups

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