Most furniture brands start with furniture. Panama Jack didn't. Its origin story has nothing to do with wicker, teak, or aluminum, and everything to do with Florida beaches in the 1970s.
A Florida Gator Selling Suntan Oil From a Van
Panama Jack began in 1974, when Jack Katz, a former University of Florida football player, started selling his own suntan oil out of a van on Florida's beaches. That simple, sun-soaked start grew into something much bigger: a lifestyle brand built around beach and coastal living, eventually expanding into suncare, apparel, beach cruiser bicycles, and a distinctly relaxed, tropical aesthetic that had nothing to do with furniture yet.
From Suncare Brand to Furniture Licensee
Furniture didn't enter the picture until 2011, when Panama Jack partnered with Pelican Reef Group as its worldwide licensee for outdoor and sunroom furniture. Pelican Reef is itself a third-generation family business founded in 1983 and based in Miami Lakes, Florida, with over 40 years of experience manufacturing rattan, wicker, and outdoor furniture. That partnership is what actually built the Panama Jack Outdoor furniture line you see today, backed by decades of real manufacturing expertise rather than a brand simply licensing its name.
A Tropical Aesthetic, Built to Last
What makes Panama Jack's furniture lineup distinct is how directly it carries its beach-brand origins into the actual materials. Collections like Bali and Laguna lean into natural teak construction, while Austin and Graphite bring a hand-woven wicker look into the mix. Wave and Mykonos take a cleaner, more aluminum-forward approach, and daybed collections like Haven and Serenity lean fully into the resort feel the brand has built its whole identity around.
It's a genuinely unusual path for a furniture brand: from suntan oil, to a full lifestyle label, to a furniture line built by an established manufacturer decades later. But the throughline is consistent. Panama Jack has always been about capturing a specific feeling, relaxed, sun-soaked, coastal, and it turns out that feeling translates just as well into a teak dining set as it does into a bottle of suntan oil.
Explore the full Panama Jack Outdoor collection, including Bali and Haven, to bring that same tropical feel to your own outdoor space.
Common Questions
How did Panama Jack start?
Panama Jack began in 1974, when Jack Katz, a former University of Florida football player, started selling suntan oil out of a van on Florida's beaches. It grew into a lifestyle brand before entering furniture decades later.
When did Panama Jack start making furniture?
Furniture entered the picture in 2011, when Panama Jack partnered with Pelican Reef Group as its worldwide licensee for outdoor and sunroom furniture.
Who actually makes Panama Jack furniture?
Panama Jack Outdoor furniture is manufactured by Pelican Reef Group, a third-generation family business based in Miami Lakes, Florida with over 40 years of furniture manufacturing experience.
What materials does Panama Jack furniture use?
Panama Jack's lineup spans natural teak in collections like Bali and Laguna, hand-woven wicker in Austin and Graphite, and aluminum-forward construction in Wave and Mykonos.