Studio Calathea Rebrands as LOOLA

Orlando, Fla. (April 25, 2023) – After launching a new type of solar lighting last year, the owner of Studio Calathea has rebranded the company, looking to better align the product with its customers.

With the launch of a new company name, LOOLA, Teresa Guastella, founder and CEO, is bringing to market the next generation of devices, each with a specific use.

“After significant testing and feedback, it became clear this new lighting system would not work with a one-size-fits-all and needed specialization for our target audience,” she says. “This also gives us flexibility to reach new markets we haven’t discovered as of yet.”

With the rebrand, there are two new brands for different markets – the signature Loola brand, which focuses on home decor, outdoor living and hospitality businesses; and Totik, aimed at disaster recovery and harsh environments.

In both cases, the lights offered by LOOLA are great for indoor and outdoor alike but have the function and customizable aesthetics along with accessories, along with hours of light on a single charge.

The LOOLA line of lighting has unique features allowing for them to be easily customized, like showcasing a sponsor or an event logo. Some lights include a USB-C port, light bases, and interchangeable accessories.

The Totik lanterns have proven to be very valuable in disaster recovery, having been used in the aftermath of Ian. That version comes with a solar lantern packaged in a backpack equipped with first aid supplies.

Initially, her lighting technology was developed for the event business. Guastella owned a successful event design and production company in Central Florida, but it was significantly affected by COVID shutdowns. As the event business transitioned into outdoor gatherings during the COVID pandemic, Guastella searched for a solution.

She found it with the Genesis collection, a premium series of handheld solar lanterns. They are functional, waterproof, aesthetically pleasing, foldable, and easy to transport.

As the company grew, she phased out the event business and started refining the company’s product, the result of which is being unveiled.

Event planners were given a sneak peak of the lights last month at a national conference and have already placed their orders.

“I absolutely love these custom lights – a must have for all catering and event Companies,” says Rain Truth, chef and owner of The Cultured Vegan. “I received my package today, and I am so excited to use them for one of my largest events that’s happening in May!”

Currently, the portable solar lights can be found online at loolalights.com, totiksurvival.com and at several independent retailers.

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For more information please contact:

For Studio Calathea:  Teresa Guastella, 352-988-3483, teresa@studiocalathea.com

For the UCF Business Incubation Program: Michael Weiss, UCF Business Incubation Program, 321-281-8384, Michael.weiss@ucf.edu or Alan Byrd, Alan Byrd & Associates, 407-415-8470, alan@byrdconnections.com

About Studio Calathea:

Headquartered in Orlando, FL Studio Calathea is a gold standard provider of portable solar lanterns and products for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, engineering, manufacturing, sales, marketing, distribution, and customer service. For more information, please visit StudioCalathea.com

About the UCF Business Incubation Program:

The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program is a community resource that provides early-stage companies with the tools, training and infrastructure to become financially stable, high growth/impact enterprises. Since 1999, this award-winning program has provided vital business development resources resulting in over 300 local startup companies reaching their potential faster and graduating into the community where they continue to grow and positively impact the local economy.

With seven facilities throughout the region, the UCF Business Incubation Program is an economic development partnership between the University of Central Florida, the Corridor, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia Counties, and the cities of Kissimmee, Orlando and Winter Springs. For the 2017/2018 fiscal years, the activities of these participating firms have helped to sustain more than 6,725 local jobs and have had a cumulative impact of over $725 million on regional GDP and over $1.3 billion on regional sales. During the same period, the program has returned more than $12.00 in state and local taxes for every $1.00 invested in the program. In addition, for every $1.00 of public investment the firms also produced $118 of additional regional GDP and $226 of regional sales.  For more information, visit www.incubator.ucf.edu