Aku, the cryptonative NFT character created by artist and former professional athlete, Micah Johnson, and Paper Planes, a New York based fashion brand that combines culture and streetwear fashion, have announced a collaboration to create a special-edition, limited run of 350 Aku x Paper Planes 9Fifty Snapback hats, which will be available exclusively to Akutar holders. 

The hat is black with a green under-visor, features the embroidered Paper Planes logo alongside Aku graphic details on the front, removable Paper Planes and Aku logo pins on the crown and additional Aku artwork on the right side. 

Dream and inspire 

Aku Paper Planes hat

“Paper Planes and Aku both remind us to dream and aim to inspire us with the confidence and patience to pursue greatness in achieving our dreams," says Summer Watson, president and co-founder, Aku. 

“We've been mission-aligned from the beginning and are excited to be able to share the piece of history this collab will represent.” 

Paper Planes joined a select group of partners for the April 2022 launch of Aku's PFP collection of 3D avatars, Akutars, where Paper Planes designed unique Akutar designs and rare traits for the collection of 15,000 Akutars. 

In June 2022, the 323 Akutar Paper Planes trait holders were airdropped a surprise NFT package, currently available on secondary markets such as OpenSea, which they will now be able to redeem for the physical Aku x Paper Planes hat. 

Aku began as an NFT series based on its creator, Micah Johnson's, own experience of hearing a young boy ask if astronauts could be Black. The first set of NFTs launched as short videos that followed Aku, a young boy with an oversized space helmet that acts as a portal to his dreams and digital exploration. The 10-part series was released in 10 chapters from Feb. 21, 2021 through Feb. 21, 2022, generating more than $24 million in sales to date. Aku Chapters were followed by the release of 15,000 unique 3D avatars, or Akutars, injecting an impactful image of a young, confident, Black boy in the social media profiles of crypto and culture enthusiasts alike. 

Notable Aku NFT collectors include Pusha-T, Pharrell Williams and others.