Saturday 18 July 2009

Obsession continued


Welcome to the second installment of surf obsession week.

The optimist in me would like to believe that the grassroots upcycling efforts of individuals (like Joan with her maxed-out-thruster-turned-chalkboard I posted about earlier or this upcycled billboard surfboard bag by Green Guru) are inspiring big companies to think up closed-loop recycling solutions of their own.

The cynic in me says that companies come up with large-scale upcycling schemes in order to get more mallrats in landlocked places to wear their brands. What do you think? Are they good guys or just engaging in green gimmicks? Here's a brief survey of what the surf clothing and hardware industry's up to...

Volcom - V.Co-Logical range recycles PET (plastic bottles) in flip flops and to create boardshorts from 100% recycled polyester
FCS - uses 50% recycled post-consumer waste in the form of nylon fibres stripped from old carpets in making new fins
Rusty - uses recycled PET in to make 100% recycled polyester boardshorts
Vans - uses recycled rubber and PET in soles
Rip Curl - recycles neoprene and uses off-cuts to create “resurrection rubber” - a mixture of chopped neoprene (30%) and rubber - in making espadrilles and flip-flops

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