What connects a bottle to a bikini?
They both end up in the sea.
We´re swimming in plastic, both on and off the shore. Since the 1950s, plastic production has grown faster than that of any other material on the planet, partly because we love to throw it away. And once in the trash, it’s going one of two ways: landfill or the Ocean. 12 million tonnes of plastic finds its way into the sea every year, through drains, through rivers and saddest of all, through beachgoers.
It has even been said that by 2050, if nothing is done to stem the tide there will be more plastic than fish in the Ocean.
As surfers, this is one wave we don’t want to ride. And as a sustainable company that exists because of the ocean, we knew we could have a positive impact on the problem.
The question soon became - how can bottles become bikinis?
Well, they’re made from the same raw material! It’s a happy coincidence that bikinis work best with a flexible, sporty fabric - usually of synthetic origins. You’ll know it as polyester. We know it as recycled bottles.
They’re collected, shredded into “confetti”, melted down and spun into incredibly thin fibres. It may be time consuming, but other forms of consumption are drastically reduced. 75% less CO2 is emitted than in virgin polyester, water is saved and fossil fuels are sidelined, instead of making polyester from crude oil. Meaning we can turn something very negative for the ocean - single-use plastic bottles - into an item of clothing that belongs in the blue.
This is the idea behind our recycled polyester swimwear. As lightweight as possible and with skin-tight stretch, so that you’ll feel less of the material and more like you’re part of the Ocean. Designed to be used summer after summer.
Over the past 4 years, we’ve got it down to the looks we know you love, with high-waists and sleek tops or the classic one-piece. The styles are retro-inspired and come with our signature stripes as well as new colours to suit the sea - our favourite ones yet!
Another way that we take action against ocean pollution is through upcycling plastics already found floating in the sea. This material can otherwise have a devastating effect on marine life, so it’s vital we capture it and transform it into something that lasts. We do this with the help of SEAQUAL®, who create yarn from the plastics collected by fishermen, beach clean-up groups and NGOs. You’ll find it in our beach blankets, designed to help you enjoy the sun and sand while contributing to cleaner shores.
Through our work, we aim to fashion a new relationship between plastic and the ocean.
