More sustainable surfboards?
We embrace a principle of sustainability in the components we use to build our surfboards. Whether it be recycled foam blanks, flax cloth inlays or bio based resins, each aspect is designed to have a positive circular approach.
When we consider sustainability at a deeper level, using bio based resin prevents leaching and waste from toxic resins into the ocean or landfill, as well as limits the exposure to the board builders themselves to carcinogenic effects of long term exposure to regular resins. In fact, some of our resins are certified vegan, the only trade off is they take a lot longer to dry. In using bio based resins we are reducing the market for toxic resins and pushing producers to pursue cleaner products.
Flax cloth is developed from a plant/weed that requires very little energy or water to grow. Further, it absorbs large amounts of CO2 in comparison to other plants its size. And provides other benefits such as food, medicine, oil and yarn, which in some parts of the developing world are paramount to local economies.
Using recycled foam blanks extends the life of foam that is often used for packing, eskis, or even other surfboards, the foam from these items would end up in landfill. By giving foam a second life we are reducing production of foam and its overall contribution to landfill.
Admittedly, these measures play a small part in a big picture but we have to start somewhere to encourage long term change!