Some Eco-Friendly Products That We Love
For most of us, the year 2020 will go down in infamy. Need I explain why? Unless you’ve been lived as a hermit for the last few years, you’re painfully aware of the challenges that this last year presented. The turn of the year offered hope, 2021 was a beacon of optimism as the world seemed to breathe out a collective sigh of relief that 2020 was over at last.
In reality, 2021 has presented challenges of its own. Media outlets were flooded with seemingly apocalyptic scenes. Red tide began to grip the coast of Florida, killing off sea life in droves. Viral videos of the Gulf of Mexico on fire consumed our social media feeds. This unbelievable footage seemed to signify the end of the world…the ocean was on fire. Now what?
As astonishing as these images were, it’s inspired our team to invest into even more environmentally friendly products than ever before. Given what’s possibly at stake in the years to come, we’re fiercely focused on sourcing customers more affordable, eco-friendly apparel and surf gear that’s a little more friendly for our planet. Here are some of our favorite eco-friendly products to keep you shredding responsibly.
OTIS Eyewear
If you’re looking for a new set of shades, OTIS Eyewear is the place to start. OTIS creates shades that not only make you look good, but are good for the environment by sourcing raw materials for production. Materials like cotton seeds and wood pulp are utilized to create plant-based products that are certified biodegradable. OTIS’ signature designs are made with scratch-resistant mineral glass, created from natural elements like sand, limestone, and soda ash. When these eco-friendly shades are worn out at last, you can even send them back to OTIS to have your old shades recycled into more raw materials. Not only are certain OTIS sunglass lines (including Life on Mars and Crossroads) more environmentally friendly than other brands, all OTIS sunglasses are packaged in 100 percent recycled card stock and a reusable carry case.
Quiksilver Hempstretch Boardshorts
For our environmentally conscious warm water shoppers, we offer Quiksilver Hempstretch boardshorts, made from hemp and recycled plastic bottles. In fact, 100 percent of Quiksilver baggies are made with some sort of recycled materials. Hempstretch boardshorts in particular are made of a combination of hemp and recycled plastic bottles to create a supremely comfortable fabric. Who would have thought that wasteful plastic bottles could make something so comfortable to surf in?
Volcom OBX Apparel
Volcom has been an industry leader since its inception in 1991 and has worked to improve its sustainability efforts ever since. This iconic surf brand offers supremely soft sustainable wear, made from cotton-natural fiber. These threads are made of organic cotton, cotton that is grown without synthetic chemicals or pesticides and is not genetically modified. So what does this really mean for the environment? Organically grown cotton maintains soil integrity, utilizes all-natural seeds, and natural fertilizers. Volcom’s latest line, a collaboration with Netflix hit OBX, is largely made up of this eco-friendly material.
Surface Sunscreen
Surface makes eco-friendly shopping easy: every single one of their products is 100 percent reef safe. Sure, this is obviously a positive, but what does “reef safe” mean exactly? The term refers to sunscreens with ingredients that form a physical block from the sun, containing only mineral UV-blocking components. These sunscreens lack reef harming chemicals including oxybenzone. Surface sunscreens protect our ocean’s reefs, an integral part of a healthy ocean. Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet, providing valuable habitats, breeding, and feeding grounds for aquatic life. With Surface sunscreens, you can protect both your skin and our ocean’s reefs.
Slater Designs Traction Pads
Arguably the world’s most progressive surfer, Kelly Slater, is also working to advance his line of surf gear to become more eco-friendly. One of Slater’s stand-out products in this arena is his line of algae traction pads. These pads are made by brining materials to a body of water’s edge to remove materials from algae-rich waters. This algae biomass is harvested from these sources, solar dried, and pulverized to create the material used to form Slater’s traction pads. Once this biomass is removed, purified water is returned back to the source, helping re-balance the natural ecology and reduces dependence on non-renewable resources. Ultimately, each Slater Designs traction pad introduces 28 gallons of fresh water back into the environment.
Our Expanding Eco-Friendly Collection
Sourcing eco-friendly products for our customers is a top priority because the ocean is so good to us, especially as surfers. For some, it’s therapy. For others, it’s an escape, a source of comfort, a necessity of life. Now more than ever, we need to be good stewards of our world’s oceans. Purchasing gear that’s a little friendlier for our planet is just one way to give back, even when simply shopping at your local surf shop.
Shop Our Eco-Friendly Collection!
