Surf – Reduce Reuse Recycle – let’s do this!

I really think that as lovers of all things water, be it surfing, paddling, kayaking or windsurfing. In part it is our duty to raise awareness about the plastic pollution in the ocean. The time has come when it is finally much easier to do this. I would much rather invest in a surf leash that is made from recycled plastics than contribute to more waste. Wouldn’t you? Wave Tribe makes such a leash and we are lucky enough to test it in the waters and are already so impressed! Another amazing plus is Wave Tribe gives you a one year guarantee on the leash. I don’t know any leash brand that does that.

surf leash made from recycled plastics
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Honestly there is no reason any surfer should still be using wax with petroleum in it when we have an eco friendly option. This wax is made from organic beeswax and coconut oil. Simply the better choice. So let us protect our waters and support brands such as these.

Surf wax made from bees wax, non toxic
Here at Wave Tribe, we do our part by making it our mission to keep oceans safe from toxic surfing. We do this by creating stylish and eco-friendly surfing gear and products so that you don’t have to worry about harming the ocean while enjoying the benefits of surfing. – Wave Tribe

I often find myself wondering how we can do more. There are some really simple steps to being a more conscious surfer. We can always do a beach clean up after a good session. Or simply tell other surfers about brands like Wave Tribe, you can help us create that wave. Come be a part of our tribe.

We took it upon ourself to find an old second hand board… And paid very little for it. We figured that if it didn’t have the chance to go back in the water at least we would hang it on our wall as decoration. Well Iñaki worked hard on it, sanding it down several times and fixing the dings and dents (thank you Ding King for letting him use your space), we weren’t sure how it would hold up. Now just a few weeks after fixing it, not only did we find out that it was worth quite a bit of money, but I have been catching waves with it like crazy. Pretty much every time I take it out someone offers to buy it.

It is not for sale, it was a gift to me. I hope one day our son will get to use it, the hours of love and dedication that went in to it do not have a price in my eyes. It is by far one of the greatest birthday gifts I have ever been given.

The whole point of sharing this story however, even though there are some really nice Eco friendly surfboards surfacing on the market, and I am sure we will enjoy trying them at some point. There is something really magical about taking someone else’s trash and turning into your very own treasure.

To finish off this beauty of a board we were so excited to add our sustainable leash by Wave Tribe. So what can I say other than we are stoked and yes we’ve both been using the board now.

Have you refurbished something recently that you would like to inspire us with? We are always eager to hear your stories!

Thanks for reading and hopefully we will see you in the waves sooner rather than later.

Sustainably yours,

Eco Couple

P.S Thanks to Silversurfer72 we have just found out that this is a Skippy Slater model Takayama board!

If you liked this article check out our other article on sustainable surf apparel.

Takayama Surfboard refurbished, reused, and loved

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Elle Mer Eco Swimwear 🇺🇸

Photo by Chelsea Heller

When recently visiting the island of Maui we did some research on brands that were trying to have a positive influence on our environment…. We will post a more detailed blog in the near future…. for now we wanted to single out one of them: Elle Mer is a company that makes their swimwear from recycled fishing nets and produce in their own little factory in Paia, Maui. We went to visit and loved what we saw…. Here a few of my favourites… I was very postpartum in these photos but a proud mama 🙂

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Surfer Responsibilities 

You CAN make a difference…. 💕

We all love the ocean whether we surf, windsurf, kite, SUP or do any other water sports.

It would seem that all of us surfers would be aware of how our wetsuits and our boards are made. Unfortunately this is not the case. It sure isn’t sustainable nor good for our planet 🙁

It is true that there are still very few options for wetsuits and surfboards that are made organically but we have the power to change that!

The way we do that is by supporting the companies that are trying to do things sustainably.

The good news is there are many great emerging companies that are ran in an ethical fashion.

I came across a wonderful store in Madrid that is doing just that.

http://www.surfnatur.com/en/

(we had a little fun with their stamp) 💕

Providing us with ecological options for the water, from Patagonia wetsuits to recycled leashes, fins and sunglasses.

I’m not going to lie…. I left with a new birthday suit…. I’ve always wanted a Patagonia wetsuit… you see some dreams do come 🙂

It has a great warranty and is made of yulex (natural rubber) but best of all this is Patagonia’s mission statement:

“Make the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”💕

How can we not stand behind that!

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Surf Natur also carries several brands of ecological surfboards. The company that caught my eye is Notox, delivering sustainable boards since 2006, handmade with greenOne technology.  We are excited to try it and will keep you posted as to how it fairs in the water 💦

A few other items that we really liked were the wooden watches and sunglasses made by Wewood.

This company has already planted 400,000 trees and plans on planting 600,000 more in the next 3 years. We love this.

And last but not least we love Surf Natur’s own 100% recycled cotton t-shirt line and their very original poncho that converts into a towel.

So what we propose next time you buy a new leash, some booties, a wetsuit, or anything you are investing in,  to go play in the water….. just see if maybe there is a more sustainable option out there and that way maybe you too can help make a difference.

I’ve got to run….. there are waves out there….. hope to see you in the water.

Thank YOU 💕

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