Circular Ready
Design to Deconstruct
Traditionally all outdoor garments are linear in their existence, with beginning and end points to them that are not linked. Linear manufacturing starts with the production of raw materials from non renewable, unsustainable sources. These materials are processed into technical fabric that are then manufactured into a finished garment. This garment is then purchased, (hopefully) thoroughly used, enjoyed and cared for until diminishing performance levels brings an end to its usefulness. At this point the garment is unfortunately, more often than not, discarded into landfill.
Circular based manufacturing reduces the need for virgin (new) fossil fuel based raw materials and minimises the waste of resources. For circular manufacturing and recycling to be a reality, garments have to conceived and designed differently. Circular products by design have to create the link between the end of a garments usable life and the start point of a brand new one. To be able to recycle garments successfully back into usable raw materials, circular products, their materials and features, have to (where possible) be produced from the same singular material. Furthermore, the design and construction needs to be taken into account to make deconstruction at the products end of life, a simple task.
For 2024 we are proud to introduce the ground breaking PS Vest and Adventure Lite products to our line, born from our ever evolving More Sustainable ethos. These items are Circular Ready, the first of their kind for the paddlesports market, as they move away from linear manufacturing, instead are ready to be part of a fully circular system.
Adventure Lite
High performance, light weight and highly breathable touring / sea kayaking jacket. Find out more about this ground breaking piece of kit here.
PS Vest
High performance Olympic cut PFD based around our popular Marathon Racer Vest with a single large front pocket. The first of it’s kind, the PS Vest is Circular Ready, learn more here.
Recycling
We feel responsible for our products at the end of their life so we are striving to find recycling solutions for our existing and future items. Current products are made from many different plastics / polymers so prove difficult to recycle. We are currently sourcing recycling partners who can split up, separate and re use existing garments.
Future products will be designed to be deconstructed, from where possible one single polymer, so that recycling becomes feasible. We are proud to have added two such products to our line for 2024 and refer to them as Circular Ready. Again we are working with recycling partners to enable recycling of these items in the near future.
In 2024 we plan to offer recycling solutions for a minimum cost. We’ll break down garments into key components. Neoprene items and parts can be recycled into new items such as Roof Rack Wraps, Multi Mats and other items by our partners. Current textiles can be separated and repurposed / recycled by third party companies. Future mono plastic textiles / webbing will be recycled by specialists and one day very soon be made back into textile yarns. Buckles and fastenings can be removed and re used by a local bag manufacturer or recycled by third part companies. Buoyancy Foam can be separated and repurposed into furnishings such as bean bags. Polyethylene foam can be recycled back into foam by our partners.
