Maya Ellison
The plastic pollution crisis is an overwhelming global issue, with over 11 million tons of plastic entering the ocean each year. However, there are now companies that have stepped up to the challenge of tackling this problem. These companies are working to create recycled products from plastic waste, and in doing so, are providing consumers with an opportunity to make a difference. From fashion to furniture, and even sunglasses, there are now a variety of eco-innovative products available that are made from recycled ocean plastic. In this article, we will explore the different options available to consumers who want to make more sustainable choices and support companies that are actively working to protect our oceans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the recycled ocean plastic | Oceanworks |
| What they offer | Resin, Feedstock, and IMPAC+ Offsets |
| Other services | Funding plastic waste removal, finding sustainable alternatives, and tracking supply chains from shore to shelf |
| Name of the recycled ocean plastic | Parley Ocean Plastic |
| What they offer | Premium materials created from upcycled plastic intercepted in areas where mismanaged waste poses a threat to marine life and coastal communities |
| Other services | Cleanups and education programs |
| Name of the recycled ocean plastic | OceanCycle |
| What they offer | Business solutions for cleaner oceans |
| Other services | Connecting companies with the right vendors to meet their technical and material needs |
| Name of the recycled ocean plastic | Tide Ocean Material |
| What they offer | Raw component ready for all kinds of plastic and textile applications |
| Other services | Scientists and partners are constantly researching new applications and processes |
| Name of the recycled ocean plastic | Waterhaul |
| What they offer | Sustainable eyewear, tools & plastic polymer pellets |
| Other services | Cleaning up the oceans and turning waste into sustainable products |
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What You'll Learn
Companies selling recycled ocean plastic
Oceanworks is a global marketplace for recycled plastic materials and products. It provides trusted sourcing for resins, textiles, components, and finished goods. Oceanworks helps brands reduce their plastic footprint through the integration of recycled content and funding for plastic waste removal. The Oceanworks Plastic Action Platform helps organizations measure their plastic footprint and identify steps to reduce it.
Parley Ocean Plastic is another company that provides a range of premium materials created from upcycled plastic intercepted from areas where waste poses a threat to marine life and coastal communities. Parley has collaborated with Adidas to design sneakers made with yarn produced from recycled ocean plastics. They have also partnered with American Express to redesign their card, which is now made primarily from reclaimed plastic.
United By Blue is a clothing and apparel brand that sources its materials ethically. The company has helped remove over 1.5 million pounds of trash from oceans and coastlines through organized cleanup efforts.
Bureo is a manufacturer that pulls fishing nets from the coast of Chile and repurposes them into sunglasses and skateboards.
MamaSezz is a company that offers plant-based, ready-made meals delivered to customers. They also have a program that helps other companies be more eco-friendly by pulling plastics out of the ocean to create containers for their products.
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Companies using recycled ocean plastic
There are several companies that use recycled ocean plastic to make products. Here are some notable examples:
Bureo
Bureo is a company formed to combat ocean plastic pollution. It pulls fishing nets from the coast of Chile and repurposes them into sunglasses, skateboards, and hat brims for jackets. They also have a Net Positiva program that educates and incentivizes local fishermen to recycle their used nets.
United By Blue
United By Blue produces ethically sourced clothing and apparel. They have helped remove over 1.5 million pounds of trash from oceans and coastlines through organized cleanup efforts open to the public. For each item sold, they pledge to remove a pound of trash from the ocean.
Adidas x Parley
Adidas teamed up with Parley for the Oceans to design sneakers made with yarn produced, at least in part, from recycled ocean plastics. About 41% of the Parley x Adidas line comes from reclaimed plastics, and the brand aims to use 100% recycled polyester by 2024.
Patagonia
Patagonia has been making eco-friendly products since 1993, when it started making fleece out of recycled bottles. They now use discarded fishing nets to create hat brims and jackets.
Norton Point
Norton Point makes polarized sunglasses for men and women crafted from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) ocean plastics recovered from the canals and coastlines of Haiti. The company reinvests five percent of net profits into research, education, and development efforts to reduce the impact of ocean plastic.
Kevin Murphy
Salon professional hair care brand Kevin Murphy has reinvented its signature squared packaging to be 100% made from recycled ocean materials. The new packaging is projected to save the planet more than 360 tons of new plastic each year.
Yardbird
Yardbird is a company that has built its own supply chain of plastics. They hire a collection workforce in the Philippines to capture discarded plastic, which is then sent to partner factories for fabrication. Their Hanover 2 backpack is made from 600D high-density, water-resistant polyester made from recycled plastic bottles.
Waterhaul
Waterhaul makes sunglasses and prescription eyewear crafted from 100% recycled fishing nets.
Other notable companies using recycled ocean plastic include Rothy's, which makes women's work flats from recycled plastic water bottles; 4Ocean, which makes bracelets and reusable water bottles from ocean trash; and Aquafil, which invented ECONYL, an infinitely recyclable nylon material made from recycled ocean fishing nets and landfill waste.
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Companies recycling ocean plastic
There are several companies dedicated to recycling ocean plastic and creating products from recycled ocean plastic. Here are some of them:
The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization developing and scaling technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. The company has been working for over ten years to research, extract, and monitor plastic pollution in oceans and rivers globally, with millions of kilograms removed to date. Their dual strategy involves intercepting plastic in rivers to prevent the inflow of pollution and cleaning up the plastic that has already accumulated in the ocean. The Ocean Cleanup aims to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.
Oceanworks
Oceanworks is a global marketplace for recycled plastic materials and products, providing trusted sourcing for resins, textiles, components, and finished goods. They work with brand partners from various industries to help them reduce their plastic footprint, fund plastic waste removal, find sustainable alternatives, and track supply chains. Oceanworks also offers technology that provides chain-of-custody assurance and supply chain visibility, ensuring transparency and authenticity.
Waste Free Oceans
Waste Free Oceans is an organization dedicated to transforming ocean plastic and reducing the global impact of marine litter. They aim to reduce, reuse, and recycle marine litter by mobilizing fisheries, recyclers, manufacturers, policymakers, and brands. By becoming a corporate partner or volunteering with Waste Free Oceans, individuals and companies can play a vital role in protecting the oceans and preserving marine life for future generations.
Bureo and BIONIC Yarn
Bureo and BIONIC Yarn are stewardly brands working to collect and manufacture products from the plastic in our waterways. For example, Bureo has collaborated with Costa Del Mar to create sunglasses made from recycled ocean plastic.
Adidas x Parley for the Oceans
Adidas teamed up with Parley for the Oceans to design sneakers made with yarn produced, at least in part, from recycled ocean plastics. About 41% of the Parley x Adidas line comes from reclaimed plastics, and the brand aims to use 100% recycled polyester by 2024.
United By Blue
United By Blue produces ethically sourced clothing and apparel, pledging to remove a pound of trash from the oceans and coastlines for each item sold. To date, the brand has helped remove over 1.5 million pounds of trash through organized cleanup efforts.
These companies are leading the way in recycling ocean plastic and creating sustainable products, contributing to a healthier environment and a more circular economy.
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Artists using recycled ocean plastic
Artists are increasingly using recycled ocean plastic to create art. This phenomenon is driven by the desire to raise awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and advocate for environmental healing. The artworks created from recycled ocean plastic range from sculptures to installations and photography.
One notable artist working with recycled ocean plastic is Angela Haseltine Pozzi, an Oregon native who was moved to act by the relentless waves of plastic waste washing up on her local beaches. She founded Washed Ashore in 2010, a community of volunteers who help her clean up beach trash and turn it into large sculptures. These sculptures, such as Priscilla the Parrotfish and Maury the Sea Turtle, are used to educate people about the impact of plastic pollution on the ocean and its inhabitants.
Another artist, Pam Longobardi, is a professor at Georgia State University and the founder of the Drifters Project. Through this project, she collects, documents, and transforms oceanic plastic into installations and photographs. Her work provides a visual statement about the vast amounts of plastic and their impact on the environment.
Paris-based artist Tadashi Kawamata has also created a monumental installation of ocean plastic. The exhibition, commissioned by a Portuguese museum, spotlights the problem of plastic waste in the oceans. It is composed of plastic waste with boats collected on the country's coastline by a volunteer clean-up group.
Other notable artists using recycled ocean plastic include John Dahlsen, Tuula Närhinen, Alejandro Durán, Max Liboion, and Judith and Richard Lang. Their artworks take various forms, such as sculptures, photographs, and assemblages, but they all share a common goal of raising awareness about plastic pollution and inspiring action for a more sustainable future.
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Certifications for recycled ocean plastic
Certifications are an important aspect of the recycled ocean plastic industry, providing assurance to consumers and other stakeholders about the authenticity, sustainability, and social and environmental impact of the products. Here are some details about certifications for recycled ocean plastic:
- Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) Certification: This certification is designed to address Ocean Bound Plastic, which is a type of plastic waste at risk of ending up in the ocean. The OBP Certification Program encourages the removal and proper treatment of this plastic waste before it reaches the oceans. It was developed by Zero Plastic Oceans in partnership with Control Union and several other organizations. The certification process involves inspections, audits, and verification to ensure compliance with social and environmental standards.
- Oceanworks Guarantee: Oceanworks is a global marketplace for recycled plastic materials and products. They offer the Oceanworks Guarantee, which includes chain-of-custody assurance and supply chain visibility. The OWG mark, accompanying their materials and partnerships, symbolizes authenticity, supply chain transparency, and social and environmental compliance.
- Parley Ocean Plastic®: Parley, in collaboration with a network of material scientists, fashion designers, and artists, has developed Parley Ocean Plastic®. This premium material is created from upcycled plastic intercepted from areas where mismanaged waste threatens marine life and coastal communities. Parley engages in cleanups, education programs, and community interception points to source the plastic for their products. Their collaborations with major brands and designers help raise global awareness about marine plastic pollution.
These certifications play a crucial role in promoting the use of recycled ocean plastic, ensuring that consumers can trust the sustainability and social responsibility of the products they choose to support. They also help hold companies accountable for their environmental and social impact, fostering a more sustainable economy.
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Frequently asked questions
Oceanworks is a global marketplace for recycled plastic materials and products. They provide trusted sourcing for resins, textiles, components, and finished goods. They also help companies understand their plastic footprint and identify ways to reduce it.
Parley Ocean Plastic® is a range of premium materials created from upcycled plastic intercepted from areas where waste poses a threat to marine life and coastal communities. They collaborate with major brands, fashion designers, furniture makers, artists, designers, material scientists, and robotics-industry innovators to create eco-innovative products made from Ocean Plastic®.
OceanCycle is a company that provides business solutions for cleaner oceans. They partner with a global network of brands, retailers, and manufacturers to maximize the use of certified ocean-bound materials in new products. Their certification is the world's first and leading certification of ocean and ocean-bound plastics.
Tide Ocean Material® is a raw component made from 100% recycled ocean-bound plastic. It can be processed into various applications, such as recycled plastic filaments, recycled polyester yarns, and recycled fabrics. They have received multiple awards for their innovative solution, including the Swiss Ethics Award and the Hong Kong International Business Award.
Waterhaul is a company that recyles ocean plastic and ghost fishing gear into sustainable products and materials. They collect fishing gear from across the UK coastline and work with ports, harbours, and waste management companies to collect end-of-life gear. The plastic is then recycled through a mechanical process and transformed into sustainable eyewear, tools, and plastic polymer pellets.
