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8 Great Products Made From Recycled Ocean Plastic

In recent years, we’ve been confronted with grim realities about the health of our oceans. From increasing acidity in marine waters to the collapse of reefs around the world, global citizens are more aware of threats facing our seas than ever before.

Perhaps the most striking symbol of ocean pollution is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vortex of trash in the North Pacific. Spanning twice the size of Texas, the garbage patch expands with each passing day.

Awareness of the problem isn’t enough. We need solutions! At its core, the issue of plastic contamination will be solved by adhering to the age-old slogan: reduce, re-use, recycle. First and foremost, we must reduce our consumption of plastic goods and materials. Re-using materials whenever possible is the next step. Finally, we can recycle, turning hazardous plastic waste into useful goods.

We’ll talk about reducing and re-using in future articles, but for now let’s focus on recycling. Here are ten of the best products made from recycled products.

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Image from First Year Success.

1) Building Materials

Did you know that the construction industry is one of the world’s worst polluters? Construction causes up to 50% of global resource extraction and generates nearly 25% of US waste each year.

There are a whole host of ways that the construction industry needs to do better. We can start with better building materials.

Innovative companies like Kirei and Durat have stepped up to improve building sustainability. Kirei’s acoustic wall panels are manufactured from recycled PET plastic bottles. They are currently developing a recycled ocean plastic product. Durat is testing ocean plastic materials for their range of surfacing products.

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Mura Fabric by Kirei.

2) Athletic Shorts and Apparel

When most people think plastic recycling, they probably don’t think athletics wear. Ocean plastic can be processed and spun into fabric suitable for athletic clothing.

Leading brands like Adidas, H&M, and Soulface have all released men’s and women’s athletic wear made in full or part from ocean plastic.

Work out, look good, and feel even better with planet-friendly clothing made from ocean plastic!

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Image from H&M.

2) Shoes

It’s not just sports bras and jogging pants. Major clothes retailers have developed durable, breathable shoes using recycled ocean plastic. From smaller companies like Sperry and Rothy’s to industry leaders like Adidas, there are dozens of emerging marine plastic footwear brands on the market.

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Image from Adidas.

3) Sunglasses

Sunglasses are another everyday essential where you can make a more sustainable purchasing choice. Suppliers like Sea2See and Norton Point offer reclaimed ocean plastic in their frames. Any brand can “greenwash” their products. These brands go the distance: both companies allocate a portion of proceeds from each sale to help support ocean plastic reclamation efforts.

Though the planet matters most, nobody wants to skimp on style. Rest assured, marine plastic sunglasses don’t compromise on style. Each brand offers a range of sleek and modern eyewear for any taste.

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Image from Sea2See.

4) Makeup, Soap, and Shampoo Bottles

Procter and Gamble aren’t traditional allies of the sustainable plastics industry. Still, we have to give them props. They recently released a line of soap and detergent products whose bottles are made from post-consumer recycled plastic. This includes 10% marine plastics.

Popular soap and cleaning brand Method also got in on the action, featuring 100% recycled plastic bottles for their hand soaps. Not only are Method’s bottles made from recycled materials, but they are 100% recyclable as well.

Cosmetics brands like Lush Cosmetics now use ocean plastic in their packaging through a partnership with The Ocean Legacy Foundation. Lush’s pots and bottles are molded from pelletized ocean plastic processed by Toronto based Urban Resource Group.

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Image from Head & Shoulders.

5) Backpacks and Bags

Single-use plastic bags are a huge part of what got us into this microplastics mess. Maybe multi-use bags and backpacks can help get us out of it!

A wide variety of fun and functional recycled plastic bags have entered the market. Stella McCartney recently partnered with Parley to develop a high-end backpack created from ocean plastic. Other brands like OceanWorks produce carrier bags, backpacks, and even luggage from marine plastic.

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Image from Stella McCartney

6) Jewelry

What if your next piece of jewelry wasn’t just a fashion statement? Statement pieces take on a whole new meaning when the statement itself is environmental. Companies like 4Ocean, Nurdle in the Rough, Bead the Change, and Laz Garza Bermuda all take ocean plastics and make earings, pendants, or bracelets from them. They make great gifts while serving as a constant reminder of the responsibility we all share to take better care of our earth.

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Image from Bead the Change.

7) Furniture

Furniture is a great way to recycle ocean plastic. Most furniture pieces will stay in your home for years or even decades. Recycled ocean plastic furniture removes plastic from the waste stream long-term.

Several furniture designers have gotten in on the marine plastic action. Brands like SuperCyclers and Studio Swine and designers like Brodie Neill have pushed the ocean plastic furniture movement forward. Ocean plastic furnishings continue to gain momentum internationally.

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Image from StudioSwine.

9) Beach huts and other structures

One great way to recycle ocean plastic is to build structures with it. Spark Architects is a leading progressive design firm based out of California. It has an incredibly innovative design proposition underway to develop beach huts in Singapore. Using recycled ocean plastic as a building material, these colorful huts resemble giant pine cones and would line Singapore’s East Coast Park.

New Zealand based Byfusion Global produces durable construction blocks from compressed ocean plastic in a no waste, low-carbon process. The blocks are suitable replacements for concrete in a variety of construction applications, and are manufactured with no additional chemicals or adhesives.

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Image from Spark Architects.

The opportunities for repurposing this waste are endless. Awareness for these products needs to be created and they need to reach the everyday consumer and we need to make the choice to use a product that considers the environment.  As the number of products proliferates, so too should the awareness of the problem that has created a need for these materials. And while the products provide a partial solution, awareness is what needs to drive the prevention of the problem in the first place.

So choose wisely, and use less plastic. For our oceans and for your peace of mind.

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