Companies That Are Reusing Ocean Litter

Plastic production has been steadily increasing and it's everywhere - it's in your home, your office, your school - and the oceans. While it’s tough to guess exactly how much plastic is in the ocean, scientists think about 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. 

Unlike some other kinds of waste, plastic doesn’t decompose. That means that plastic can stick around indefinitely, wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems. 

While we as consumers and businesses can say NO to single-use plastics, there are many brands out there who are working hard to collect and manufacture products from the mounting number of plastics in our waterways rather than making more of it. It's not only sustainable - it's smart. 

Check out this list of companies making products with recycled ocean plastics:

4Ocean Who they are: A for-profit company that was started by two friends with a love of the ocean who had their eyes opened to the magnitude of the ocean plastic crisis. The revenue from their products is used to pay employees, purchase vessels and equipment used around the world to clean up ocean plastics, and donate to nonprofit marine conservation organizations. The debris they've collected is all documented and audited by the BBB. They're helping to strengthen international cleanup operations and funding the ability to develop innovative technologies and new sustainable products.  How much plastic have they removed: 7.7 million pounds What they make with the plastic: They make bracelets out of trash they collect, and for each sale, they pledge to remove another pound of plastic from the ocean.

Adidas x Parley for the Oceans Who they are: Adidas is a multinational corporation that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing & accessories. Parley for the Oceans is an environmental organization and global collaboration network.  Adidas and Parley teamed up to design a sneaker made with yarn produced from recycled ocean plastics. They work to intercept plastic waste before it even enters the Earth's water system.  How much plastic have they removed: 5.6 million pounds What they make with the plastic: They've produced over 16 million pairs of shoes from marine trash and are working towards using 100% recycled polyester by 2024

Bureo Who they are: A B Corp founded by 3 surfer friends to elicit positive solutions to the environmental crises our oceans face. They work together with fisheries and local communities to provide an incentivized program to collect, clean, sort and recycle fishing nets into their NetPlus™ material, creating positive solutions for end-of-use fishing nets, employment opportunities for local workers, and funding for community programs. They also partner with nonprofits, schools, and companies for educational events, presentations, and beach cleanups. How much plastic have they removed: 1.4 million pounds What they make with the plastic: Using derelict and retired fishing nets recovered from South American coasts, Bureo makes skateboards, sunglasses, hats, and Jenga sets.

Girlfriend Collective Who they are:Girlfriend Collective is a eco-friendly clothing company focusing on the production of minimal, luxurious, and sustainable active-wear. The company prioritizes ethical and sustainable production. Girlfriend Collective's factory uses no forced or child labor, mandates fair working hours and safe conditions, pays living wages, and allows workers to unionize. Their compressive leggings and bras are made from 79% recycled polyester. Their LITE leggings are made from a fabric that is 83% recycled nylon and 17% spandex - made from recycled fishing nets and other ocean waste. What they make with the plastic:25 recycled post-consumer water bottles are used to make each pair of their leggings. 11 recycled post-consumer water bottles are used to make each bra.

HP Who they are:A well-known America information technology company that develops and provides a wide variety of hardware, components, as well as software and related services. HP has been at the top of Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics every year since 2011 due to their policies on sustainability, energy and climate and green products. HP joined NextWave Plastics, a consortium of global companies working collaboratively to keep plastics out of the ocean and in our economy. How much plastic have they removed: 1+ million pounds What they make with the plastic:HP has been phasing in recycled materials into their products and have released 3 products this year made with ocean-bound plastics - a laptop, a monitor, and ink cartridges.

Method Who they are:A small soap company making biodegradable natural cleaning supplies with a focus on minimalist product design. They raise awareness on the issue of ocean plastic pollution and with the help of beach clean-up groups, are cleaning beaches in Hawaii. Most of their soap bottles are made from recycled plastic. Their clear plastic bottles are made from 100% post consumer recycled PET plastic. Their opaque bottles are made from recycled HDPE plastic. The recycled content of the bottles range from 25%-85%. How much plastic have they removed: 2000 pounds of plastic from the beaches of Hawaii What they make with the plastic:They make bottles for their cleaning products from recycled plastic.

Norton Point Who they are:A small company formed by two friends who started with a big idea about making sunglasses out of ocean plastic. With the right work and life experiences behind them, they were able to collect the ocean plastic in ways that would have maximum benefit for the planet and communities in developing countries, while also contracting with frame manufacturers that could turn recovered ocean plastic into sunglass frames. They also reinvest 5% of net profits into research, education and development efforts towards stemming the impact of ocean plastic. What they make with the plastic:They make sustainable sunglasses For every pair of sunglasses they sell, they pledge to remove another pound of plastic from the ocean.

Ocean Mimic Who they are:Started by two women (a open water diver instructor and a divemaster) who felt compelled to act after seeing the plastic consumption around the world growing at an alarming rate. They started Ocean Mimic, which is not only a charity, but a movement to protect our oceans. Their growing online community inspires people to take better care of our planet through plastic-free life tips and advice. They organize weekly beach clean-ups in Bali, inviting locals and tourists to help and realize the extent of the problem - working to pick up hundreds of pounds of trash at a time. How much plastic have they removed: 26,500 pounds of plastic from beaches What they make with the plastic:They create a vibrant collection of recycled swimwear, inspired by creatures in the ocean, and made with recycled plastic. For every $10 spent on their products, they collect 1kg of trash from beaches and oceans.

Outerknown Who they are:Outerknown is a clothing brand co-founded by pro-surfer Kelly Slater, makes effortless and casual beach styles rooted in sustainability and transparency. Over 90% of Outerknown's products are made from organic, recycled, or regenerated materials. 100% of their swim trunks are made with recycled or renewable fibers. The company's manufacturing partners also follow strict guidelines of safety and working conditions. Their commitment to the ocean continue with advocacy t-shirts - fundraising tees followed by action. All proceeds went to conservation groups and they worked with their retailers to organize a series of beach cleanups. What they make with the plastic:Their Evolution line, which is made with Econyl regenerated nylon using recovered fishing nets and other ocean plastics, consists of swimwear, jackets, and hats. All of the buttons on their clothing is made from recycled ocean plastic in collaboration with Oceanworks.

Patagonia Who they are:An American clothing company that markets and sells outdoor clothing. They were the first outdoors retail brand to start manufacturing fleece with recycled plastic bottles in 1993, and they've continued to be a leader of the movement throughout the decades since. Patagonia’s self-imposed Earth tax, 1% for the Planet, provides support to environmental nonprofits working to defend our air, land and water around the globe. What they make with the plastic:Lately, the brand has been experimenting with using discarded fishing nets in their products, recycling them into nylon yard to make jackets. 80% of the polyester fabric used in their outdoor gear is recycled plastic.

Rothy’s Who they are:A shoe (and handbag) company that transforms marine plastic into stylish, wear-everywhere products to love. Their signature thread is spun from single-use water bottles. Their factory in China sets the sets the standard for sustainable, responsible manufacturing. Their bags and shoes are each 3D knit to shape—resulting in far less waste than typical manufacturing. They also ship with 100% recycled materials and offset their carbon emissions by partnering with The Envira Amazonia Project. How much plastic have they removed: 62.8 million plastic water bottles What they make with the plastic:They make shoes, bags, and facemasks made from recycled single-use plastic water bottles, which prevents those bottles from eventually reaching the ocean or a landfill and repurposes them into fashionable footwear.

SUGA Who they are:Suga was born out of necessity by a lifelong surfer and yoga practitioner who was seeking a solution to an enduring problem. Non-biodegradable neoprene wetsuits present a unique challenge when it comes to sustainability. Suga worked with engineering experts to find and develop a way to recycle wetsuits into yoga mats. They work with surf shops to accept unwanted wetsuits (and old and used SugaMats) to recycle for their initiative. What they make with the plastic:They make yoga mats; each mat is made from approximately one unwanted wetsuits.

United By Blue Who they are: United By Blue is a company selling responsibly sourced & ethically manufactured clothing, bags, tools for a sustainable life. Founded on the idea of associating the sale of each product with a concrete environmental action. For every product sold, United By Blue removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways through company organized and hosted cleanups. Each year, they release an impact report highlighting the cleanups they organize, community initiatives, and conservation partnerships. How much plastic have they removed: 3.4 million pounds What they make with the plastic:They make durable, versatile yarn out of plastic water bottles to make backpacks and pet accessories. They also make clothing from polyester recycled from plastic bottles and post-consumer & post-industial plastic.

 

Total Plastic Removed from the oceans by this list of brands? 81,927,500 pounds