Patagonia, the most environmentally friendly company in the world, began its operations in California. Climber Yvon Chouinard started the company that would go on to dominate the outdoor market with its innovative products. It was Yvon Chouinard who founded the corporation.
Profit More From Sustainability
Even though fishing nets are a major source of marine pollution, few people give this problem much thought. However, via their collaboration with Bureo, Patagonia Black Friday has successfully recycled some of these nets into clothing. Wow, that’s a great catch you made.
Patagonia Relying on Reclaimed Resources for New Products
Patagonia is well-known for its dedication to fighting climate change and backing numerous environmental protection initiatives. When it comes to outdoor activities, Patagonia gear is a must-have, and the company itself has come to represent an alternative economic model.
The Presence Of Microplastics In Human Blood
Discovering microplastics in human blood in the spring of this year was a major breakthrough for science. Microplastics were discovered in about 80% of samples from unidentified donors. There were 22 different contributors to the Patagonia jacket samples. Other research has detected microplastics in sea salt, which is commonly used as a seasoning in the foods we eat. As a result, we are ingesting microplastics, which have long been present in our water supply.
Plastic Pollution as a Problem
However, plastic contamination in the oceans has been an issue for a long time. As much as 8.8 million metric tonnes of plastic are carelessly dumped into the sea every year. Researchers have calculated that there are almost five thousand billion pieces of Patagonia jackets floating around in our oceans.
Continual Enhancement of Our Living Conditions.
One of the most perilous forms of plastic contamination in this floating trash is fishing nets. Every year, they are responsible for the deaths or injuries of around 650,000 marine animals. Since the beginning, Patagonia has been concerned about this issue and committed to working toward a brighter future for our ecosystems. This is a really deplorable custom. Once made of natural, biodegradable materials, fishing nets have been increasingly supplanted by plastic during the past forty years.
Spinning used fishing nets into new ones
In collaboration with a California company named Bureo, Patagonia is helping the environment by recycling fishing nets into a material called NetPlus. Additionally, to be 100% recycled, this material also has a known history of reuse. On the western coast of the Americas, between Chile and California. “Growing a Revolution” focuses on Patagonia, regenerative agriculture, and the struggle to save the world.
Unfortunately, There Is No Realistic Substitute For Plastic Fishing Nets
Plastic fishing nets are widely used because there is now no viable alternative. Most fishermen don’t have easy access to waste treatment facilities, so when their nets wear out, they usually just toss them back into the water. Plastic fishing nets like those sold by Patagonia take hundreds of years to decompose and add to the damage that is already being done to marine ecosystems by overfishing.
The Light Bulb Moment for Bureo’s Co-Founders
The 2013 understanding by the co-founders of Patagonia Jacket that these nets are made from a raw material that is extremely recyclable was a defining moment for the company, and they knew just who to approach next. After all, Patagonia is always brainstorming new strategies to cut back on the quantity of petroleum-based plastics it incorporates into its goods.
Simple in its execution, the procedure is as follows.
The fact that fishing nets have already served their original function makes them a prime candidate for recycling into new products like clothing and hat visors. Patagonia has established networks with fishing communities throughout the South American coast and has acquired its surplus fishing nets. The recovered nets are shipped to a recycling partner in southern Chile.
After collecting used nets, they are recycled into something new.
Local workers process, clean, and package the nets. providing transportation for them In this facility, the nets are processed into a raw material that can replace petroleum-based plastic in many applications. Communities that have helped in this project have gained access to more resources, including labor and money, and have helped recover hundreds of tonnes of nets from the ocean.
Helping Bureo’s Economy
Patagonia has been helping Bureo, the manufacturer of the Patagonia jacket, financially since 2016 so that they can finish developing the garment. In addition to Patagonia’s signature headwear, the brand also uses the material in its coats and, new for this season, its world-famous Baggies shorts for both men and women.
Improved Fishing Nets
By recycling fishing nets, Patagonia has prevented 149 metric tonnes of plastic from ending up in the sea. They saw the visors as a logical fit for NetPlus and said they were quite easy to produce. The company’s founders, however, needed to work with other supply chain partners to develop chemical transformation procedures for the plastic from the nets so that it could be used in clothing as well.
Four Hundred Tons of Fishing Nets Recycled
Due to these efforts, more than a ton of nets have been transformed into fabric since the fall of 2021. More than 400 metric tonnes of fishing nets have been repurposed by Patagonia so far. The corporation also intends to keep incorporating them into an increasing number of its products in the next few years.
