WHERE DO OUR USED WETSUITS END ?
Neocombine is an organisation gathering surfers, designers and many volunteers caring for the ocean and nature who have decided to act locally by recyling used wetsuits.
We collect old wetsuits from clubs and friends
It's a way to meet people with the same spirit.
As you might know, thousands of wetsuits are thrown away every year. Salt and sun destroy their elastic and heating properties while new wetsuits are attractive, their design and material have highly improved in the last few years. As surfers, we change quicker our wetsuits but Neoprene still takes over 100 years to break down in the landfill!
Neoprene is a highly polluting artficial rubber that doesn't have a specific recycling process like plastic bottles. Carefully thrown into the plastic recyclying bin, these bottles are taken away, sorted, washed, and crushed to produce plastic granules that can be used for others purposes.
What happens after I put my old wetsuit in the garbage ?
How can I support
Neocombine ?
Our wetsuits are usually transported to big waste incinerators and burned.
They release toxic smokes costing energy and damaging environment.
The carbon chlorine compounds and other chemical elements in the halogen family in the Neoprene, emerge as nasty thick carbon monoxide fumes - irritating and highly toxic. Neoprene is the brand name* for the rubber material that wetsuits are made out of, Chloroprene rubber or butadiene is the scientific name.
After collection, the wetsuits are washed with a biodegradable anti-bacterial agent and carfully dried in the sun (no electricity needed).
We cut them in small templates of different colors and print them by hand using the very ancient screen printing technic with water based non toxic ink.
Once printed and cut again in small neoprene straps they are sewed by hand. Néocombine has developed a simple cross stitch, within the reach of all. For those who need work, a thread, a needle and a brief introduction is enough to get back on tracks.
Giving to us your old wetsuits is the best way to encourage upcycling.
Neocombine is not only a place where you "throw" with conscious. We create craft and cool stuff for the beach. Your wetsuit is now turned into something new, colorfull, clean and fun... a bracelet! The only resource required: imagination and hard back yard team work.
By wearing our bracelets at your wrist it becomes an act of commitment to the preservation of our coastline.
It is also a fun way to give our old wetsuits a second life in the sun and the beach.
