It’s plastic-free July, so we wanted to share some of our plastic-free favorites.
Surfboard combs
Dude. Would you look at these surfboard combs? Are they not the prettiest things you ever did see? What if we told you they were made from upcycled plastic found in the sea? Ya. Founded by an ocean-loving industrial designer and a wave-obsessed sustainability consultant, SeaForm works by sharing the tools and the designs to make up-cycled goods with coastal communities globally.
Get yours here.
Menstrual cup.
If you haven’t jumped on the cup train yet, now’s the time. I don’t know what my life was before cup. My life is split down the middle in BC- life before cup and AC- life after cup.
While the menstrual cup might force you to get intimate with your moon blood in a way you never have before and that might make some a little squeamy (which I don’t really get but whatever) this plastic-free, zero-waste thing is amazing.
Not only can you keep it in for 12 hours (think, long bus rides or flights. Huge days surfing or adventuring outside. Or, where you just don’t want to think about it.) It is zero-waste and can last for up to TEN YEARS. According to The Cup Effect, a woman will dispose up to 12,000 pads, tampons or other menstrual products in her lifetime, producing a large amount of waste. Want to make that cup purchase work harder to not only save the environment but to empower other women? When you buy a cup from the cup effect they run info sessions and distribute cups to people who can’t afford them in the UK and other less well-off parts of the world.
Did you know girls from low-income communities with miss school up to 20% of the time due to lack of access to menstrual products? We can help put an end to that.
Buy your cup here.
Reef-friendly zinc
Mineral waterproof sun protection that will stay on for your whole surf session! Normal sunscreen isn’t sufficient when we spent so much time in the water. This organic-ticked paste is an indispensable for you next surf trip. Pasol UV effectively protects the skin from sun rays and long-term sun damage. Optimal protection in the water for 80 minutes.
We call it Surf Makeup 🙂
:: Active ingredients: Zinc oxide 24.5%, Titanium Dioxide 7.5%
:: Inactive ingredients: Beeswax, Cocoa Butter, Almond oil, Avocado oil, Grape seed oil, Carrot oil, Vitamin E, Mineral oxides
Shampoo bar
Have you tried shampoo bars yet?!
We’re loving this plastic-free shampoo alternative by Bambú 7 Soap Co. Made with pure vegetable oils and packed in .a reusable stainless steel can. Free of:
- Sulfates
- SLS Preservatives
- Parabens
- Silicones
- Artificial fragrances and colors
- Vegan friendly and tried on friends, not animals!
Get yours here.
Recycled hair scrunchies
Australian and women-owned brand Maple Sky are nailing cute-as-hell hair scrunchies. The best bit? They are all made from recycled fabrics. When starting the business, they produced almost 100 scrunchies from bought fabrics before deciding to switch their message to use recycled materials.
That meant they had to start all over and set their launch back another few weeks but their passion for a sustainable environment and their commitment to making a difference meant their change of direction, they say, was worth it.
Free shipping inside Australia, and international shipping now available, shop your new favorite hair scrunchies here.
Re-usable Razor
We mean, it’s totally cool to let your luscious leg locks flow freely on your wild jungle surf trip, but if you feel so inclined to shave, think about investing in a zero-waste razor. Made to last a lifetime, this Aussie-based company makes refillable razors from chrome plated brass. The only thing you need to change are the razor blades, that can be easily replaced or even sharpened. It comes with a packet of five blades, and extra blades can be purchased separately.
Get yours here.
Let’s address the elephant in the room.
Through traveling alone, a surfers ecological footprint can get pretty big, fast. Some experts even say a surfers ecological footprint can be up to 50% larger than the average persons. They say the c02 used during one long-haul flight is about half of the average persons. Are we going to tell you to not go on that amazing surf trip on the other side of the planet?! Nope, how can we, when we rotate between Indo, Ecuador and El Salvador throughout the year ourselves. It’s just something to be mindful of when selecting your next surf destination. Airlines are slowly becoming more sustainably minded, with QANTAS flying it’s first zero-waste flight in May and their first biofuel flight last January.
Let’s hope the world keeps moving in this direction. Let’s do our lil bits to keep moving in this direction too.
What’s your zero-waste/ plastic free essentials on your surf trips?
