What is ocean-bound plastic?
Ocean-bound plastic is cleaned up in areas that are the source of ocean plastic pollution, preventing ocean plastic and supporting better waste management where it’s needed most.
Our ocean-bound plastic is collected within 50km of the shore in areas with insufficient waste management in South East Asia – where up to 80% of ocean plastic comes from. It’s collected and recycled by local organisations certified to handle ocean-bound plastic.
By collecting and recycling this plastic, we stop it ever reaching the ocean and support better waste systems in communities that need our help preventing plastic pollution.
How it’s done
Collected
Waste is cleaned up from regions that have been identified as the source ocean pollution by certified collection organisations.
Sorted & Cleaned
The waste is sorted. The useful material is prepared for recycling. Material that isn’t recyclable is carefully managed to stop it returning to the environment.
Recycled
A certified recycling organisation converts the plastic into valuable material again.
Upcycled
We buy the material and start working. It’s formed into our design, packed in sustainable packaging and sent to our amazing customers.
Loved & Reused
Our products are loved, reused, repaired and finally recycled into new products at the end of their life.
Supported
The collectors, sorters and recyclers (and us!) are all rewarded for cleaning up the planet and preventing ocean pollution, meaning they’ll do more of it!
Funding cleanups
As well as using ocean-bound plastic in our products, we fund additional cleanups equal to 2 kilograms of plastic for every product shipped.
Why ocean-bound plastic?
We think ocean-bound plastic provides the best balance of sustainability, environmental and social impact, and viability. It’s a practical first step toward a new plastics economy that doesn’t pollute the planet.
Plastic pollution is an unequal problem.
It affects developing countries much more than wealthy countries. By buying certified ocean-bound plastic from these places, we support the removal of plastic from the environment where it has the biggest impact, and we support the development of better waste systems that stop the problem at the source.
Why not ‘ocean plastic’?
Around 80% of ocean plastic originates on land, and 81% of ocean plastic comes from just one region (Source)
If your bathroom was flooding you wouldn’t start mopping before you’d turned off the tap. We think of ocean plastic the same way. We believe we will have more impact by using ocean-bound material collected at the source of ocean plastic.
Why not glass?
We have moved away from glass because recycled plastic is more sustainable and ocean-bound material has a more direct impact on reducing ocean plastic pollution. It uses less energy to make, is lighter, more durable, easier to recycle and requires less packaging.
What percentage of the product is ocean-bound plastic?
At launch, the shade of Light Soy is minimum 75% certified ocean-bound plastic. We are working towards making all parts from 100% ocean-bound material as we get more experience working with the material.
We need to rethink everything.
To stop plastic pollution we need to rethink and redesign products and systems, reuse everything we create, and as a last step recycle the materials we already have.
Our concept is to redesign waste into things that spark joy and last – so they never become waste again, and inspire more people to adopt a circular, minimal impact mindset.
Find out more about how you can make a difference.