On average, 800,000,000kg of textiles are thrown away every year. That's the equivalent weight of 1,600,000 elephants, 640,000 double decker buses or the whole population of New Zealand, twice.
Globally, 87% of this is sent to landfill or incinerated.
380,000kg of this waste comes from materials used in manufacturing wetsuits.
We're aware that as an industry, we have a long way to go to be completely sustainable. No brand is perfect, no solution is absolute. If we put our heads together, however, we can come up with ways to cut down on this waste.
We're super excited to launch three new initiatives that aim to reduce our contribution to landfill by reusing, repurposing & recycling old products.
We've partnered with the legends at Upparel, offering consumer a chance to upcycle old clothes & wetsuits, earning credit to spend on our website when they do so.
Upparel are on a mission to reduce the amount of textile waste going to landfill every year, making it as easy as possible for consumers to reuse, recycle and, where possible, upcycle.
As part of our mission to "close the loop" in our manufacturing process, we can't wait to see the positive impact this partnership will have in both reducing textile waste and in our wider pursuit of a happier planet.
For more information about how you can get involved - click the button below.
At Project Blank, we are a community of green-minded ocean lovers, united in our pursuit of a happier planet. Across all aspects of our business, we’re constantly on the lookout for ways to increase the sustainability of our products, so when we discovered the work Into Carry were doing, we reached out straight away.
Luke Phillips started Into Carry with a love of craft, a keen interest in the bag industry and a passion for the planet. Initially utilising waste materials such as broken tarps and umbrellas, he loved the challenge of upcycling our wetsuits into highly functional, completely sustainable carry bags.
By partnering with Into Carry, we’re offering surfers a new way to upcycle their old wetsuits, creating bespoke carry bags & accessories.
"Sustainability shouldn't be a chore and it doesn't have to be monotonous. We hope this partnership is a great example of this and we hope Project Blank's innovative approach to sustainability inspires other businesses to see waste as a resource too.
Trash comes in all shapes and sizes so when we're designing a bag, we make sure we can build it from all sorts of materials. When the opportunity came to upcycle wetsuits on their way to the bin, we jumped straight on the sewing machine and found a way to turn it Into Carry."
Luke Brooks, Into Carry Founder
The Bags
Together, we've created a limited-edition range of bags, made from upcycled Project Blank wetsuits. The range includes:
The Café Racer Backpack - Heaps of space for your laptop, lunch and anything else you need in your day-to-day business. The Cafe Racer backpack is the perfect mix of business and casual. Feel confident heading into a meeting, without heading to dinner looking like you just left one.
The Landscape Tote - A simple, spacious work-life companion. With comfy upcycled straps, long enough to carry over your shoulder, and a large interior, open top and ability to stand upright, the bag is designed to enhance accessibility while on-the-go.
The Mini Sidekick - Compact, easy, sustainable. The mini sidekick is your perfect companion for everyday activities. Nice and snug over your shoulder for when your pants pockets don't quite have enough room.
As a further development to our partnership with Into Carry - providing YOU the chance to upcycle your old wetsuit into two brand new products - a laptop case & a Pouch.
For less than $100, the team at Into Carry will use the materials from your old wetsuit to create these awesome new products that are completely unique to you, send you back the finished article.
Reusing, repurposing & recycling old materials wherever possible in our manufacturing process is a major contributor to our pursuit of a happier planet. We're stoked to be able to offer you the chance to do the same.
To learn more about our partnership with Into Carry, and order yourself a new laptop case, click the button below:
We are a community of green-minded ocean lovers, unified in our pursuit of a happier planet.
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. That means cleaner manufacturing, bio-degradable packaging, and tangible partnerships that positively impact the environment & communities we live in.
Our sustainability journey is just beginning. We're always on the look out for areas in which we can learn, improve & progress. If you have any ideas that you'd like to share, areas of concern or just fancy saying hello, drop us an email at info@projectblank.com.au.
Project Blank
