OUR SPORTS DO NOT POLLUTE WHEN THEY ARE PRACTICED, BUT HOW OUR GEAR IS CREATED AND MANUFACTURED CLEARLY HAS AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY EFFORTS TO OFFER AN INCREASINGLY SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT WITH EACH COLLECTION, WITHOUT SACRIFICING QUALITY OR PERFORMANCE.
At MANERA, we decided not to base our marketing on the "eco-friendly" aspect, because our strength lies in the performance of our products. Every company must strive to offer less harmful products. This must become the norm.
We have therefore chosen to explain, with full transparency, the actions we are implementing for the environment on this page.
Our desire has always been to produce durable, high-performance, timeless products. We think this is the best way for us to be more environmentally friendly, but also to conduct business and to be proud of our work.
Our products last over time; they do not go out of fashion after six months. We have very few after-sales service requests (less than 0.3% on our harnesses for example). We do not overproduce to then sell everything at knock-down prices, and we only sell to specialized shops. Therefore, the basis of our business is sound.
NEOPRENE
All our wetsuits are produced by our partner SHEICO, a Taiwanese family business. They have long understood the importance of the environment, and are behind several technologies we have chosen to use:
Compostable/biodegradable packaging
We protect our wetsuits from any contact with humidity or the sun so that they preserve their qualities when they arrive in the shop. We use:
- . A recyclable "pizza box" made of 70% recycled cardboard.
- . A compostable/recyclable bioplastic bag (PLA).
- . Compostable/recyclable bioplastic (PLA) anti-crease tubes.
More info: minima.com
Limestone
Our wetsuits are not made from petrochemicals but from limestone.
Recycled carbon black
Carbon black is a key ingredient in the manufacture of neoprene. At SHEICO it is pyrolysed from used tyres, which reduces energy consumption and saves 200 g of CO² emissions per wetsuit.
Recycled neoprene
Material waste is recycled into finished products in the production process, which avoids sending waste to landfill.
Aqua glue
The glue that binds the fabrics to the internal neoprene foam is now made from water instead of solvent. This removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and provides a healthier working environment for employees.
Dope Dyed Yarn
*Only on our black wetsuits.
Dyeing the fabric consumes a lot of water, so the threads that make up our fabrics are dyed before being woven, which considerably reduces water usage while reducing energy consumption and water pollution. For other colours, SHEICO has invested in a new generation of dyeing machines which consume 60% less water.
Solar energy
SHEICO's factories are equipped with solar panels to limit the use of fossil fuels.
Our desire has always been to produce durable,
high-performance, timeless products.
NEOPRENE RECYCLING / MANERA X CIRCULAR FLOW
This new partnership hopes to address the neoprene waste problem by collecting wetsuits and neoprene items at local shops to then turn them into new and useful neoprene products.
As a first step, we are launching this recycling program in select shops around France. Our goal is to collect and recycle between 2 000 and 2 500 wetsuits in 2023. Down the road, our main objective is to achieve neutrality and recycle as many wetsuits as we produce.
MANERA invites you to drop off your end-of-life or redundant wetsuits from any brand at any of our partner's shops during their opening hours.
TRIPS
Our goal is to inspire people to get out of their homes and into the water no matter what the conditions. This often involves us moving around, which has an impact on the planet.
On our last trip to Kamchatka, Russia, we took steps to reduce global carbon emissions by offsetting 100 tons of carbon emissions.
On each of our MANERA trips, we will commit ourselves to have the smallest impact possible on the planet which is, today, our most beautiful playground.
GREEN TOUCH / WORLD CLEAN UP DAY
September 19th was World clean-up day. MANERA took the lead and gathered a small group of people to collect the trashes on a local beach.
We know we won’t save the planet with our little jute bags, but it is more about inspiring, setting an example, and encourage people to throw their cigarette butts in a trash.
We’ll keep you informed of the next clean-up on our @manerawatermen page.
Let's stay green.
WETSUITS THAT LAST
It’s hard to always be perfect. Despite a demanding quality control on our wetsuits, a manufacturing defect can occur.
In compliance with the legal guarantees, we are committed to offer our customers the best possible service.
In a more sustainable approach, we will first try to correct any manufacturing defect for each wetsuit deemed "repairable" and will ship it to our specialist partner RÉPANÉO.
We believe that repairing rather than throwing away should become the norm, thus increasing the durability of our products and reducing their environmental impact. If, within the framework of the legal guarantees, the wetsuit is not repairable, it will of course be replaced.
In France, our partner Répanéo ensures neoprene repairs within a reasonable time. You only have to drop your wetsuit in one of our partner stores and we will take care of the rest.
