Unique supplier
We have a single, trustworthy supplier with whom we have been closely working since 2012.
SHEICO is a Taiwanese company that produces our goods in Cambodia, and they also produce most of the world’s premium wetsuits. Manufacturing around 45 million wetsuits a year, they can have a huge impact on the global wetsuit market’s CO² emissions.
Most of the following green technologies have been discovered and implemented by SHEICO themselves. As their customer, we are choosing to use them.
SHEICO claims that a wetsuit with all the greener technologies listed below emits 24% less CO² than a standard wetsuit. If all SHEICO customers chose to implement all these just like we do, then the whole industry would save 12,1 million kg of CO² emission every year.
We did not create these. We just chose to use them.
Recycled carbon black
Carbon black is mostly used as a colorant and reinforcing ingredient in the rubber tires industry. It also happens to be a key ingredient in the manufacturing of neoprene.
It also happens to be a key ingredient in the manufacturing of neoprene.
At SHEICO, carbon black is sourced from pyrolyzed used tires, which reduces energy consumption and saves around 200 g of CO² emissions per wetsuit.
Limestone
All our neoprene goods are derived from limestone rather than petrochemicals.
However, if you think that limestone is much better than oil, think twice. Limestone is a limited, nonrenewable mineral that must be extracted from the earth. Creating neoprene from it is an energy-intensive process and is thus not so superior in terms of environmental impact than petroleum.
We still chose to use limestone to reduce our dependency on oil and its derived chemicals. Besides, a limestone spill is much easier to clean up than an oil spill, meaning less danger to the local environment.
If you are looking for a wetsuit with a reduced environmental impact, we have what you need: The ALT. This new model is made from Yulex Pure® natural rubber which claims to reduce the overall carbon footprint of a wetsuit by 80%.
Why don’t we manufacture all our wetsuits with Yulex Pure®?
Our Yulex Pure® wetsuits are around 30% more expensive than our highest priced wetsuits.
We do understand that not everybody can afford it. We are here to help passionate people make the most of their time in the water, and not to only target a higher social class.
While we and other brands will launch more and more natural rubber wetsuit models, the price of raw material should become more and more affordable. Then, bit by bit, we will be able to switch all our neoprene goods to Yulex Pure®, without our customers breaking the bank.
Recycled neoprene
Before being cut into several slices of a specific thickness, the neoprene is cooked and then shaped into a clean, rectangular slab.
That process involves material waste, which SHEICO recycles and re-uses into finished products, then avoiding industrial wastes that ends up in landfills.
Compostable/biodegradable packaging
We must protect our wetsuits from any contact with humidity or the sun so that they preserve their qualities when they arrive in the shop. Shipping wetsuits without a proper protection could cause irreparable damages to the neoprene.
Consequently, we have been working to find the best alternative to classic plastic polybags:
- A recyclable "pizza box" made of 70% recycled cardboard.
- A compostable/recyclable bioplastic bag (PLA).
- Compostable/recyclable bioplastic (PLA) anti-crease tubes.
More info on our partner’s website: minima.com
Solar energy
The energy that our suppliers use is a crucial part of a brand’s carbon emissions. Having an eco-design is useless if your product is made using non-renewable energy.
Therefore, SHEICO factories are equipped with solar panels to limit the use of fossil fuels, generating around 6,038,486kWh per year.
Dope Dyed Yarn
Dyeing the fabric consumes a lot of water, so the threads that make up our fabrics are dyed before being woven. This considerably reduces water usage while reducing energy consumption and water pollution.
For other colors, SHEICO has invested in a new generation of dyeing machines which consume 60% less water.
*Only on our black models.
Aqua glue
The glue that binds the jersey fabrics to the internal neoprene foam is now water-based instead of solvent-based.
This removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs), thus providing a healthier working environment for employees and a cleaner wetsuit against your skin.
Recycled jerseys
MAGMA
This model features a 83% recycled nylon outside jersey and a 100% recycled nylon inside jersey.
It helps reduce waste as well as limit the production of new raw material.
ALT
This model features a 83% recycled nylon outside jersey, a 100% recycled nylon inside jersey, and a 45% recycled fleece.
It helps reduce waste as well as limit the production of new raw material.
Recyclable parts
Skin
100% recyclable HDPE. HPDE is a type 2 plastic.
Pivot inter
100% recyclable PP. PP is a type 5 plastic.
Circular economy
A product is as durable as the least durable part of its components.
The different components of a harness are often non-replaceable (sewn straps, glued foams, etc.) and certainly not recyclable. Therefore, sometimes a worn or damaged part forces you to throw away the entire product.
In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and in order to provide better customer service, all HALO components are assembled without glue or seams. We thus use less raw materials, chemical glues, and can easily replace a worn-out part. We stock spare parts and can replace each of them.
Nowadays, 50% of our plastics are recyclable, like the Skin (type 2) or the Pivot inter (type 5) and can be thrown away in the recycling bin.
We are already thinking about the future and testing recycled/bio-sourced materials. This de-constructible construction allows us to improve our carbon footprint, part by part.
Yulex Pure®
Yulex Pure® is a natural plant-based rubber that provides a cleaner alternative to traditional petroleum or limestone-based neoprene.
The Yulex® company partnered with FSC certified Hevea tree plantations to harvest crude rubber, then uses its unique process to transform it into a 99% pure solid natural rubber.
. Renewable
Unlike finite resources like oil and limestone, natural rubber is a renewable resource.
Directly tapped from Hevea trees without cutting them down, it ensures a long-term supply stability as well as a drastically reduced environmental impact.
. Reduced water consumption
A ton of Yulex requires 25,000L of water to be produced, while limestone-based neoprene necessitates more than 10 times that amount. Moreover, Yulex recycles wastewater by re-using it during the production process.
. Reduced energy consumption
One ton of Yulex requires 1,150kwh to be produced when limestone-based neoprene demands more than 29 times that amount.
. Reduced carbon footprint
Yulex claims that using their natural rubber rather than traditional neoprene reduces the carbon footprint of our wetsuits by 80%.
Why don’t we build all our wetsuits with Yulex Pure® yet?
Our Yulex Pure® wetsuits are around 30% more expensive than our highest priced wetsuits.
We do understand that not everybody can afford it. We are here to help passionate people make the most of their time in the water, and not to only target a higher social class.
While we and other brands will launch more and more natural rubber wetsuit models, the price of raw material should become more and more affordable. Then, bit by bit, we will be able to switch all our neoprene goods to Yulex Pure®, without them breaking the bank.
*all data is courtesy of Yulex®.
