Dive Brief:
- A Los Angeles start-up that transforms plastic waste from the ocean into skateboards has received a seed investment from Patagonia, a Ventura, CA-based lifestyle clothing company.
- Bureo Skateboards was founded by three friends from the U.S. who recycle plastic waste from oceans and used nets from Chilean fishermen into skateboards.
- The start-up uses recovered plastics to showcase the great potential of waste materials, and is actively working on expanding its network to include non-profits and plastic collection programs that are already established around the globe.
Dive Insight:
The investment from Patagonia came from its "$20 Million & Change" fund, an initiative launched in 2013 that helps start-ups come up with solutions to environmental issues through business. Patagonia helped Bureo in a greater capacity—the director of Patagonia penned a letter of recommendation which led to a $40,000 grant from Start-Up Chile, a program for startups sponsored by the government. Additional funding was secured through a Northeastern University student-operated venture accelerator called IDEA.
Rose Marcario, Patagonia’s CEO, said, “We’re investing in Bureo’s vision to scale their business to a global level and make a serious dent in the amount of plastic that gets thrown away in our oceans.”
According to the United Nations, fishing gear accounts for more than 10% of the waste floating in the ocean. That's why Bureo has established collection areas designated for discarding used nets, which it then processes and transports for recycling and manufacturing using trucks that would otherwise be returning to the facility empty.
Transforming ocean waste into something new seems to be a popular trend, even cropping up in the fashion industry. In September, fashion designer Pharrell Williams launched a line of clothing that converts plastic ocean waste into clothing.
