TrashPeak - Sustainable Surfboards
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
Trash Peak emerge from the moral obligation each surfer has to take care of the enviroment where he is happy, the ocean. Our beaches are crowded with tons of plastic that poisson our seasides.
In the consumerist times we live our brand choose to reuse materials instead of producing new ones. The basis of this project is to produce sustainable and acologic surfboards from the recycled plastics collected from the beach by using 3D printing technologies.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
It is the moment to develop new technologies and process to allow us to give a "second life" to a product that persist on time and fill up our coasts and seas. The production of new plastics is unsustainable, it is time to bet for innovative ideas for alternative production systems. Recycling markets are already doing it, they will generate around 50.000 million Euros this year. Reusing products is the key of this project; materials we can easily find at any of our beaches.
The objective is the collection of plastics from the coast to transform them to products related to aquatic sports. This transformation is achieved through the utilization of 3D printing technology, which allows fully customization and material optimization designs.
For the last 80 years, traditional surfboards have been manufactured with highly polluting materials, such as fiberglass and polyurethane resin. It is made of a polystyrene foam piece, which crumbles into micro pieces when the board is broken on the water.
Our surfboards are made of recycled plastic and covered with bio based fibbers and resins, materials that are more respectful with the environment.
By using recycled PET plastic we obtain a stunning translucent design, unique on the market, giving the boards an exclusive appearance.
Key objectives for sustainability
The main objetive is to give to the surfer community a sustainable alternative to the products they use now for surfing.
Our project lines up with 6 out of 17 SDG adopted by the UN on their strategy plan for 2020-2030 against plastic and micro plastics:
- Nº 3 Good Health and Wellbeing: sports are essential to achieve this objetive. Promoting aquatic sports as a healthy life style is one of our goals.
- Nº9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure: we produce in a sustainable and environmentally respectful way. Using 3D printing we reduce industrial wastes, instead of molding a piece we create it from cero generating almost none waste, and the waste created can be reused on 3D printing.
- Nº11 Sustainable cities and communities: by reusing materials and rethinking productive process we are looking for a more sustainable way to fulfill the needs of an increasing number of consumers.
- Nº12 Responsible consumption and production: our sustainable boards have an extended life cycle of the product. Thanks to the plastics properties we achieve long lasting products which can be easily repaired.
- Nº13 Climate action: organizing beach clean ups we will try to make aware of the problem existing with the plastics.
- Nº14 Life below water: by recollecting this wastes from the coast and oceans we protect our ecosystems from being poisoned.
- Nº17 Partnerships for the goals: working together is essential to make a real change on the actual conditions. Joining forces agains the pollution existing must be mandatory.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
If we think on a basic traditional surfboards, first thing it come to our mind is they withe opaque board. On the contrary, our boards are translucent allowing you to look through it.
Furthermore, thanks to 3D printing customization is easier and cheaper. We just have to change the design and print it instead of building a new mold or use more materials.
Talking about quality, traditional surfboards are fragile because they are made of foam. In our case, the plastic skeleton provides a stronger and durable board, easier to carry and repair.
Key objectives for inclusion
It is mandatory to involve everybody to be part of the change. Beach clean ups are essential part of our programe. These meetings will increase the awareness regarding the amount of waste that ends up in our ecosystems and, at the same time, we have the opportunity to show them another more responsible and sustainable way.
On the other hand, those activities together with theory programs can be done working with schools and inclusion organizations, involving the youngest generations and making them part of the solution.
With this kind of products we are bringing new technologies to the people, helping to understand new ways of production. Thanks to the 3D design and the customization we promote the creativity in the community
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
The base of this project is the sustainable manufacturing of surfboards with recycled materials, involving the community on the process making awareness on the existing problems, not only with the productive system but with the product itself. Using new technologies and materials produces an unique looking surfboard with better characteristics.
People can take part of almost every step of the productive process. Everything begins with a beach clean up, where people can help to collect the plastics making awareness on the way. through the customization we integrate peoples ideas to our designs, resulting on unique pieces. At the end, it is the consumer who is taking care of the environment by using our products.
