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Clean Sailors Expands Global ReSail Platform Through Partnership Tackling Wetsuit Waste

by Clean Sailors 15 Apr 07:11 BST
Wetsuit waste © Circular Flow

Clean Sailors, the organisation behind the innovative ReSail platform, today announced an exciting new partnership with Circular Flow, a leader in neoprene reuse solutions. This collaboration expands ReSail's global offering, enabling sailors to responsibly dispose of not only end-of-life sails, but also old wetsuits and neoprene gear.

ReSail by Clean Sailors is a first-of-its-kind digital platform that maps drop-off locations worldwide where retired sails can be repurposed. With no formal recycling infrastructure currently available for complex sail textiles anywhere in the world, the platform provides a solution - connecting sailors with businesses and organisations that can give these materials a second life.

Through this new partnership, users of ReSail will now also gain access to a growing global network of wetsuit and neoprene collection points powered by Circular Flow, a team working on solutions for an overlooked environmental challenge: the disposal of neoprene, a durable but difficult-to-recycle material widely used in watersports.

By integrating both sailcloth and neoprene recovery into a single, accessible platform, Clean Sailors and Circular Flow are making it easier than ever for the sailing and watersports community to take responsible action and reduce waste.

"This partnership is a natural evolution of what ReSail was built to achieve," said Holly Manvell, founder of Clean Sailors. "Sailors care deeply about the oceans they depend on, but too often lack practical options when it comes to disposing of materials like sails and wetsuits. By teaming up with our friends at Circular Flow, we're removing those barriers, making it easier to find information thereby empowering watersporters to make more sustainable choices. I have deep respect for the Circular Flow team who, like Clean Sailors, are working hard to bring some of the biggest yet-to-be-addressed waste and pollution issues in our ocean-centred industries to the fore"

Circular Flow brings extensive expertise in collecting and repurposing neoprene, transforming discarded wetsuits into new products and materials. Their new and growing network and proven processes make them an ideal partner in scaling impact across the marine and watersports communities. Circular Flow estimates that around 18,000 tonnes of neoprene enters landfill globally - a highly-engineered textile which can leach both chemicals and microplastics into our environment when discarded. The team are working with both wetsuit manufacturers and major watersport industry players, such as PADI, to address that.

"Neoprene waste is a growing global issue, and collaboration is key to solving it," said Peter Palmer from Circular Flow. "Partnering with Clean Sailors allows us to reach a highly-engaged community that is already motivated to protect the ocean, providing a first-time solution for end-of-life neoprene. Together, we're making circularity more accessible and actionable."

The expanded ReSail platform reinforces Clean Sailors' mission to drive practical sustainability solutions within the sailing community and beyond. By centralising access to reuse and repurposing initiatives, the platform not only diverts waste from landfill but also supports a growing ecosystem of circular businesses.

As awareness grows around the environmental impact of marine textiles, initiatives like ReSail demonstrate how collaboration and innovation can turn waste challenges into opportunities for positive change.

For more information, visit: resailbycleansailors.com

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