Rip Curl has expanded its wetsuit recycling program overseas after a successful launch in Australia.
The ‘Recycle Your Wetsuit’ program is now offered in Rip Curl stores and via postage across the USA and Europe as well as through as of September 2022 in a bid to curb environmental impacts.
In partnership with TerraCycle, the initiative was launched in Australia in 2021. According to Rip Curl ESG manager Shasta O’Loughlin, it has since seen over 1,600 wetsuits being returned and recycled.
“We’re proud to be able to extend this program to our US, France, Spain and Portugal customers, helping to provide them with an avenue to do their bit for the environment,” O’Loughlin said
“We hope every touchpoint has a wider impact by educating our customers to consider the end-of life impact of their purchase. We’re so stoked to be diverting wetsuits from landfill and to good use.”
Select Rip Curl stores will accept any surf branded wetsuit, not including booties, gloves, hoods or heavy diving dry suits.
Customers can drop off their used wetsuits in store at no cost, or can send via post to a selected store.
According to Rip Curl, customers don’t need to clean their wetsuits before dropping them off in store, however items need to be dry.
Globally, TerraCycle has recycled more than 7 billion units and raised more than $44 million for charities.
Speaking on the company’s initiative, Terra Cycle GM for AU NZ Jean Bailliard said Rip Curl’s ‘Recycle Your Wetsuit’ program in Australia has saved nearly 2.5 tonnes of rubber waste in landfills since 2021.
“Most surfing wetsuits are made from synthetic rubber, a complex material that isn’t accepted in kerbside recycling,” Bailliard said.
“As a waste stream that is used all over the world, we couldn’t be more excited to work with Rip Curl to expand this initiative to even more markets.”
Rip Curl, in partnership with TerraCycle, will be repurposing all recycled rubber for use in items like the safety attenuation layer of soft fall matting used at playgrounds and outdoor gyms.
Established in Torquay along Victoria’s surf coast in 1969, Rip Curl is a social enterprise founded on sustainable values.
“We are incredibly proud of our partnership with TerraCycle, as a leader in the recycling space,” O’Loughlin said.
“With some of our core values at Rip Curl being Community and Environment, the ‘Recycle Your Wetsuit’ program is extremely important to us.
“We have seen a significant uptake of the program on our home soil and look forward to the response internationally.”