| Surfing is a sport that has ancient roots and was | | | | agave cacti to produce blanks that can be hand |
| always close to nature. When the native | | | | shaped the traditional way. Balsa wood boards are |
| Polynesian races needed to cut a kona tree for | | | | also a solution, as long as the balsa is farmed in a |
| the purpose of making an olo board, a ceremony | | | | sustainable way. Look at what Australia is doing, I |
| was organised as to ask for forgiveness for this | | | | click. |
| act. | | | | Once a surf board blank is shaped, it has to be |
| Surfers are usually quite involved and active with | | | | laminated with layers of fibreglass and resin to |
| environmental issues but the surf industry that | | | | make it durable. Fibreglass manufacturing is a toxic |
| moves more than 7.2 billions dollar a year has a | | | | industry but could be easily avoided with the use |
| strong carbon print. | | | | of bamboo to laminate the boards. Bamboo is |
| Nowadays surf boards are made from modern | | | | easily grown and does not harm the soils. Its |
| components, all issued from the petrochemical | | | | mechanical characteristics make it great for |
| industry. Most of these products have a strong | | | | laminating surf boards, as it keeps some flexibility |
| environmental impact from the foam blanks, to | | | | and is actually more resistant to impact then the |
| the fibreglass, the resin and even wax. | | | | traditional laminating process. A Hawaiian surf |
| To this point, surf industry has not found a way | | | | board shaper has been using it with success for |
| to produce a 100% eco-friendly surf boards but | | | | more than a decade. |
| there is ways to manufacture them in a less toxic | | | | Another toxic material used is resin. To this point, |
| manner. | | | | there is no escape to using it. Polystyrene blanks |
| The first point concerns the foam blank itself. To | | | | need to be laminated with polystyrene resin. |
| this point, blanks are made from the mixing of | | | | When using a polyurethane blank, it is epoxy resin |
| various chemicals, including the very carcinogenic | | | | that is needed. This epoxy resin gives out 50 |
| Toluene diisocyanate which react to each other | | | | times less VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) than |
| by expanding. Surf industry is now using more | | | | the classic polyester and is less carcinogenic. Surf |
| and more polyurethane surf blanks which is a bit | | | | boards manufactured with epoxy are much more |
| less toxic than polystyrene. About 40% of a surf | | | | resistant then polyester hence making it a more |
| foam blanks end up in landfills. A southern | | | | eco-friendly product with this increase in durability. |
| California company now recycles old and wasted | | | | A bio-epoxy resin is now also used but it only has |
| blanks to create new ones, with the same | | | | 30% of bio components. A lot of research is also |
| characteristics as the classic ones. Also some | | | | made on a 100% soya based resin fine for the |
| researches are done on working with | | | | laminating. |
| biodegradable natural components such as crushed | | | | |