Fourth Element, the world’s leading technical and leisure divewear company has launched their eco-range of swimwear that we first saw at the DEMA Show 2014. Launched on World Oceans Day (8th June) 2015 the OceanPositive range aims to “close the loop” by using recycled nylon from “Ghost” fishing nets which have been abandoned by fishing vessels having snagged on reef or wrecks.
Dive teams from the Ghost Fishing Project are “harvesting” these nets, removing them from the sea, and bringing them back to port, after which the nets are collected, recycled and spun into nylon yarn. Fourth Element uses fabric made from this yarn in Italy, combined with Lycra to make a line of active swimwear.
Not only is this range eco-friendly but looks fantastic as well – you can see some images further down this article.
Oceans advocate and figurehead of Mission Blue, Dr Sylvia Earle said at DEMA 2014:
This is a fantastic idea, [one which] demonstrates what we can, and should, do for the oceans
The OceanPositive swimwear concept reverses the traditional Cradle to Grave product development models to deliver a Grave to Cradle solution, to produce a product designed by divers for diver, made from marine waste, sourced by divers.
Jim Standing, co founder of Fourth Element had this to say:
The OceanPositive range is a statement of what we feel is our responsibility to protect the environment which we love, and we believe we should protect. It is part of a strategy that has seen us adopt more environmentally responsible policies including recycling old neoprene, changing our packaging to reduce single use plastic packaging, favouring reusable or recyclable solutions. We also wanted to address a requirement of divers for great looking products which are also practical. Every diver wears swimwear under their – some bikini styles have no clasps, others have a single clasp or tie to as be more comfortable under a wetsuit.
Ocean Positive will be in stores late Summer 2015 and you can sign up for more information at oceanpositive.net.
