Producing ethical and sustainable swim shorts from waste collected in the seas and oceans
Not just an eco-friendly fibre, a whole environmental project
When you love the sea, what could be more natural than wanting to look after it? Our commitment to the environment and the preservation of the seas has become a reality, through our association with Spanish company Seaqual, whose mission is to use their network of 400 Mediterranean fishermen to collect plastic bottles lying discarded on beaches or floating in the sea and then recycle them by turning them into a polyester fibre. This virtuous business model means we can manufacture our swimwear in a way that corresponds with our values and our desire to be a vector of real change.
Reducing ocean pollution and creating new products: two for the price of one
The Seaqual initiative was prompted by the fact that, every year, an estimated 12 million tonnes of litter end up in the sea, which means that, if, by 2025, nothing has changed, for every three tonnes of fish in our seas and oceans there will be one tonne of plastic. Seaqual is also the result of a desire to support Barcelona’s fishing community, confronted with increasing quantities of rubbish invading their nets, a situation made worse by bad weather. In response, the Spanish company has undertaken an immense clean-up programme, collecting marine litter from the sea-bed, the surface of the water, beaches and estuaries. Once sorted and cleaned, the plastic waste is recycled in Seaqual Initiative approved facilities, before being transformed into textile fibres from which beautiful, new, sustainable products can be made.
RIVEA + SEAQUAL = FROM THE SEA FOR THE SEA !
With some 600 tons of waste collected from the oceans and 99 tons of waste transformed into recycled marine plastic, Seaqual is having a concrete impact in the fight against plastic pollution. Step by step, this eco-friendly initiative, based on a more virtuous business model, has led to the creation of an innovative, 100% post-consumer textile.
Les étapes
La collecte
La collecte des déchets est une vaste entreprise. Pour avancer, l’entreprise fait appel à un réseau de 400 pêcheurs qui récupèrent les déchets dans les fonds marins. Seaqual s’appuie également sur des initiatives individuelles, des ONG et des entreprises qui contribuent, chacune à leur échelle, à nettoyer les plages, les mers et les océans.
Le tri
Une fois collectés, les détritus sont tout d’abord triés. Les plastiques sont séparés du reste des déchets avant d’être nettoyés et découpés en petits flocons.
La transformation
Les flocons sont ensuite transformés en granulés de plastique marin recyclé avant d’être fondus en fils. Ces derniers sont filés afin d’obtenir une fibre textile de grande qualité offrant les mêmes propriétés qu’un polyester classique.
La conception de nos maillots de bain
Sur la base de nos designs, le tissu Seaqual est imprimé par la technique de sublimation avant d’être découpé. Vient ensuite la confection de nos maillots de bain, réalisée au nord du Portugal grâce au savoir-faire de nos partenaires.
RIVEA SOUTIENT OCEANEYE
We don’t stop at making almost 100% eco-friendly swimwear. We also support projects that we hold dear. So for every item of swimwear sold, we donate 1 Swiss France to Oceaneye.
Oceaneye is a non-profit organisation founded in Geneva in 2010, with a twin objective: to fight plastic pollution, by informing the general public and raising their awareness of environmental issues, and to participate in scientific research, by collecting and analysing samples of water taken from the surface of the oceans. Through this dual, educational and scientific, approach, Oceaneye wants to encourage governments and businesses to do everything possible to reduce plastic pollution. Rivea supports Oceaneye’s activities by donating 1 Swiss France to the organisation for every item of swimwear sold.
Find out more about Oceaneye: www.oceaneye.ch