From Ocean Buoys to Your Body - The Journey of the EcoTrek Pants
Tens of thousands of buoys bob up and down in the ocean every day. Most accept that their existence will be a solitary and stationary affair with little room for adventure. Unremarkable as individuals yet indispensable as a team, ocean buoys fulfill all kinds of vital maritime roles for our global society.
Some mark safe swim sections of the beach, others are carefully placed for ecological data collection research. Never has an ocean buoy been assigned a task and met it with anything other than a stoic bob of assent.
Buoys are not known for their travels, although occasionally they are blown off course and end up in fishing nets or on far-flung shores. Some select few are chosen to undergo a radical transformation, transcending their limited buoy form to become something that traverses the land as well as water.
They become our Ecotrek pants (and soon, overalls!)
If you haven’t heard by now, our Ecotrek pants have become one of our top selling products. Aside from all the features and functionality, we are most excited that they were sourced via our ocean buoy recycling program, which makes them all the more sustainable in their production cycle.
Our fully synthetic EcoTrek pants are 70% made from recycled ocean buoys, 25% Nylon and 5% spandex with a C6 DWR Coating. This fabric is known as Blue Ocean Nylon. The bulk of this ocean waste is used or retired buoys recycled locally in Taiwan, reducing the total carbon footprint of the product.
Part of the Solution
Plastic pollution affects 1,200 species with seabirds and fish being the primary unfortunate victims. The ocean will have more plastic than fish by 2050 if we keep going at the current rate without change. We’d like to be part of the change that prevents this from happening.
With 83% of clothing ending up in landfills or incinerators, we're not out to make products "just because” or add to the clutter of apparel waste. Instead, we make long-lasting clothing that can be worn in multiple use-cases while utilizing environmentally-friendly materials. The EcoTreks embody our brand ethos and production practices, and we hope both resonate with you.
Whether you purchased your Ecotrek pants as an initial Kickstarter backer or are looking to grab a pair now, we would like to thank you for the support and patience throughout this process. The journey of each pair of Ecotreks has been an international affair that spanned many months, all culminating in celebration when they find a home upon your legs, where the journey will continue.
