GREEN ROOM
The Birth of An
Eco Surf Company:
Discover Alternatives
to Plastic
WORDS + PHOTOS DEREK DODDS
Lion Fish swimming with plastic.
D
id you know that 46,000 pieces of plastic debris float on every square mile of the ocean?
I didn’t know that either, and in 2007 when I took a surf trip to Mexico with six surf
mutants pulling a trailer with 17 surfboards, 15 wetsuits and three cases of Sierra Nevada, I
had no idea that I’d be starting an eco revolution in the surf industry.
We pulled up to uncrowded surf at Cuatros Casas in Baja. It was well overhead, and the sets
were building from the south with light, off-shore winds. We were the only car on the bluff.
I ripped the lock off the U-Haul like a surf-crazed Che Guevarra and began pulling out the
mountain of board bags piled to the ceiling. As I was schlepping the multi-colored bags out of the
trailer, I said to myself, “Damn that’s a lot of plastic.”
It got me thinking about the 30 years of surfing that I had done and the hundreds of surf
products that I had purchased as my oceanic journey unfolded. I asked myself, “How much plastic
have I been personally responsible for?” I also started to think about all those discarded items that
I had thrown away over the years—broken leashes, ripped bags, soiled socks, broken boards, etc.
I knew I would never stop surfing; the more I surf, the more I appreciate it. My relationship
with the ocean is one of the most important elements in my life—in fact, it is my life. How could
I live my passion and at the same time decrease my environmental footprint on the earth and its
oceans? I already bought organic food, and I even had some bamboo clothing, but could I find
eco surf products?
After doing some research, I discovered that ecological surf products did not exist. I realized
that I was the person who had to do something about it. Wave Tribe was the result of a deep
heartfelt desire to give back to my fellow surfers and the planet. I started thinking about various
materials that could be used to replace all that plastic floating in the ocean, and it came to me
after a long surf session: HEMP was the perfect material.
Hemp is one of the oldest and most versatile crops in the world. For thousands of years, hemp
seeds, stalks and flowers have been used for nutritious, medical, spiritual and industrial purposes.
The fibers from the stalks boast an unusually high tensile strength, resulting in an incredibly highquality and durable fabric. Hemp fiber is one of the softest and most durable fibers produced by
any natural product, which makes it perfect for surfboard bags and surf accessories.
Hemp was first cultivated by the Chinese in the 2nd century B.C. At that time, the fibers
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DEEP SURF MAGAZINE April 2014
where used for paper and textile, and the seeds for food and in medicines. The Chinese played a
significant role improving the harvesting and processing techniques of hemp. In the 15th century,
hemp was introduced in the American colonies. From that moment onward, much of the paper
and clothing in colonial America was made from hemp. The textiles were recycled into “rag paper,”
known to this day as one of the strongest and most long-lasting papers in the world. In fact, the
most cherished symbol of American liberty, the Declaration of Independence, with those famous
words "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" was written on hemp paper.
Hemp is a wonderful alternative to plastic because:
• Hemp grows naturally without pesticides • Hemp is mold resistant
• Hemp is strong and durable
• Hemp is biodegradable
• Hemp reduces heat and remains cool
• Hemp protects against the sun’s rays
• Hemp is straight up COOL
But most important, at the end of its life-cycle, hemp goes back into the Earth and
decomposes. It doesn’t rot in some landfill for the next thousand years like plastic.
When I returned from my trip, I started to do more research and began to contact factories
to put together some rough samples. Next, I found a company that would help me produce
surfboard X\