Old fishing nets find new life on land as high-performance outdoor apparel
Plastic fishing nets, which gained popularity in the industry several decades ago for their durability, light weight and repairability, pose an ecological challenge with abandoned nets making up a tenth of the plastic in the ocean. To combat this, ski and outdoor apparel brands are using recycled fishing nets to create high-performance nylon fabric. Bureo, a company founded by surfers in 2013, was one of the first to turn old fishing nets into a recyclable material called NetPlus. With initial support from the Chilean government and investment from Patagonia, Bureo developed NetPlus, which Patagonia started using in 2020 for products like jackets and hats. Companies like Bureo and its partners focus on preventing more plastic from entering the ocean by working with fisheries to ensure nets are recycled rather than discarded. Read more.
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