Resurf + Repurpose
Resurf & Repurpose
Growing up in Southern California, we kept our surfboards and wetsuits forever. I still have mine from high school.
Many of them don’t have a clear path once they’re beyond repair. I joined a call where Daniel Raab of Resurf was interviewed - it's a nonprofit in Canada working under the Surfrider Foundation - focused on giving wetsuits a second life through repair, upcycling, and recycling.
A few things that stuck with me:
• 500+ wetsuits already recycled in their program
• thousands of pounds of neoprene diverted from landfill
• a system built around extending life first, then breaking materials down only when needed
Neoprene, performance textiles, AQUASEAL zippers - these are materials and components I’ve pulled into the design and development of travel goods and accessories for years. There’s always an opportunity to think about it from the start.
Not only in materials, but in:
- how things are repaired
- how components are separated
- how products are designed to evolve over time
It’s important foundational work, especially when designing products meant to perform. A good reminder (especially for myself!) to build in this thinking as early as possible and then throughout the process.
-Jessica Lee, Form Space Cofounder, Product Designer
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