Ecofriendly surf companies win global green wave award

November 12, 2007; 04:00 AM

The Surfer's Path magazine is an international magazine started in the UK but with both US and UK editors. Printed on 100% recycled paper it has over the years blazed the trail for greening the surfing world.

Homeblown and Sustainable Composites beat off competition from other international manufacturers and proved that whilst surfing in the UK has always been seen as a poor relation the tide is turning.

Homeblown have developed BioFoam blanks which are 36.5% plant based. As part of it’s sustainability policy Homeblown are setting up production plants around the world in order to address the madness of transporting high volume low weight products around the world. They have operations in California, South Africa, Hawaii with two other plants imminent.

Sustainable Composites have developed Eco UVL Resin which is 98% plant based and EcoFoam which is 40% plant based.

Surfers Path stated: “The judges in this year’s Green Wave Awards thought that Homeblown and Sustainable Composites’ development of the EcoBoard somehow represents the zeitgeist. Backed by the Eden Project, these companies have created materials that top shapers, glassers and riders have all given the thumbs up to.

By mixing idealism, ambition, financial investment and hardcore scientific research, they have seta ball rolling, and we hope it won’t stop until our boards are truly at one with nature.”

Tris Cokes, Managing Director of Homeblown said: “We are delighted and honoured to receive this award with Sustainable Composites. We’ve all worked hard on this for many years and to gain international recognition will help with awareness amongst surfers and the surfing industry. This is the new wave of surfing and we urge people to get on board!”

Norman Frost Managing Director of Sustainable Composites said: “The recognition this award gives to the work carried out by Sustainable Composites, Homeblown and The Eden Project will be a great boost to furthering our joint goals of a more sustainable surfing future. Thank you The Surfer’s Path. Surfers can now have a board comparable in performance to their existing petrochemical based board. The choice is theirs!”

David Rowe of the Eden Project said: “This is great news and we are delighted that this project is receiving this kind of accolade. Behind the scenes Eden is involved with a lot of projects such as this as part of our over all charitable aims of working towards a more sustainable future.”