The lineup, and the ocean environment, can be very complex things. Costa worked to make both more approachable this weekend. Photo: Costa
Editor’s Note: This feature is presented by our partners at Costa.
To commemorate World Ocean Day on June 8, last weekend Costa Del Mar and Bureo convened at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California to host a beach cleanup, offer complimentary surf lessons by Girl in the Curl, and showcase Costa’s “Untangled” line of innovative eyewear made from recycled commercial fishing nets.
The day’s activities began under overcast skies at 9:00 am. Girl in the Curl’s founder Mary Hartmann was well underway preparing wetsuits and soft-top boards for those in attendance. A staple at Doheny, Girl in the Curl has been running surf camps there for 37 years. Each year, Hartmann educates thousands of young surfers not just about proper techniques, but also ocean stewardship as well.
“We are faithful stewards of our fragile ocean, so we set an example. We pick up trash before every session and like to inspire others to do the same,” Hartmann said. “It’s interesting because the kids are well aware – it’s more of the parents and grandparents that aren’t.”
Costa’s “Conservation Village” was a hub of activity a stone’s throw from the sand. There was a hydration station for refillable bottles, refreshments, games, and plenty of prizes to be won by participants. Most importantly, there was a showcase of the newest releases in the “Untangled” collection, which is equal parts sustainable and performance-driven.
Protecting the Watery World
With frames constructed from Bureo’s upcycled fishing nets and Costa’s patented 580 lens technology, the product line is on target with the brand’s mission of developing eyewear that “protects the watery world.” Since the launch of the collection five years ago, the Untangled series has evolved with time, satisfying the impeccable standards of Costa’s team of professional anglers and water enthusiasts.
Costa’s Hannah Trotter was on the scene to present the brand’s latest Untangled releases, with varieties that are sure to appeal to anyone seeking sun protection. An environmentalist herself, Trotter notes that these models in particular can be a good source of motivation to be mindful about the ecological impact humans make. At the very least, she sees the collection as a unique conversation starter when wearing them out in the world.
“It’s just cool to know that you are a part of something bigger than yourself,” Trotter said. “Even if you personally aren’t going out and taking nets out of the ocean, wearing these glasses might remind you to use a reusable water bottle or bring your own bags to the grocery store.”
This material from Bureo and Costa is amazing! And the glasses are rad too. Photo: Costa
Bureo and Costa: A Match Made in the Ocean
Bureo’s partnership with Costa goes back to 2016, when Costa VP of Product Strategy John Sanchez began brainstorming ways to make a more sustainable product. He discovered the organization that was collecting end-of-life fishing nets, processing them, and reusing them in place of virgin materials. Bureo’s program started in 2012 with support from the Chilean government, who had noticed that the commercial fishing industry was dumping old gear directly into the waters around the ports in their country.
Since then, Bureo’s program has expanded rapidly. When they began partnering with Costa, Bureo was sourcing its “NetPlus” material in the tens of tons, about the equivalent of two shipping containers. It was a small operation, with Bureo driving trucks to waterfront locations around Chile to collect gear directly from fishermen. Today, the organization is sourcing gear from nine countries, creating 1,500 tons – or 90 shipping containers’ worth – of NetPlus material in the process.
Knowing that the commercial fishing industry is the source of the issue, Bureo’s program is 100 percent based on prevention. The brand works to educate fisheries in addition to becoming a responsible disposal point for the gear itself. Bureo has become a one-stop shop – its team picks up the nets and brings them back to the facility for processing, which includes cleaning, stripping, and shredding. From there, the NetPlus material is used by partner brands like Costa to create a completely recycled product.
Art from nets. Photo: Costa
Cleanup and Prevention
Bureo’s co-founder David Stover explains that the organization’s approach is two-fold: cleanup and prevention. As important as it is to pull plastics out of the ocean around the globe, it’s essential to determine the source and prevent it from going into the water in the first place. To better illustrate the point, he uses the “bathtub analogy.”
“If you walked into a bathroom and the tub was overflowing, would you grab a mop or go over and turn off the water?” Stover asked. “Clearly you need to do both. You need to mop the water off the floor, but you should also stop it from coming out of the faucet.”
According to Stover, the fishing industry has been cooperative in the entire process.
Through education, responsible disposal points, and financial incentives from the government for companies to recycle nets, Stover believes it’s achievable to get most of the gear to meet an end-of-life outcome that is not in the ocean. Also, he notes that presenting Costa’s Untangled models to fishermen is just the icing on the cake.
“It’s great being able to show the eyewear to fishermen and say, ‘These are made from your old nets,’” Stover said. “Costa really designs a premium, durable, long-life product that people are going to have for years. It isn’t something you’re going to buy and discard in a month.”
The Galante family doing their part. Photo: Costa
As the morning’s canopy of clouds began to burn off, the beach cleanup got underway. Costa professional athlete Forrest Galante was there, family in tow, his son attacking the waterline with gusto. Tiffanie Sigal, who had amassed quite a collection of trash, felt proud that Costa was marking World Ocean Day by bringing the local community together for a good cause.
“Today is a moment that we have to celebrate because World Ocean Day is what we stand for,” Sigal said. “I think a lot of the people that come to the ocean in California live that coastal lifestyle. They want to give back and better understand how to protect the ocean that they’re walking along and sharing with their children.”
Follow Costa to learn about more upcoming events this summer, including stops at Huntington Beach, the San Diego Boat Show, and Newport Dunes.
Shop the Untangled collection here. If you live near Dana Point, check out Girl in the Curl here. And read more about Costa’s efforts to protect our watery world here.
