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We are a social enterprise based in Cornwall, England.
We intercept plastic from our oceans and transform it into high-quality, functional products for adventure and symbols for change.
“Waste is simply a misallocated resource” – we value ocean plastic as unique material which tells a story.
Every year 640,000 tonnes of fishing nets are lost or discarded in the ocean. Samples of plastic waste accumulating in our oceanic gyres reveal 46% of this plastic, by weight, is attributable to fishing gear.
Fishing related debris are particularly harmful in our oceans due to their tendency to entangle marine life and damage seabed habitats, such as kelp beds and coral reefs. In a phenomenon known as ghost fishing, the entangled carcasses of trapped marine life will attract more species, resulting in further potential entanglements. As these discarded nets are produced from plastic, they will not degrade, persisting in the ocean to catch and kill marine life indefinitely.
Waterhaul is part of a collaborative scheme intercepting ghost gear from our oceans. Were working with fishermen to provide an alternative to landfill or abandonment through incentivising net amnesty programmes. We also collaborate with community groups and NGOs removing nets from our beaches and seas.
The end product is the ultimate in sustainability and product stewardship. Our eyewear range is produced from 100% recycled fishing nets with recyclable mineral glass optics, and directly contributes to the removal of ghost gear and other marine plastics.