Are Beach Chairs Sustainable? What To Look For When Buying
The health of our oceans has been under quiet siege since the 1970s as the effects of a rapidly globalizing economy continue accumulating. The discovery of a massive island of trash circulating through the Pacific Ocean in the early 1990s and its subsequent growth has accelerated concerns about the destruction we’re wreaking on our waters and the sea life they contain.
For companies that rely on clean, vibrant coastlines, this crisis is more than a little bit personal. Ensuring that your beach equipment is sourced from a company that takes sustainability practices seriously can help reduce our impact on our oceans and guarantee beach access for generations to come.
Steps Companies Can Take
Meeting sustainability goals can take many different forms. Some companies choose to integrate more direct sustainability practices into their manufacturing processes by using recycled or renewable materials.
Others may choose a more indirect route. Instead of changing their production inputs, they prefer to donate to non-profit organizations that are dedicated to helping clean the ocean or lobbying for greater environmental regulations in countries that are responsible for the majority of manufacturing.
Many top-tier companies are choosing a mix of both routes to help reduce the industry’s impact as a whole. If you have an interest in sustainability, it’s best to do some cursory research on what methods your beach chair supplier is using before making a buying decision.
Recyclable Or Recycled Materials
One of the most popular methods of incorporating sustainability into the production process is using recycled materials in manufacturing. Each year, thousands of tons of plastic, metal, and cloth are wasted, much of it eventually contributing to the size of the Pacific garbage patch.
By redirecting that waste back into the production chain, companies can significantly reduce the trash burden on our oceans. Beach chairs made of recycled plastics and metals are indistinguishable from their non-recycled counterparts, making them an ideal candidate for this method of sustainability.
Organic & Renewable Materials
Yes, that’s right - organics don’t just apply to your groceries. Sustainably sourced and all-organic materials are both biodegradable and reduce harmful secondary environmental impacts like deforestation or pesticide accumulation in the food chain.
This first quality is especially beneficial for an ocean already chock-full of forever chemicals and plastic trash. Constructing beach chairs from materials like sustainably sourced wood and organic cotton can significantly reduce a company’s impact on the ocean.
Donations And Profit Contributions
A more circuitous route for companies looking to make a difference is contributions to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and non-profits dedicated to helping reduce the impact of ocean-bound waste and pollutants. By donating to animal rescue organizations and those committed to cleaning up existing trash, companies can help conservation efforts and ensure that aquatic species are protected from industrial waste.
SUNFLOW Solution
SUNFLOW uses a three-punch combination when addressing sustainability. We design our products to last, utilize recycled and recyclable materials in our manufacturing process,, and contribute to the safety of our aquatic friends.
Each item in our beach chair line - the Shore Thing, Tall Sand Dune, and High Tide chairs - is constructed of highly durable materials, including rust-resistant powder-coated aluminum and marine-grade fabrics. This means that each chair is built to last you years, reducing the level of waste that comes with needing to replace each item year after year.
The aluminum and the fabric are also recyclable, ensuring that none of our products will end up contributing to the ominous threat of the Pacific garbage patch. We actively work to reduce existing waste by crafting products like the Dry Bag out of 100% recycled water bottles. Even our maintenance products, like the Ballistol maintenance spray, are both non-toxic and biodegradable to ensure that our oceans stay healthy and productive.
We’ve also made it our mission to give back to the ocean we depend on by contributing to environmental groups dedicated to sea turtle protection and ocean conservation. SUNFLOW has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Save the Turtles, Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, Friends of Sea Turtles, and other important non-profits .
The choices we make today, whether in how we source our materials or which companies we support, ripple far beyond the shoreline. As the ocean continues to shoulder the weight of human industry, it’s up to all of us, especially those who profit from its beauty and bounty, to tread more lightly.