We are excited to share another post in our Circular Allies series. See our last post here. Today we are introducing Shred Neoprene, an exciting start-up in Tofino, working to close the loop on wetsuit waste.
Shred Neoprene founder Karen Hendry
Shred Neoprene is a social enterprise based in Tofino, BC with a mission to collect, grind and upcycle neoprene through innovative solutions and partnerships in Canada. Karen Hendry, Shred’s passionate founder, started the organization in 2021 after working in the surf industry and volunteering with Surfrider Foundation for many years, and learning about the wetsuit waste problem. With Tofino being a popular surf destination for both locals and tourists, surf shops and resorts offer wetsuit rentals year round, resulting in a high turnover of wetsuits. While the Surfrider Foundation has been collecting wetsuits through their Wetsuit Reincarnation Program for recycling in California since 2017 (saving 4.5 tonnes of neoprene from landfill), Hendry saw the need for a more local solution.
Getting Partners on Board
With a background in and passion for partnerships, Hendry built Shred Neoprene with collaboration as a central value. She has already secured a recycling partner — Mattress Recycling in Hope, BC. Mattress Recycling is able to grind down neoprene wetsuits, booties and gloves, resulting in a fluffy ground material. Zippers and other hardware are either recycled, or sent to local businesses for reuse. Shred is currently testing the ground material with an eco-paving company in Vancouver; a partnership that would allow them to upcycle large amounts of neoprene at once.
Ground neoprene material
The surf community has reacted positively to the program so far, excited to have a local solution for recycling wetsuits. Hendry is currently collaborating with several surf shops to develop a “fee per wetsuit” recycling program to help fund Shred’s operations. The average weight of an adult wetsuit is 3-4 pounds and it costs an average of $10 to recycle each wetsuit. She is keen to get larger surf brands on board as sponsors to take the program to the next level. Far West Distributors has generously provided support with storage and island transport. So far Shred has collected over 1000 pounds of neoprene! In addition to their wetsuit recycling program, Shred also recycles surf rashguards, which are ground down and used as an alternative for kiln fuel in cement manufacturing.
What’s Next?
Alongside this exciting progress, Shred is actively looking for local manufacturers to produce mats from the ground neoprene. Hendry has developed several simple designs, including an interlocking puzzle mat and a doormat, that could be sold back to local surf shops and resorts. Hendry is motivated to bring the process full circle, to educate the community and prove to the industry that circularity can be profitable. Hendry hopes that by closing the loop on wetsuit waste, she can gain attention from larger businesses, securing long term support and sponsorships. Shred has expanded its wetsuit collection to the mainland of Vancouver, and hopes to soon engage the kiteboarding community in Squamish. She envisions Shred’s operations scaling beyond surfing, to reduce waste in other water sport communities in Canada.
How to Support
Interested in learning more, or supporting Shred Neoprene’s work?
Follow Shred Neoprene on Instagram
Drop off your old wetsuits at one of these drop off locations or request to be a new drop location.
Support Shred’s recycling program with a financial donation - each wetsuit costs approximately $10 to recycle!
Have an idea of how to use the raw neoprene or zippers? Request a test sample
Contact karen@shredneoprene.ca with ideas or suggestions!