Royal DSM and Starboard, a leading water sports company offering paddle, surf, windsurf and kiteboards, are collecting and upcycling discarded fishing nets to create a material for consumer goods such as surfboard components. In doing so the collaboration supports litter-free beaches, a healthier marine environment and creates a positive social impact for local communities in India.

The surfboard company has selected DSM’s Akulon RePurposed, resin fully recycled from discarded nylon-based fishing nets and known for its sustainability profile as much as its performance. The discarded fishing nets are gathered from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, and are given a new lease of life as fins, fin boxes, SUP pumps, and other structural parts in surfboards. All the products made using Akulon RePurposed, are branded as NetPositive! by Starboard.

Read the full article on our Inside Composites website