Ocean Plastic Sucks
Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into our oceans. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full of rubbish on every foot of coastline around the world.
Why is there so much plastic in the ocean? Most of the plastic in the oceans flows from people on land. Rubbish is carried to sea by rivers - nature's conveyor belts - picking up more and more rubbish as they move downstream. Once at sea, much of the plastic trash remains in coastal waters, but once caught up in ocean currents, it can be transported around the world and get caught in huge patches.
Nearly 700 species of marine life, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by plastics - nearly every single species of seabird eats plastics.
One of the biggest plastic offenders in the ocean is abandoned fishing gear, such as huge trawling nets and fishing lines - which can trap or strangle animals. If animals ingest plastic, it can choke them, or fill their stomachs and lead to starvation.
What can we do about it? The best solution is adopting practices that stop the plastic getting to the ocean in the first place, so someday our future generations can enjoy a plastic free sea. Look for brands who use recycled materials to save goods from landfill (or even better, take them straight out of the sea!) say no to single use plastic, buy goods to last, mend and upcycle - and get involved in initiatives to clean up discarded waste whenever you can.
Massive change is afoot, and we’re proud to be helping to propel this positive wave of change. Every purchase you make, in any category, is a vote with your wallet for the type of future you want for the planet and our oceans. Make yours count.
Check out the work of the charity partners we support here, and read more about the materials featured by our amazing partner brands (including ocean plastic) on this page.