OneSails GBR opens sail loft doors to collect end-of-life material with Clean Sailors
OneSails GBR (East) has opened the doors of its Suffolk sail loft for the collection of old and end-of-life sail materials, joining Clean Sailors’ global project, ReSail. The partnership underlines OneSails’ commitment to leading the way in sustainable practices.
Sails are strong and durable, made to withstand Earth’s toughest environments including UV light, saltwater, and wind. Made from complex synthetic materials, sails aren’t formally recycled anywhere in the world and currently 97% of sails end up in a landfill or are incinerated at the end of their life.
To date, OneSails is the only sailmaker to create a high performance, durable, ISO-certified recyclable sail membranes, named 4T FORTE™. The glues, resins and solvents used in the sail making process have been replaced by heat fusion, and the base polymer is 100% recyclable in a standard waste separation process.
OneSails GBR (East) is now turning its attention to old sails and end-of-life sailcloth.
John Parker from OneSails GBR (East) commented, “Whether its recycling 4T FORTE™ sails, lowering the carbon footprint of the sailmaking process, or upcycling and re-selling second-hand sails we are improving our efforts towards achieving a circular economy.”
John continued, “A lifetime of sailing and being on the water comes hand in hand with a respect for the sea. Joining ReSail is the natural next step in helping to reduce our impact on the environment.”
ReSail by Clean Sailors was launched globally in March 2022, following a successful pilot in the South West UK, in 2021. ReSail allows sailors around the world to search for and find local drop-off points for their old sails, sheets and lines, materials which are then used as a raw resource for a variety of different products and businesses. The ReSail project now has ~30 partners in over 15 countries around the world, welcoming OneSails GBR (East) as a major partner in the UK.
"OneSails has already been a trusted partner through our EcoOpti project because of their attention to interrogating the sailmaking process for more sustainable opportunities. We are really delighted to welcome them to our ReSail platform, also, and to have them continue to encourage the industry’s commitment to reducing waste, and to evaluate end-of-life opportunities, alongside virgin sail production” says Holly Manvell, founder of Clean Sailors.
Clean Sailors, a not-for-profit, was set up in 2020 to create new standards of cleaner sailing and to better advocate and educate the global marine community on a range of environmental initiatives specific to sailing. ReSail, supported by Henri-Lloyd, is the latest platform on a growing list of conservation-based initiatives that Clean Sailors has created all with the common goal – to help clean up and protect the environment so used and loved by the global sailing community.
ReSail is a free-to-list and free-to-use platform. All applications to join can be made via the website at www.resailbycleansailors.com
About OneSails
OneSails is a global sailmaking network that develops a wide range of products and sails from dinghy classes to ocean and offshore sailing. They are the leading provider of sails for the Optimist class, as well as for ORC and IRC boats, and many one design classes. OneSails more recently provided Pip Hare’s Vendee campaign sails for her 24,000mile journey around the world in 2020-21, which OneSails’ recently recycled in a bid to improve sustainability in offshore racing.
OneSails is the exclusive manufacturer of 4T FORTE ™, a continuous yarn composite design and technology to ensure quality, durability and performance. In 2015, OneSails launched 4T FORTE ™ sails and sail recycling process. Awarded ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment Certification, 4T FORTE ™ are the only fully recyclable sails on the market today.
Located on the River Orwell in Suffolk, the OneSails (GBR) East sail loft is part of the global OneSails group. Overseen by experienced sailor John Parker, the team at OneSails (GBR) East specialises in custom sails and covers for boats ranging from dinghies up to superyachts.
More information: www.onesails.co.uk
About Clean Sailors
Clean Sailors is a not-for-profit, mobilising the global sailing community in conservation of our oceans. Launched in July 2020, Clean Sailors' mission is to set a new standard of sailing within our global sailing community: clean sailing, by raising awareness of ocean conservation opportunities within our sport, our passion, our pastime.
The crew's aim is to make an ocean ambassador of each and every sailor around the world, and Clean Sailor’s already counts three-time world champion and four-time Paralympian Hannah Stodel, as well as CJ Perez, the youngest ever sailor to join the SailGP league, as ambassadors to their cause.
In 2021, Clean Sailors launched Cleaner Marina with industry partners including boatfolk, MDL Marinas, savvy navvy and Ecoworks Marine, to encourage better, cleaner standards across marinas, ports and harbours, globally. Their global platform, ReSail, connects sailors and their old sailing equipment with projects and businesses around the world who have commercial use for such second-life materials.
In January 2022, Clean Sailors announced the launch of the Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team with three international Champion sailors; CJ Perez (18) the youngest sailor ever to join the SailGP league and the first latina, Lukas Hesse (22), German Champion 2020 and Swiss sailor Jann Schüpbach (20). They made it to the Grand Finale of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup in 2022 and will be competing for the same through 2023. More information: www.cleansailors.com