Why We Make Boardshorts from Recycled Plastic Bottles (And Why It Matters)
19/03/26 09:01
Why We Make Board Shorts from Recycled Plastic Bottles (And Why It Matters)
Every pair of Not Sponsored boardshorts starts with something you probably threw away.
Yep — we're talking about plastic bottles. The ones that end up in landfill, on roadsides way too often and even though you may not see them, they are floating in the ocean off our Sunshine Coast backyard. We want to prevent this before this happens and that’s why we repurpose plastic bottles into the highest-performing, most comfortable and sustainable board shorts you’ll ever wear. Here's exactly how — and why we think it's one of the most important things we do.
The Problem With Regular Board Shorts
Most mainstream surf brands make their boardies from virgin polyester or nylon — materials derived from fossil fuels. Producing just one kilogram of virgin polyester releases around 9kg of CO₂, requires significant water, and the manufacturing process creates waste that often ends up in waterways.
Ironically, the shorts you wear in the ocean are often made from the same raw virgin poly/nylon materials polluting it. Yes we know we get it even recycled is still using the base material but to be honest, it’s definitely the “lesser of two evils”! Until we can come up with a better solution it’s better than most options right now. Yes we are constantly working on new materials that will eventually out perform (or at least perform as well as) the poly ones, however that’s a difficult task with all natural materials but don’t worry we are not stopping.
We thought that was pretty messed up. So we decided to do something about it.
From Bottle to Board Short: How It Actually Works
Here's the process that turns your old plastic bottles into our boardshorts:
The Performance Doesn't Suffer — It Improves
Here's what surprises most people: recycled polyester fabric actually performs brilliantly in the surf.
Why "Recycled" Matters More Than "Organic" for Surf Gear
There's a lot of confusion in the sustainable clothing world about what terms actually mean. For surf-specific gear — boardshorts and rapid dry sand repellent beach towels — recycled performance materials are often more appropriate than cotton or other natural fibres.
Most natural fibres absorb water and take a long time to dry, which makes them generally impractical for active in-water use (there are of course exceptions like our Bamboo/Tencel Surf Shirts that we’ve spent years developing to create a better alternative rash or rash vest) . Recycled performance synthetics like our recycled polyester give you the stretch, quick-dry, and durability you need while dramatically reducing the carbon footprint compared to virgin materials.
It's about using the right sustainable material for the right job.
Our Sand-Free Beach Towels: Same Story
The same recycled plastic bottle technology goes into our quick-dry, sand-repellent beach towels. They're lightweight, pack down small, and shake sand off instead of trapping it — all while being made from post-consumer recycled plastic.
No more sandy car. No more gross damp wet dog smelling towels. No more guilt about the environmental cost of your beach gear.
The Bigger Picture: Why Independent Brands Matter
The big surf brands have the marketing budgets, the sponsored athletes, and the shelf space. What they don't always have is a genuine commitment to doing things differently.
Not Sponsored started on the Sunshine Coast because we were frustrated — frustrated with fast fashion, frustrated with throwaway surf gear, frustrated with brands that slap a green leaf on their website without actually changing anything.
We're Not Sponsored. We don't have a team of pro surfers wearing our gear for a paycheck. What we have is products we're genuinely proud of, made as responsibly as we know how.
Every time you choose a pair of our recycled board shorts over a mainstream alternative, you're voting for a different kind of surf industry. One where performance and planet aren't in conflict.
Try Them and Find Out
We reckon once you try on a pair of Not Sponsored board shorts — feel how they fit, watch how fast they dry, notice how they stay put in the surf — you won't go back to your old ones.
Check out our full range of recycled boards, gym and walk shorts and all our sustainable surf gear in the shop. Free shipping on Australian orders over $120.
notsponsored.com.au | @notsponsoredsurf | Home on the Sunshine Coast 🌊
Every pair of Not Sponsored boardshorts starts with something you probably threw away.
Yep — we're talking about plastic bottles. The ones that end up in landfill, on roadsides way too often and even though you may not see them, they are floating in the ocean off our Sunshine Coast backyard. We want to prevent this before this happens and that’s why we repurpose plastic bottles into the highest-performing, most comfortable and sustainable board shorts you’ll ever wear. Here's exactly how — and why we think it's one of the most important things we do.
The Problem With Regular Board Shorts
Most mainstream surf brands make their boardies from virgin polyester or nylon — materials derived from fossil fuels. Producing just one kilogram of virgin polyester releases around 9kg of CO₂, requires significant water, and the manufacturing process creates waste that often ends up in waterways.
Ironically, the shorts you wear in the ocean are often made from the same raw virgin poly/nylon materials polluting it. Yes we know we get it even recycled is still using the base material but to be honest, it’s definitely the “lesser of two evils”! Until we can come up with a better solution it’s better than most options right now. Yes we are constantly working on new materials that will eventually out perform (or at least perform as well as) the poly ones, however that’s a difficult task with all natural materials but don’t worry we are not stopping.
We thought that was pretty messed up. So we decided to do something about it.
From Bottle to Board Short: How It Actually Works
Here's the process that turns your old plastic bottles into our boardshorts:
- Plastic bottles (typically PET — polyethylene terephthalate) are collected and sorted from recycling streams
- They're cleaned, shredded into flakes, and melted down into pellets
- Those pellets are spun into fine recycled polyester yarn
- The yarn is woven into performance fabric with quick-dry properties
- We design all our fabric blends right here in Australia
The Performance Doesn't Suffer — It Improves
Here's what surprises most people: recycled polyester fabric actually performs brilliantly in the surf.
- Quick-dry technology means you're not sitting in wet shorts all day
- Built-in stretch means they move with you whether you're surfing, swimming, or squatting at the gym
- Our signature S.H.I.T. (Silicone Hold It Technology) internal waistband grip means they stay put — no plumber's crack!
- Durable enough to outlast the cheap fast fashion alternatives by years
Why "Recycled" Matters More Than "Organic" for Surf Gear
There's a lot of confusion in the sustainable clothing world about what terms actually mean. For surf-specific gear — boardshorts and rapid dry sand repellent beach towels — recycled performance materials are often more appropriate than cotton or other natural fibres.
Most natural fibres absorb water and take a long time to dry, which makes them generally impractical for active in-water use (there are of course exceptions like our Bamboo/Tencel Surf Shirts that we’ve spent years developing to create a better alternative rash or rash vest) . Recycled performance synthetics like our recycled polyester give you the stretch, quick-dry, and durability you need while dramatically reducing the carbon footprint compared to virgin materials.
It's about using the right sustainable material for the right job.
Our Sand-Free Beach Towels: Same Story
The same recycled plastic bottle technology goes into our quick-dry, sand-repellent beach towels. They're lightweight, pack down small, and shake sand off instead of trapping it — all while being made from post-consumer recycled plastic.
No more sandy car. No more gross damp wet dog smelling towels. No more guilt about the environmental cost of your beach gear.
The Bigger Picture: Why Independent Brands Matter
The big surf brands have the marketing budgets, the sponsored athletes, and the shelf space. What they don't always have is a genuine commitment to doing things differently.
Not Sponsored started on the Sunshine Coast because we were frustrated — frustrated with fast fashion, frustrated with throwaway surf gear, frustrated with brands that slap a green leaf on their website without actually changing anything.
We're Not Sponsored. We don't have a team of pro surfers wearing our gear for a paycheck. What we have is products we're genuinely proud of, made as responsibly as we know how.
Every time you choose a pair of our recycled board shorts over a mainstream alternative, you're voting for a different kind of surf industry. One where performance and planet aren't in conflict.
Try Them and Find Out
We reckon once you try on a pair of Not Sponsored board shorts — feel how they fit, watch how fast they dry, notice how they stay put in the surf — you won't go back to your old ones.
Check out our full range of recycled boards, gym and walk shorts and all our sustainable surf gear in the shop. Free shipping on Australian orders over $120.
notsponsored.com.au | @notsponsoredsurf | Home on the Sunshine Coast 🌊
