In an initiative bridging coastal waste management and water sports manufacturing, Lanka Upcycles and Phoenix Industries have developed Sri Lanka’s first surf fins produced from recycled fishing nets. The partnership repurposes discarded marine debris into functional equipment engineered for surfing.
Discarded fishing nets, commonly categorized as ghost gear, represent a persistent challenge for marine environments, threatening aquatic wildlife and coastal habitats. By establishing a supply chain to recover these nets and process them through industrial manufacturing, the collaboration between Lanka Upcycles and Phoenix Industries redirects ocean plastics back into the surfing economy.
Key Developments
- Pioneering Product: The surf fins mark the first domestic production of high-performance board fins derived from repurposed fishing nets in Sri Lanka.
- Industrial Collaboration: Lanka Upcycles joined forces with polymer manufacturer Phoenix Industries to handle the material processing and technical molding required for durable watersports gear.
- Circular Ocean Economy: The project captures discarded maritime waste and converts it directly into functional equipment designed for ocean use.
The manufacturing process addresses both environmental cleanup and local production capabilities, demonstrating how industrial recycling infrastructure can transform plastic waste into specialized sports hardware.