Sustainable Series - Spooked Kooks
Spooked Kooks is a sustainability driven surf company, taking plastic out of the ocean and putting in their boards. Their ethos is born out of a love and respect for the ocean.
In 2018 they bought 10 tonnes of recycled plastic with a view to turning it into the component parts of their softboards. They had no idea how to go about it but there was no looking back.
After much research, trial and error, they managed to replace all the hard plastic in their softboards with 100% post consumer recycled plastic waste. This was actual ocean bound trash that was polluting the natural environment.
The recycled plastic they use is sourced from the Plastic Bank which works with coastal communities in the developing world to collect plastic waste to be recycled, and are remunerated for their efforts in the process which helps to alleviate poverty in those communities.
Spooked Kooks is the first and only softboard company on the planet that uses post-consumer recycled plastic waste in their soft boards.
Since successfully incorporating recycled plastic into their Softboards, they have looked to improving other aspects of the manufacturing process and packaging, all with a view to minimising the impact of their boards on the environment.
To date, they have used over 7 tonne of recycled plastic waste in their boards and accessories. They have never wrapped their boards in plastic shrink wrap (like all other foamie brands), and recently removed all bubble wrap from the packaging. Also, in an effort to mitigate their CO2 footprint, they plant a mangrove tree for each board they produce.”
“It was super important for the guys behind Spooked Kooks to be a part of the solution against ocean plastic pollution. They acknowledge they only play a small part in the collective effort but feel that every action towards protecting the natural environment is better than nothing, just like, it’s better to start out small than not start at all. So, they began with what they could afford, as they are entirely self-funded, and looked to improve the way they do things along the way. They are stoked with all the support they’ve received and to be on this journey having epic times along the way.”
Written by Tom Hobbs @spookedkooks (IG)