• Basically, the quality of the material in the manufacture of backpacks from recycled ocean bound plastic is a challenge. Due to environmental influences such as solar radiation or salty sea water, the material loses its quality, can become brittle and then only be recycled in a correspondingly inferior quality. This often occurs with stiff fabrics. Unlike other backpack brands, we use a flexible but abrasion-resistant fabric that has been developed for us, which does not break and is therefore very durable.

• To stop littering the oceans has a multitude of positive effects on our planet. We protect marine life that for example gets caught in plastic waste or ingest plastic as supposed food, then cannot digest it and die on a “full stomach”. But we also protect ourselves - because we ingest microplastics from the oceans through the food chain.
   
  Researchers also suspect that microplastics in the nutrient cycle of algae have negative effects on the climate. Because: Algae - more precisely phytoplankton - use sunlight, carbon dioxide (CO2) and water to produce organic material in the photosynthesis process. This is what they feed on. Researchers fear that microplastics as supposed food inhibits this process. That could have enormous effects on our climate, because what many do not know: The phytoplankton in the oceans use about as much carbon dioxide as the land plants on the continents. Hence, it plays an important role in regulating our climate.
   
  Our recycling approach not only helps to keep the oceans clean and this marine ecosystem intact. Recycling also helps to reduce greenhouse gases overall and thus protect our climate. Because: one ton of recycled plastic saves 2 tons of crude oil and up to 1.6 tons of CO2, which would be used in the production of new plastic.
   
  Our high quality standards in materials and craftsmanship ensure that our backpacks and bags have a long life ahead of them. This saves resources and the environment. "Don't buy more, buy better" has been our philosophy since inception.
   
  We also save CO2 through our regional supply chain: all steps from plastic waste collection to recycling, yarn production, weaving to the final bag production take place regionally in India.
   
  In addition, we promote an understanding of garbage as a valuable source of raw materials among the Indian population. The fact that we pay people to collect rubbish leads to a rethink which in turn counteracts the indifferent disposal of rubbish in the environment.

If cost weren't an issue, much more plastic would be recycled on earth. We want to make the greatest possible positive impact for our oceans and the environment by recycling ocean plastic. There are two main goals for us:

1.  

   1. We want to stop littering our oceans;

2.  

   2. We want to offer a good product at a price that is affordable for everyone.

3.  

    

   Only then will the amount of backpacks and bags sold create a real effect on our planet.

4.  

    

   Plastic waste that is today lying on the banks of rivers or beaches and is relatively inexpensive to collect (this is the so-called "Ocean Bound Plastic"), will be on the ocean ground tomorrow, where it can only be recovered with a great deal of effort and expense. Isn’t it smarter to collect the waste today then?

5.  

    

   In addition, plastic waste that has swam in the sea for a long time loses its quality due to environmental influences such as solar radiation or salt water and cannot be recycled so well for the production of a high-quality bag. That also drives up costs.

6.  

    

   With our approach of using ocean bound plastic, we achieve ocean protection at lower costs. These lower costs we pass on to our customers in the form of lower sales prices.

7. With this approach we achieve our goals 1 and 2 and thus the greatest possible impact on our planet.

    

• In the spirit of a regional approach that reduces transport routes and thus the emission of greenhouse gases, our clean-up has to be in India, where our backpacks and bags are manufactured.
   
  For our clean-up on the delta of the Netravati River on the Indian Ocean, we have teamed up with the NGO Plastics for Change, which has been fighting against plastic pollution in India for many years.

• There is a lot of marketing buzz out there and the claims can be misleading. In addition, strict guidelines for material suppliers are necessary in order to rule out black sheep. The NGO Zero Plastic Oceans has therefore created a certification standard that defines what "ocean plastic" or "ocean bound plastic" is and the conditions under which its recycling has positive impact on our oceans. In addition, Zero Plastic Oceans has established control standards (such as the traceability of the origin of plastic waste) along the entire supply chain. To ensure that every part of the supply chain adheres to its obligation to comply with the standard, the entire value chain, from the first piece of plastic waste to the shipping of the product to our customers, is audited. This is where Control Union comes into play, taking on this control as an independent, neutral organization.
   
  We are proud to have built the world's first fully certified Ocean Bound Plastic supply chain for bags and backpacks.