If we stop the littering of the oceans, this will have a number of positive effects on our planet. We protect marine animals that, for example, become entangled in plastic waste or ingest plastic as supposed food, are then unable to digest it and die with a "full stomach". But we are also protecting us humans - because we ingest microplastics from the oceans via the food chain.

Researchers also suspect that microplastics in the nutrient cycle of algae have negative effects on the climate. This is because algae - phytoplankton to be precise - 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, inhibit this process. This could have a huge impact on our climate, because many people are unaware of this: Phytoplankton in the oceans consume about as much carbon dioxide as land plants on the continents. It therefore 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 further reduce greenhouse gases and thus protect our climate. Because: one tonne of recycled plastic saves 2 tons of crude oil and up to 1.6 tons of CO2, which would be required for the production of new plastic.

Our high quality standards for materials and processing ensure that our backpacks and bags have a long life ahead of them. This protects resources and the environment. "Don't buy more, buy better" has been our philosophy since the company was founded.

We also save CO2 through our regional supply chain: all steps from waste collection to recycling, yarn production, weaving and final bag production take place regionally in India.

In addition, we promote an understanding of waste as a valuable source of raw materials among the Indian population. The fact that we pay people to collect and collect waste leads to a change in thinking, which counteracts the indifferent disposal of waste in the environment.

If costs were not an issue, much more plastic would be recycled on our planet. We want to generate the greatest possible positive effect for our oceans and environment by recycling marine plastic. To achieve this, we have two main goals:
1. We want to stop the littering of our oceans;
2. We want to offer a good product at an affordable price for everyone.

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

Plastic waste that is still lying on the banks of rivers or beaches today and can be collected relatively cheaply (this is known as "ocean bound plastic") will be lying on the seabed tomorrow, where it can only be recovered with a great deal of effort and expense. So it's smarter to collect it today.

In addition, plastic waste that has been floating in the sea for a long time loses its quality due to environmental influences such as sunlight or salt water and is less easy to recycle for the production of a high-quality bag. This also drives up costs.

Our approach of using Ocean Bound Plastic enables us to protect the oceans at a lower cost. We pass these lower costs on to our customers in the form of lower sales prices.

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

In line with a regional approach that reduces transportation routes and thus greenhouse gas emissions, our clean-up must be in India, where our backpacks and bags are made.

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 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 needed to exclude black sheep. Therefore, the NGO Zero Plastic Oceans has created a certification standard that defines what "ocean plastic" or "ocean bound plastic" is and under which conditions its recycling has a positive impact on our oceans. In addition, Zero Plastic Oceans has established control standards (such as traceability of the origin of plastic waste) along the entire supply chain. To ensure that every part of the supply chain fulfills its commitment to the standard, the entire value chain is audited, from the first piece of plastic waste to the shipment of the product to our customers. This is where Control Union comes in, as an independent, neutral organization that performs these checks.

We are proud to have established the world's first fully certified Ocean Bound Plastic supply chain for bags and backpacks.

We not only want to produce beautiful, high-quality and functional backpacks and bags, we also want to act in an ecologically and socially responsible manner. That is why our production is SEDEX certified. These renowned standards ensure good working and social conditions in our supply chain and the processes involved, monitored by an independent body. You can find out more about our production here

Furthermore, our clean-up not only helps to protect the oceans, but also provides poor people with a regular income. Many people in India cannot read and write or have not learned a trade. Our partner, the NGO Plastics for Change, combats two problems - marine littering and extreme poverty - with one solution: collecting plastic waste and earning money with it.

The major challenge in recycling plastic is that it is often not homogeneous (for example, packaging made from different composite materials) and the plastic loses its quality due to environmental influences such as sunlight or salty seawater. This means that not all of the plastic waste we collect can be recycled into a backpack. Only certain types of plastic of the right quality are suitable for this. Of course, the remaining waste does not end up back in the sea, but is recycled for the manufacture of lower-value products or disposed of properly.

If you have read the other answers to the FAQ, then you already know what makes the Fitz & Huxley OCEAN collection so special and groundbreaking. Let us summarize it for you:

- A sustainable product for everyone: sustainable products are usually more expensive or even expensive. This makes sustainability a luxury that not everyone can afford. We don't want that for our OCEAN collection! Only if everyone can switch to sustainable products can we save our planet. That's why we work with an innovative cost-efficient approach to recycling Ocean Bound Plastic (see FAQ number 3).
- Protecting our planet: protecting the oceans means protecting the planet. Plastic and microplastics in our oceans have many negative effects on marine animals and us humans. In particular, however, it also has a negative impact on the marine ecosystem and thus on global warming (see FAQ number 2).
- Waste as a valuable raw material: in our profit-oriented world, "producing new" is often cheaper than recycling or repairing. The adverse effects on our environment often do not have to be priced in by companies. We want to lead the way here and show that cost-efficient recycling is possible.
- Certification and verifiability: our promise to you and our planet is certified and controlled. We are proud to be the world's first backpack brand with a fully certified supply chain, audited by an independent organization (see FAQ number 5).
- Helping people to help themselves: the supply chain for recycled Ocean Bound Plastic that we have established with our partners is the first of its kind in India. In terms of modern supply chains and production capabilities, India has so far mostly lost out to its rival China. In India, the bag-making trade is still very traditional. We want to change that! Together with our partners, we are moving forward and initiating a development process in India.

By paying people to collect and collect waste, plastic waste suddenly takes on a value and will hopefully lead to a long-term rethink of the indifferent disposal of waste by Indian society.