Wetsuits from plants? Yes, says Patagonia.

Patagonia is up to its old antics, forging a sustainable and responsible path forward in the surf industry. This time they tackle the fossil-based wetsuit material neoprene, replacing the majority of their wetsuit material with a rubber gleaned from the Guayule plant. I hope they plan to make women’s wetsuits out of this material as well. Though Patagonia wetsuits tend to be more expensive than the industry standard, I can attest to their longevity. I’ve had my R3 fullsuit (non-plant based) going on 3 seasons now and it is fully intact (no ripped seams or degrading glue) and functional. Should be available to purchase in 2014.

Yulex®: From Seed to Suit from Patagonia on Vimeo.

You can read more about Yulex here.

(Note: I am receiving no benefits from Patagonia by endorsing their products, material or monetary.)

4 responses to “Wetsuits from plants? Yes, says Patagonia.”

  1. cori, what do you think about this video?

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    1. It’s not the first time I have seen a provocative pre-heat dance routine and I doubt it will be the last. It is, however, the first time I have seen a “twerking” surfer. All I keep thinking is that she must have been freezing! The water was near 64 degrees last weekend!

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      1. I trunk it in 64 degree water. I live in Ventura where that’s about the warmest the water gets. I just run hot and I find it easier to move on the board without a wet suit on, it’s not to show off my ass. I wear a 3/2 through winter, and only feel too cold on a few days through the year.

        …Although I agree that tweaking as a warm up is ridiculous, and I just found your site and love it.

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  2. It’s stricking that the other girls wear a wetsuit, but she’s not. As we say in french “One must suffer to be beautifull”, freaking that’s it’s even true in compete events. Good image of women surfing nowadays : the most important is to be sexy, surfing comes 2nd…

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