A revolutionary denim clothing line from G-Star called RAW for the Oceans salvages plastic from our oceans and gives them a new use...
From plastic drink bottles to kids toys, this denim line both cleans the oceans and is desirable to customers. The idea behind the G-Star Raw for the oceans line came about last year, after ocean conservation group Parley for the Oceans founded The Vortex Project , to bring together a group of scientists, environmentalists, creators, and brands to tackle the massive challenge of plastic debris in the oceans.
Many of you might be familiar with a guy named Pharrell Williams, or at least you have probably heard his song 'happy' - but what you mightn't have known is that besides being a huge music star, he is also the creative director of Bionic Yarn, a company that makes fabrics from primarily recycled plastic bottles.
Williams approached G-Star Raw and suggested the companies work together, to turn the plastic polluting our oceans into a high-end denim clothing collection. G-Star Raw jumped on the idea, before they even knew exactly how they could make it a reality.
It works like this, Parley for the Oceans helps Bionic Yarn source ocean plastic, and G-Star’s designers work intensively with Bionic Yarn designers to formulate and test fabrics of the salvaged debris.
The project has evolved quickly, and a mere 12 months after G-Star’s initial conversation with Williams and Bionic Yarn, the RAW for the Oceans collection will launch in early September.
Bionic Yarn estimates that the first collection launched by G-Star employs an estimated 10 tons of recycled marine debris. Not only will the wearers know they have helped clean up the oceans, but the footprint of growing and harvesting cotton this material replaces would also be huge.
A brand like G-Star know that for a product to be successful, it has to be desirable too.
Thecla Schaeffer, the company's chief marketing officer says "I don’t expect every consumer will understand how our product is made or why it is good for the oceans and the world...most will buy it just because they really like it and feel good wearing it. That comes first.”
Part of the revenues from G-Star RAW for the Oceans will go to Parley to support ongoing research and plastic debris-cleaning efforts.