"In terms of weight, thickness or rendered heat, we arrive at the same characteristics as the more classic combinations," says Yann Dalibot, co-founder with Matthieu Barat of the surfwear brand Soöruz. Founded in 1999 in La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime), the label, already present in 17 countries, is about to market a global innovation: a combination of surfing made from… oyster shells.
Rich in limestone, these are reduced to powder and mixed up to 30% with vegetable oils, natural rubber, as well as sugar cane. Interest? Replace synthetic suits made from petroleum and one of its derivatives, neoprene.
Soöruz spent two years working on this world first called "Green Line". "The oyster shells serve in fact as a binder, a bit like the flour in baker's bread," explains Yann Dalibot. Far from being a gadget, this raw material at a ridiculous cost counts as much in "the recipe" as the rubber from which the rubber comes.
An invention made available to competitors
Price of this eco-responsible suit: maximum 279 euros for an integral model. With such an innovation, Soöruz could have bet on the top of the range and its comfortable margins. "But we are targeting the heart of the market, the general public," explains Matthieu Barat. The label of La Rochelle has even decided to make its invention available to its competitors! "Brands that want to use this process are welcome," confirms Yann Dalibot. This will be hypervalorizing for a box like ours. And that will give volume and importance to our innovation. "
"This combination is incredible," says Jorgann Couzinet, a professional surfer sponsored by Soöruz and visiting La Rochelle to serve as a model for the next collection. The brand recycles a lot, I find it incredible, it is very close to my heart. Recycling is the other priority of the label, which already collects used neoprene suits to find new outlets for them. "We acquired a machine to grind them," explains Yann Dalibot. There are many possibilities: insulation, furniture, etc. We expect to recover 20,000 combinations this year. The goal is to collect as many as we produce in 2023. ”
Soöruz really started this shift in 2013, "by dint of surfing in plastic ..." Since then, the company has not stopped thinking about its production cycle, from creation to recycling through transport and packaging: “5% of our products were eco-designed at the time. We are at 50% and aim for 70% this year ”, affirm its founders. After the oyster shells, other ideas are currently being tested. The female model is expected for the month of September.
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