The ocean is closer than you think
It's in your closet
In your hoodies, sneakers, and even in the dust bunnies hiding in the corner. Your closet is filled with ways we impact the ocean and with ideas for innovation. Reimagine it as your studio, your lab, your research center or even your blueprint for your first startup
Hoodies
Most hoodies are made of synthetic materials or contain some synthetic content. It is very likely that they shed microplastics during the wash and when you wear them
Sneakers
Sneakers have soles made of synthetic rubber, which comes from oil extracted from the seafloor. Every time you walk, tiny pieces of these soles can wear off, adding microplastics that often go unnoticed. These microplastics enter storm drains and eventually reach the ocean
Sports jackets
How are jackets and bags made water-resistant? By adding forever chemicals that travel from factories or the laundry into the deep ocean. Forever chemicals have been found in the tissues of polar bears and orcas
Jeans
While denim is primarily made of cotton, a biodegradable material, the synthetic indigo used to create its iconic blue color is a non-dissolving molecule. To adhere to the fabric, factories use harsh chemicals that often result in “dye runoff.” This runoff turns local rivers blue and eventually flows into the sea, where it blocks sunlight, kills aquatic plants, and introduces toxic heavy metals into the food chain
And what about those dust bunnies?
Have you ever wondered about those dust bunnies lurking around? They’re actually tiny balls of lint, dust, and microplastics that come from synthetic clothing, shedding tiny fibers as we move or wear them. This “closet dust’ settles on the floor, gets vacuumed away, or floats out the window, with the wind carrying it all the way to the coast
Meet innovators reimagining the closet
Who inspires you the most?
A scientist? A designer? An entrepreneur?
If you know you care about the ocean, but you're not sure what field is best for you, take a quick quiz to help you see where you might fit right in
Are you more of a scientist or a researcher? A designer or an artist?
See who inspires you
The team at Huue is using sugar and enzymes to create a bio-based blue that is molecularly identical to the classic denim look but 100% ocean-safe
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We’re making sustainable indigo blue for the denim industry so that your favorite piece of clothing can finally be planet-friendly, too.
The scientists
Michelle Zhu and Tammy Hsu
Stevan Albers and Scott Fullbright
Co-founders, Living Ink Technologies
Waste from large-scale algae farming to create "Living Ink." This carbon-negative ink replaces traditional petroleum-based black ink used on t-shirts​
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Crafted from algae waste and designed to make carbon black a thing of the past.
The engineer
Dr. Gözde Senel-Ayaz, Dr. Melik Demirel, Dr. Benjamin Allen
What if we coat fibers so they "re-fuse" when they break, preventing microplastics from escaping your closet?
After years of research, the team at Tandem Research discovered Squitex - an environmentally friendly replacement for petroleum-based fibers developed from genetic sequencing tools inspired by squids' tentacles
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Synthetic biology is the backbone of our technology and we believe it’s the future of innovation.
The researcher
Dr. Peter Ross
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Dr. Ross led a massive study that revealed that our laundry rooms are directly connected to the North Pole. 92% of the microplastic fibers found in the Arctic Ocean are synthetic clothing fibers, mostly from home laundry. His research provided data that served as a wake-up call for the fashion industry
Ocean Wise washing report
The designer
Alberto Candiani
​Alberto Candiani replaced synthetic, petroleum-based yarns with natural rubber yarns. Conventional stretch yarns can take hundreds of years to decompose, contributing to microplastic pollution
Our denim of the future will be green, regenerated and regenerative: it won't pollute and, when disposed of, will have a positive impact on the environment and facilitate the growth of new resources.
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The artist
Von Wong​
Did you know that a truckload of clothing is burned or landfilled every second?
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Despite more and more brands using words like eco-friendly, recyclable, and sustainable – most of it is just greenwashing
That’s why I teamed up with the Kunstverein in Ludwigsburg, Germany – to change up the conversation
About Greenwashing by Von Wong
The leader
Cyrill Gutsch, Parley for the Oceans
Cyrill Gutsch founded Parley for the Oceans, a global environmental organization and network where creators, thinkers and leaders come together to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of the ocean and collaborate on projects that help protect it
Cyrill led a partnership with Adidas to turn ocean plastic into millions of pairs of sneakers
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The ocean is closer than you think.
Your closet is filled with ideas to create something new and better for the ocean. Explore possibilities by reimagining it as a lab, a studio, a research center, or an office.
You might like...
Don't know if you are a designer or an artist? A researcher or a leader?
Find your innovation superpower here
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Reimagining starts with creativity