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Sustainability in sailing, boating and all other water sports

At awn Watersports, we believe in striving to focus on sustainable products in the water sports industry in the future. The ocean is filling up more and more with microplastics, animals are dying after oil spills in the sea, and everyone must do their part to ensure that this procedure is stopped.

You should be particularly careful in the water, because even a drop of oil can contaminate thousands of liters of water. We are therefore particularly pleased that numerous manufacturers are already offering environmentally friendly, sustainable products in this area. There is hardly a product that is not also available in a sustainable variant - be it modern electric motors from ePropulsion or Torqeedo, environmentally friendly clothing made from recycled material from Elkline, Gill, Helly Hansen or Musto or biocide-free care products for your boat, such as Antifoulings from SeaJet, Hempel or International.

In order to give our customers the possibility to find exactly these products in our web shop, it is possible to filter our search according to exactly these sustainability criteria.

Overview of our sustainability labels

Biocide free

Biocide free

An environmental risk assessment must be carried out before a biocidal active substance or biocidal product can be authorised. Biocides are hazardous substances and can be hazardous to the environment and human and animal health. To reduce this risk, well-known manufacturers such as Hempel or SeaJet already offer a larger range of antifoulings that are biocide-free.

Biocide free products

Biodegradable

Biodegradable

The biodegradability of products depends on the chemical structure of the materials used.

Conversely, products made from renewable raw materials can have a structure that excludes biodegradability. If organisms are not able to break down the materials into their components, the product breaks down into ever smaller fragments, called microplastics.

According to the German Bundestag, conventional plastics such as polypropylene or polyethylene are non-biodegradable plastics.

bluesign®

bluesign®

bluesign® is a seal for sustainably produced textiles and has strict rules for the use of chemicals in textile production. Even before production, it is determined which components and processes meet the specified standards.
First and foremost, the production process of textile finishing, i.e., the dyeing or coating of textiles, is checked. The bluesign® seal is mainly found on textiles made from synthetic fibers such as outdoor and performance clothing.

Products with bluesign®

BPA free

BPA free

Since the 1960s, BPA has been used across industries, often for the manufacture of plastic products, because it is very uncomplicated: it is light and dimensionally stable, transparent and can be colored very easily. The "BPA-free" label identifies products that do not contain bisphenol A. This is important because these so-called plasticizers can cause disease and are still found in many products, including sporting goods.

BPA free products

Environmentally friendly

Environmentally friendly

Environmental friendliness means that a product does not pollute nature. The efficient use
of raw materials and energy in production is also included here. The term is often used quite vaguely without meeting defined standards. When the life cycle of these products is over, they can at least be recycled.

Fluorine free

Fluorine free

Fluorine is mainly used in extinguishing agents. Fires produce pollutants, but also toxic gases. The faster a fire is extinguished, the fewer pollutants are released, but the use of fluorine can also contaminate the environment. In addition, fire extinguishers that are not fluorine-free usually contribute to significantly higher costs when cleaning up the damage that has occurred, for example on floors. Fluorine is long-lived and quickly accumulates in soil, plants, and even organisms. It is harmful to human and animal health as it affects liver function and can unbalance the body's endocrine system. Fluorine is also said to be carcinogenic. Contact with fluorine or fluorine surfactants should not be taken lightly. Particular caution is required when fluorine residues from extinguishing agents get into the soil and groundwater. Ultimately, we humans absorb toxins through our drinking water and food.

GOTS certified

GOTS certified

The Global Organics Textile Standard is a clearly defined, transparent and comprehensive catalog of standards that replaces the often vaguely used terms sustainable fashion and fair production.
GOTS is the world's leading standard for the processing of organic fiber textiles.
As an independent non-profit organization, it is committed to ecological and social standards in textile production.
A uniform textile standard allows textile processors and manufacturers to export their products all over the world with a single, globally recognized organic certification. Because of this transparency, consumers can choose guaranteed ecological products from an environmentally friendly supply chain. We are particularly pleased to be able to offer a selected range of products from ELKLINE, which have met this standard since 2016.

Organic cotton

Organic cotton

When growing organic cotton, particular importance is given to the fact that no environmentally harmful chemicals are used. This ensures that the groundwater and the soil on which the cotton is planted is not contaminated by artificial fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, or other agricultural toxins.

Cotton is a key material in the clothing industry and has a market share of around 50% in the textile sector.

Be sure to buy timeless pieces and not succumb to the allure of so-called fast fashion – clothing that is only worn a few times and then thrown away.

Products made from organic cotton

PFOA free

PFOA free

This term is mainly used for cooking utensils such as pans or pots. No materials containing PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) are used during the manufacturing process. With PFOA-free pans, you can enjoy every dish you prepare risk-free. PFOA is used to create water or oil repellent properties in products. However, this substance is a toxic substance that is harmful to the environment and can also be hazardous to human health.

Recyclable

Recyclable

Although recycling saves resources, the materials almost always lose quality during the treatment process, which usually requires a lot of energy and water. According to the waste hierarchy of the German Federal Environment Ministry first and foremost comes the consistent avoidance of waste (e.g., thanks to unpackaged shops), secondly, reusing (e.g. using reusable bottles) and only in third place comes recycling. Only energetic recovery, that means incineration to generate energy, and finally landfilling, score worse in the waste hierarchy than recycling.

Recycled polyamide

Recycled polyamide

Polyamide is obtained from petroleum, i.e., a fossil, non-renewable substance. Therefore, the use in short-lived products from the fashion industry is controversial because the disposal of the product after use is harmful to the environment. The advantages of polyamide are its increased durability and elasticity, which is why this material is also used in carpets and stockings, but also in sportswear, such as sportswear. B. Sailing clothing. In the past, the recycling of these mixed fibers was critical because it was very expensive. These fibers cannot be separated mechanically. Chemical separation would also not be lucrative as it would require a large amount of solvent.
However, there is the possibility of producing new polyamide for textile production from existing PET, like i.e., plastic water bottles. This does not create a real cycle, but at least it helps to reduce the production of new polyamide.

Recycled polyester

Recycled polyester

According to Greenpeace, polyester, with a share of 60%, is the material most used in the textile industry and is particularly popular in functional sports clothing. Polyester requires less water in production than cotton and has other advantages, because it is breathable, stretchy, and particularly light. However, polyester consists of PET, which in turn is made from petroleum. When washing, the smallest particles, the environmentally harmful microplastics, can detach from the garment and get into the water cycle, further polluting the oceans and ultimately being consumed by people in the food chain. The recycling of polyester is a multi-stage process of cleaning, shredding, melting, and reprocessing - the advantage is that no new raw material has to be produced, but what already exists is used. The amount of water required for this is also lower than with newly manufactured polyester. It would be ideal to do without polyester altogether. With functional clothing, however, the advantages of this material outweigh the disadvantages, so that the proportion of recycled polyester should be as large as possible to pollute the environment as little as possible.

Products made from recycled polyester or polyamid

Solvent free

Solvent free

The term refers to a substance that contains little or no solvent. Paint, glues and epoxies are substances that usually contain very little solvent. If an adhesive contains less than 5% solvent, it is considered a solvent-free adhesive.
Solvent-free epoxy is solid and does not contain water or solvent as a diluent. Solvent-free also means that the product is more environmentally friendly.

Solvent free products

Without plasticizer

Without plasticizer

Phthalates are commonly referred to as plasticizers. These solvents make plastics, especially PVC, flexible without making them brittle. However, plasticizers evaporate over time and are released into the environment, primarily through the air. Plasticizers are hazardous to health because they e.g., are toxic to reproduction.

Without preservative substances

Without preservative substances

This term will be familiar to most people in the food sector. This means (often artificial) additives that are intended to extend the shelf life of products. These include the "E-substances", but also citrates and other active ingredients, all of which have serious health effects on the human body.

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