Sustainable Surf - Manhattan Beach ,California

Sustainable Surf: A unique non-profit inspiring the global crowd-funding community to protect our oceans Sustainable Surf partners with internationally-recognized designer Yves Behar and MAFIA Bags, to exceed first-round Kickstarter funding goal for Deep Blue Bag in just five days. More backers means more positive impact. In 2014, Sustainable Surf was awarded the Agent of Change Award by SURFER for their key role in sparking and leading sustainable innovation throughout the surf industry. Since then, the San Francisco-based nonprofit has been collaborating with innovators and industry-leaders to turn ‘big ideas’ into projects, programs and products that build a global community of ocean activists. Today, they’re using technology and platforms like Kickstarter to expand their positive impact beyond the surfing world - to a global audience. Sustainable Surf’s latest collaboration, the Deep Blue Bag, brings together two Bay Area partners, world-famous designer Yves Béhar and boat and kiteboard sail upcycler MAFIA Bags. The sustainably-sourced Deep Blue Bag -- made from upcycled sails -- was launched on Kickstarter in early-November. In just five days, the funding goal was exceeded, and with the profits directly supporting Sustainable Surf’s ocean-health mission -- it is having a real and positive impact. Inspired to make the perfect bag for the urban adventurer, the collective wanted to create a product-with-purpose by raising funds and exposure for Sustainable Surf and their Waste to Waves program. "Being a surfer and being an ocean-lover, I'm very concerned about the state of the environment. Supporting Sustainable Surf and MAFIA Bags with a functional backpack made of re-used sails is exciting" says Yves Behar. Using a product to inspire people to live a more ocean-aware Deep Blue Life is a core component of Sustainable Surf’s ocean-health activist toolkit. Their globally recognized ECOBOARD Project, helps people choose more sustainable surfboards, SUPs and other watercraft, which creates an ‘on-ramp’ for other sustainability decisions. They also partner with leading retailers and innovative brands to highlight other ocean-aware product and lifestyle choices as part of their Deep Blue Life campaign. “Sustainable Surf is a unique start-up non-profit - with BIG IDEAS. We’re using Kickstarter in a unique way, to bring the world a unique one-of-kind bag, but more importantly, we’re using technology to grow and activate a global ocean-conscious community. The Deep Blue Bag isn’t just a bag. Every backer is joining Sustainable Surf’s ocean-health movement, keeping 10 square feet of plastic materials out of the landfill, while directly supporting our Waste to Waves program”, says Michael Stewart, co-founder of Sustainable Surf. The nonprofit may have met their initial funding target, but with more backers, the impact of their Waste to Waves program will multiply. Sustainable Surf is calling on the global Kickstarter community to help double that positive impact -- by doubling the bags being made and finding 100 additional backers. “With each bag sold, we’re able to expand our Waste to Waves program globally. Collecting and upcycling more sails, more packaging waste, more used wetsuits and more wine corks - re-imagining waste as a resource and getting plastics out of our oceans”, says Michael. ----------- About Sustainable Surf Sustainable Surf is a California-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on transforming surf culture into a powerful force for protecting the ocean playground. The organization works with partners and ambassadors to re-invent the surfing life as a sustainable lifestyle choice. They take an integrated “systems thinking” approach with their innovative programs and campaigns, which engage both individuals and businesses together in partnership to solve the most pressing environmental issues facing our oceans – See more at: http://www.sustainablesurf.org