Suffolk sailmaker OneSails GBR (East) has opened the doors of its sail loft for the collection of old and end-of-life sail materials, joining Clean Sailors’ global project, ReSail. 

One Sails says the partnership underlines its commitment to leading the way in sustainable practices.

Made from complex synthetic materials, sails aren’t formally recycled anywhere in the world and currently 97% of sails end up in a landfill or are incinerated at the end of their life.

Already making sails from the high performance, ISO-certified recyclable sail membrane 4T FORTE, OneSails GBR (East) is now turning its attention to old sails and end-of-life sailcloth.

“Whether its recycling 4T FORTE™ sails, lowering the carbon footprint of the sailmaking process, or upcycling and re-selling second-hand sails we are improving our efforts towards achieving a circular economy,” says John Parker from OneSails GBR (East).

“A lifetime of sailing and being on the water comes hand in hand with a respect for the sea.  Joining ReSail is the natural next step in helping to reduce our impact on the environment.”

ReSail by Clean Sailors was launched globally in March 2022, following a successful pilot in the South West UK, in 2021. ReSail enables sailors around the world to search for and find local drop-off points for their old sails, sheets and lines, materials which are then used as a raw resource for a variety of different products and businesses.

The ReSail project now has 30 partners in over 15 countries around the world, with OneSails GBR (East) now a major partner in the UK.

‘’OneSails has already been a trusted partner through our EcoOpti project because of their attention to interrogating the sailmaking process for more sustainable opportunities,” says Holly Manvell, founder of Clean Sailors.

“We are really delighted to welcome them to our ReSail platform also, and to have them continue to encourage the industry’s commitment to reducing waste, and to evaluate end-of-life opportunities, alongside virgin sail production.”

Clean Sailors, a not-for-profit, was set up in 2020 to create new standards of cleaner sailing and to better advocate and educate the global marine community on a range of environmental initiatives specific to sailing.

ReSail is the latest platform on Clean Sailor’s list of conservation-based initiatives. ReSail is a free-to-list and free-to-use platform. Applications to join can be made via the website.

Last month (February 2023), in partnership with the Ocean Conservation Trust and navigation app Savvy Navvy, Clean Sailors launched a new campaign to help sailors protect seagrass meadows by digitally mapping sensitive seabeds and eco-moorings across boating hotspots around the world.

All images courtesy of OneSails.

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