Surfing sports are essentially oriented on fashion, performance and nature aspects. However, today, surfing suffers from a bad image regarding health, environmental and ethical issues. Manufactured with harmful and non-recyclable substances, in countries where the cost of labor and production is low and generating dangerous industrial waste, surfing sports are losing their green image.
Produce differently, the leitmotiv of the Notox company
Notox, a Basque company based in Anglet, launched in 2009 the construction of a new generation manufacturing workshop, the "Lab", the only one of its kind in the world, to produce surfboards in a more respectful way for the surf craftsmen, the shapers. With the support of the Aquitaine region, the Midi-Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and BpiFrance, the company has chosen to combine technical performance with respect for people and the environment. A recycling circuit has also been set up to accentuate the ecological approach.
Notox manufactures its boards in an artisanal way using its own technological means. To replace fiberglass, which is highly irritating, they use flax fiber from the north of France. The other materials needed to manufacture the board are also made in France, such as the polystyrene foam blocks from Aquitaine and the resin from Brittany or Aquitaine.
Boards that don't forget to perform
In addition to the ecological aspect, Notox does not neglect the performance criteria. Big names in the surf industry such as Stretch, an artisanal shaper from California, Atlantico, a Brazilian artisan, and Minvieille and Chevallier in the southwest of France support the project and collaborate with the brand.
Thanks to these new practices, the Quantum was born. After several months of research, this ultra efficient board is 20% lighter and generates only 4 kg of waste, ¾ of which is entirely recycled. It has been elected "Object of the new industrial France" by the Ministry of Productive Recovery in 2013.
Great surfing professionals have been seduced by the Quantum such as Emmanuelle Joly, 5 times European Surfing Champion or the Breton Ewen Le Goff, member of the Lost in the Swell adventure (with Ronan Gladu and Aurélien Jacob, they surf the waves of the Solomon Islands thanks to their eco-designed trimaran made of flax fiber).
Participate in this project by funding Notox
Notox has just launched a participatory financing campaign to raise funds to finance its development and generalize the "eco-responsible ride". On the platform Kiss Kiss Bank , you will be able to buy your board up to 27% cheaper but also get prizes from partner companies of the Basque company (neoprene bracelets recovered from discarded wetsuits, natural wax Green Fix, organic solar creamâeuros¦) in return for your donations. If you want to support them and encourage this ecological initiative, do not forget to visit their platform.
