BÄR supports VOX MARIS – the foundation dedicated to clean seas
Make old new again: Shoes made from fishing nets
“Imagine” by John Lennon is one of those songs that has never lost its relevance. After all, it is about always being able to dream of a better world—and about how everyone can do something to help make it happen. John Lennon probably did not have shoes in mind when he wrote the song, but here, too, we can make a positive difference. When you consider that, in Germany alone, each woman buys an average of six pairs of new shoes per year, while men buy two pairs1, it becomes clear that making the right choice when buying shoes can make a valuable contribution—namely, when shoes are produced sustainably, manufactured to a high standard, and therefore durable and repairable. BÄR’s latest initiative is designed to contribute, in a small way, to cleaning up the oceans. That is why we are supporting the VOX MARIS project with a generous donation.
Background: The sea is polluted with millions of tonnes of plastic, and the trend is rising, harming people, animals, and plants. We must do something about this—for example, we can work together to combat marine pollution and support local communities and the circular economy. With this in mind, we are supporting the VOX MARIS project as a sponsor and cooperation partner. Its commitment is particularly close to our hearts:
The project of the non-profit BioDesign Foundation collects fishing nets discarded in the Mediterranean, along with the plastic “caught” in the nets, such as bottles, canisters, and bags. Containers are placed near ports and fish markets, where fishermen can deliver their fishing waste, which is then weighed and paid for. Since the foundation was established in April 2021, more than 130,000 kg of fishing nets and other fishing equipment have already been collected in Chioggia. This year’s ambitious goal is to reduce the number of nets discarded in the Italian Mediterranean to zero. The plastic waste is not destroyed; instead, it is taken to processing facilities that sort, clean, process, and reshape it—for example, into textile yarn. New products can be made from this yarn without consuming additional resources.
SEAQUAL® YARN is also a high-quality yarn made entirely from recycled polyester. Its physical properties are nearly identical to those of new polyester. The SEAQUAL INITIATIVE brings individuals, organizations, and companies together with the goal of cleaning our oceans, raising awareness of the problem of plastic waste, and recycling plastic waste—including in the clothing industry. SEAQUAL® YARN contains around ten percent recycled plastic waste from the world’s oceans and ninety percent plastic waste from land-based sources.
As mentioned: Make old new again—so that our world becomes a little better, cleaner, and more sustainable. We can all do something!
In collaboration with SEAQUAL®, SEAQUAL® YARN is used and further processed into the shoe "PITO". The upper is made of 100% recycled materials: 90% PET bottles and 10% SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC.
