The wetsuit made from recycled car tires
A Spanish surf company developed a wetsuit made entirely from 100 percent recycled rubber car tires.
The 4/3 mm Roadcycled Wetsuit by Blue Banana uses components exclusively sourced from used Volkswagen auto tires.
In other words, it is built with material that is obtained by transforming objects that have reached the end of their original life cycle into high-performance, functional products.
“The Roadcycled Wetsuit not only represents an advance in material innovation but also gives visibility to a new way of surfing, where performance and respect for the environment can live together,” notes Nacho Rivera, co-CEO of Blue Banana.
The world’s first Volkswagen rubber car tire-based wetsuit aims to perform like any other neoprene competitor.
It was designed for cold to temperate waters (46-59 °F or 8-15 °C) and features reinforced waterproof seams, as well as strategically placed reinforcement strips that ensure protection and strength.
The innovative wetsuit comes at a time when the old neoprene seems to have an increasing number of viable alternatives, including, for instance, Yulex.
Exploring North Spain’s Surfing Pioneers
To celebrate the brand’s milestone, Blue Banana unveiled “Pioneers,” a documentary in which Alazne Aurrekoetxea and Nacho Sebastia travel along the northern coast of Spain to explore the evolution of surfing and its connection to the environment.
The film was directed by Javi and Jose Postig, a brother duo of photographers and video producers from Valencia with a deep love for the ocean.
Aurrekoetxea and Sebastia embark on a surf trip through Cantabria and the Basque Country to unveil the roots of surfing on the Atlantic-blessed, northern coast of Spain and its shift toward a more sustainable future.
The adventure allows them to discover some of the region’s best surf spots, projects, and key figures in the area.
Along the search for the purest essence of surfing, the team encounters the new pioneers, who are taking a more conscious and respectful approach to the environment that has given them everything.
Throughout their journey, Alazne, a European paddle surfing champion, and Nacho, a free surfer and content creator from the Canary Islands, meet Basque surfing legends like Eneko Acero, Ibon Amatriain, and Craig Sage, who reflect on the sport’s evolution and their personal connection to the ocean.
They also engage with sustainability pioneers such as Jose and Stephan from Kun_tiqi, shapers of natural surfboards, and Borja Agote, founder of Blu, a brand offering sustainable surfboard wax and ear plugs.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
