· afarer Team · Company · 1 min read
afarer Launches Recycled PVC Initiative for Sustainable Inflatable Manufacturing
A new closed-loop recycling program repurposes production PVC waste into new inflatable boards, reducing landfill impact by an estimated 40%.
Closing the Loop
afarer has announced a major sustainability initiative: a closed-loop PVC recycling program that repurposes production waste into new inflatable watercraft.
The program captures PVC trimmings, rejected blanks, and end-of-life test boards from the manufacturing floor. These materials are ground, reprocessed, and blended with virgin PVC at up to 30% recycled content without compromising the drop-stitch core integrity.
“Our R&D team spent 18 months developing a reprocessing method that maintains the tensile strength and airtightness standards our customers expect,” said the head of manufacturing. “The result is a board that performs identically but carries a significantly lower environmental footprint.”
Early results indicate a 40% reduction in PVC waste sent to landfill, with a target of 60% by 2028. The recycled-content boards are being phased into the SUP Explorer product line beginning Q3 2026.
The initiative aligns with afarer’s environmental management certification and supports the company’s broader commitment to sustainable water sports manufacturing.
