Matt’s Blog: Compact and Eco Friendly Futures

Kiteworld Associate editor Matt Pearce explains why Airush have been floating his boat when it comes to researching features on sustainability for recent issues. He also video interviews Andrew Crane at Surf Expo for more 

 

We headed across to Surf Expo earlier this month and I was really keen to catch up with Airush and take a look at their new surfboard range. We’ve featured Airush a couple of times in recent months because of their unique approach to product design which places a great deal of emphasis on sustainabililty and consideration for the environment and that’s something that can be seen in their new Active Bamboo construction which has been implemented in the Airush surfboard range.

 

 The Active Bamboo technology combines Airush’s Active Stringer for increased durability and flex control with a sustainably grown bamboo sandwich outer skin. In place of traditional resins, Airush have implemented a renewable plant-based Entropy Super Sap Resin which reduces the greenhouse gas emissions that the board’s construction brings with it by 50%.

We spoke to Clinton Filen, Airush’s head designer, in our Designers’ Den feature in Issue 82 about his motivation behind developing environmentally sound products and his commitment is clear to see.

 

 

“Developing products that do less harm is a challenging thing to chase as it’s a shifting goal post. As soon as you start doing one thing you realize more and more each day how harmful most things are. But I feel we need to act with absolute urgency. Humans are absolutely delusional about how much time we have to change, so every little thing counts immediately”

We’ll be taking a closer look at what Airush and a number of other brands are doing to clean up our dirty surfboard habit in the next installment of ‘Going Offset’ in Issue 84. Be sure to check it out to discover how even the products we buy can effect the oceans we use them in.

For now, here’s a little interview we did with Airush East Coast US Rep Andrew Crane at Surf Expo who gives you a little glimpse into the environmental and performance traits of the Compact surfboard range.

And, if you want to know a little bit more about the 2016 Compact and what we thought of it you can read the full review right here!

 

 

Find the Compact and more at www.airush.com

Watch this and more at www.thekiteshow.tv