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Recycled yacht uniform supplier marks ocean cleanup milestone

Wednesday, September 4th, 2024

Written by: Anna Cummins

Ethical Yacht Wear, a US-based yacht crew uniform supplier, says it has helped sponsor the removal of the equivalent of one million plastic bottles from the oceans through its recycled garments and through donations to ocean health organisations.

Ethical Yacht Wear was founded in 2019 by Lauren Wardley, a former yacht crew member. The firm produces uniforms made from 100 per cent organic cotton or recycled materials. These recycled materials include plastics that have been collected, melted into pellets, and woven into yarn.

“I launched the company because of my love for the ocean,” says Wardley. “I wanted to give back and use business as a force of good. I am extremely proud of our consistent commitment and effort in supporting ocean cleanup.”

One long-sleeve rash vest from the firm’s range, for example, uses recycled plastic equivalent to 20 500ml plastic bottles. A pair of men’s eco hybrid shorts uses the equivalent of 14 bottles, while a short-sleeve recycled t-shirt uses 17.5 bottles.

The firm uses plastic bottles as an equivalent measurement for clarity, although it uses various types of plastic from coastlines, such as fishing nets and discarded beach toys, as well as bottles, in its clothing.

In addition to using recycled plastics in its marine clothing product lines, Ethical Yacht Wear also donates a percentage of its profits to the Plastic Bank , a social fintech organisation. This system provides financial incentives to people in poorer coastal communities to collect marine plastic waste, thereby reducing ocean pollution while providing income.

The firm says the percentage of profits it donates to the Plastic Bank varies yearly, depending on its performance. Therefore, the firm has chosen not to make this figure public yet as it is still a small business.

The total of one million bottles removed has been estimated by the firm , using a combination of items sold to date, plus the amount of money donated to the Plastic Bank.

“This achievement in plastic cleanup in collaboration with our clients and the Plastic Bank is huge, and we are determined to continue making a positive impact and showing people and the industry that there is a better way,” says Wardley.

In addition to tackling larger plastic waste, Ethical Yacht Wear is also addressing the issue of microplastics under 5mm in size . Microplastics enter oceans from various sources, including during laundry processes. To help combat this, the company offers filters, made by Planetcare, that can be attached to washing machines on yachts. These filters capture microfibres released during washing, preventing them from entering the ocean.

“We have always tried to offer a better, more sustainable solution to yacht crew uniforms,” says Wardley. “The one comment or feedback we have received over time has been regarding still the microplastics that are released out in the washing machine, whether the polyester is recycled or not. So that is why we have also actively looked for a solution for this, which brought about us offering the machine part that fits to washing machines to capture these microplastics.

Ethical Yacht Wear offers a filter for domestic machines and commercial machines. The part is said to capture 98 per cent of fibres during every wash.

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PREMIUM YACHT CREW WEAR | COMING SOON

the yacht crew uniform you have been dreaming of.

Vela Yacht Wear creates premium yacht crew uniforms for those looking to make a conscious & functional choice in the modern world of yachting.

Our uniforms are all ethically and sustainably sourced as well as being highly functional, durable and aesthetically pleasing. 

After over 20 years of combined experience working on yachts and wearing uncomfortable, unattractive non-functional clothing, the founders of Vela decided to embark o n a mission to create yacht apparel that elevates crew uniform to what it should be and more. 

Not only does Vela focus on creating premium, durable and functional uniforms that looks good, Vela also  focus on crew uniform that does good too.

All Vela uniform is made sustainably and ethically so you know that you are doing your bit to make the yachting world a better place.

Vela will be taking to the seas in 2024.

Sign up below to be the first to see collection previews, launches and more!  Alternatively, you can contact us at: [email protected]

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Sustainable | Ethical | Functional | Luxurious

Our mission is to empower chief stewardesses and yacht crew to be able to make better decisions on crew apparel for asthetics, functionality and sustainability.

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How Ethical is Ethical Yacht Wear?

We have all heard the word Ethical, and we all know the term, but all the different information often leaves us wondering how ethical can it actually be? So we asked the question. How ethical is Ethical Yacht Wear ?

For some of us, the challenge of working in the superyacht industry is enough, but others need more. Today we speak with Lauren Wardley. Lauren has only recently left her full-time stewardess position onboard (60m) M/Y Samadhi after 2.5 years on board. During this, she launched Ethical Yacht Wear because she noticed a gap in the uniform market. We interviewed Lauren today to find out more about her brand and just how ethical it is.

Lauren, tell us about your background and how you got into the industry?

Before working in the yachting industry, I worked in various hospitality jobs, from bartending to hotel management. I have always had a passion for customer service, so it only seemed fitting to combine my love for hospitality and the ocean and enter the yachting industry.

My first position was a deck/stew role on a 108ft Benetti. I started applying for jobs before I completed my STCW. I was due to finish my course on Friday and got a call on Wednesday asking if I could leave for New York on Saturday. That’s right; I was on my way to New York on Saturday! I couldn’t believe it when I landed my first job so quickly.

How did you manage your time between being a stewardess whilst starting your own business?

I had a fantastic crew! They wanted nothing more than to watch me achieve my goals and dreams. It was because of them I could establish and work on Ethical Yacht Wear. However, it also took a lot of self-discipline, sacrifice and time management!

When and where did the journey begin? What inspired you to create Ethical Yacht Wear?

Ethical Yacht Wear is now two years old, and I can’t believe what it has achieved in that time! The idea stemmed from another ocean giving back brand I owned. I sold my branded organic cotton t-shirts to sponsor ocean clean up, which has now developed into Ethical Yacht Wear.

My inspiration for Ethical Yacht Wear came from wanting to provide a not so environmentally friendly industry with an environmentally friendly solution to a global issue (the garment industry). It has also always been my dream to create a circular, giving back business.

We give back by providing a sustainable solution that does not affect our oceans adversely (like regular clothing), and through a percentage of profits, Ethical Yacht Wear sponsors ocean clean up and research, as well as aids in reducing poverty in coastal communities.

So who helps you run Ethical Yacht Wear? Surely you can’t do this all on your own?

I am the sole person running Ethical Yacht Wear! I employ the help of freelancers online regarding things like web development and SEO, as this is not an area of my expertise. However, leaving my last position on M/Y Samadhi, I have taken the leap to focus on Ethical Yacht Wear full time, and there are big plans on the horizon!

When you started Ethical Yacht Wear, did you see it expanding as much as it has?

I had no idea! I didn’t know how it would develop, and I am so proud of how it turned out. It is incredible to see that so many people in the superyacht industry embrace sustainability as part of life and want to make changes to reduce their impact on the planet.

Has the COVID-19 Pandemic affected Ethical Yacht Wear?

It has, although this has given me a great opportunity to work on a lot of back of house projects, and since taking the leap to work on the company full time, I am so very excited to see what the future has in store for us!

What is the most significant milestone for Ethical Y acht W ear so far?

There are several I can think of, but the one I am most proud of is that we have sponsored the removal of 4 tonnes (the equivalent to 200,000 500ml plastic bottles) out of the ocean to date. We have done this by helping pay people in poorer nations to collect this plastic as jobs; this, in turn, increases their livelihood and helps reduce poverty.

I am also so proud that Ethical Yacht wear provides an easily accessible, sustainable solution to a global pollution issue (the garment industry).

Do you design the clothes yourself?

Yes! As we know, there is not a lot of room to move with a uniform. However, I have just designed our first line of eco shorts and skorts just about to launch!

We offer all of our clients a bespoke service where you can design elements of your yacht uniform – if you need a custom design, style or colour that you cannot find, this service comes in perfectly.

Where are your clothes sourced? Do you know they are coming from an ethical factory? 

I have spent a lot of time researching this, and it is scary how many clothes produced are made as cheaply as possible for the western world. All Ethical Yacht Wears Clothes are from sustainable, fair trade factories!

At the moment, Europe and India are the two places I am sourcing from.

So, what makes your clothes so ethical?

First of all, every item we supply is made from organic cotton. Regular cotton farms are sprayed with large amounts of toxic pesticides and fertilisers, which run off into the ocean, creating large dead zones (areas of the ocean where sea life has died out and can no longer exist). We make sure we do not contribute to this by only using organic cotton.

If we use any other material, it is also a sustainable material or recycled material, so we are not introducing any new material into an already saturated garment industry.

Finally, every person making the uniform is paid a fair wage and provided proper, safe, and clean working conditions, which is rare to come by in the garment industry.

If all yachts turned to Ethical Yacht Wear, will Organic Cotton remain a sustainable way to supply the industry?

Absolutely! Organic cotton reduces toxic ocean runoff and helps protect aquatic life: the more people that use organic cotton, the better.

What are your goals for the next year?

To continue refining and growing Ethical Yacht Wear into a uniform company that every boat buys their uniform from, with a mind to make changes for the better.

We don’t charge a premium, so we can make this sustainable uniform available to everyone! We will also hold clean-ups, events, and other excellent ocean awareness and ocean saving initiatives.

Crew often get stuck with a lot of old and damaged uniforms. What is your advice for those looking to get rid of it? What is the most environmentally friendly way to deal with old clothing?

I always believe in giving clothing to people in need. However, if crew are worried about printed logos, the best solution I have recently come across is this fantastic company called TerraCycle which provides a solution to recycling anything! Regarding clothing, they either reuse, upcycle or recycle. Or get in touch with us directly, and we will help provide a solution!

Where do you see Ethical yacht wear in 5 years? 

As not just a company, but a yachting community that provides sustainable uniform and brings people and yachties alike together to meet up, exchange ideas and make sustainable changes within the industry for the better!

If you’d like to become a part of the Ethical Yacht Wear Community, you can visit their website www.ethicalyachtwear.com to view all their current collections. You can contact the company directly at sales@ethicalyachtwear.com to find out more about how to help our oceans and about the uniforms.

To keep up to date with their latest releases, follow them on Instagram @ethicalyachtwear   or like and follow them on Facebook @ethicalyachtwear 

You can also check out their fantastic ambassador club – www.seaambassadors.com that brings all those in the industry that would like to come together to help create change for the better! Check it out for more about how we do this!

For more articles on sustainability click here

Monica Hart

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Ethical Yacht Wear Announces Removal of One Million Plastic Bottles From Oceans

Ethical yacht wear has sponsored the removal of the equivalent of one million plastic bottles from oceans in the latest milestone of the yacht crew uniform company..

Ethical Yacht Wear , a yacht crew uniform company developed by crew for crew, unveiled that it has sponsored the removal of the equivalent of one million plastic bottles in its latest milestone of its mission to promote cleaner oceans and a more sustainable yachting industry. Ethical Yacht Wear, founded by Lauren Wardley , offers a range of eco-friendly yacht crew uniforms and additional accessories while contributing to ocean cleanup initiatives.

“I launched the company because of my love for the ocean. I wanted to give back and use business as a force of good. I am extremely proud of our consistent commitment and eBort in supporting ocean cleanup. This achievement in plastic cleanup in collaboration with our clients and the Plastic Bank is huge, and we are determined to continue making a positive impact and showing people and the industry that there is a better way,” Wardley said.

Ethical Yacht Wear sponsors the removal of plastic from oceans through the Plastic Bank, a social fintech organization that creates recycling ecosystems in under-developed communities to fight plastic pollution in oceans by providing an income to coastal community residents in exchange for retrieved plastic. Wardley’s company only supplies uniforms made with 100% organic cotton or recycled material — sourcing recycled material from the removal of plastic which is melted into pellets and woven into yarn.

While both initiatives target plastics, Ethical Yacht Wear also targets microplastics by providing filters for washing machines. The filters attach to washing machines on board yachts, catching microfibers that are released when washing uniforms and stopping them from entering the drain and ocean.

As Ethical Yacht Wear and Wardley celebrate this significant cleanup milestone, they continue to be committed to support ocean cleanup and conservation efforts while working to provide more solutions to steer the industry toward a greener future.

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Yacht Uniform Companies Share the Latest Uniform Trends and Innovations

Kate got her start in the yachting industry working as crew. She spent five years cruising the Bahamas, Caribbean, New England, and Central America, then segued that experience into a career in marine journalism, including stints as editor of  Dockwalk  and  ShowBoats International .

At a quick glance, yacht crew look as sharp as ever, decked out impeccably in classic skorts, shorts, and shirts in unoffending shades of navy, gray, and beige. Beyond the well-tailored façade, there have been some big advancements in the world of uniforms.

Fabrics of the Future

“Nothing really changes in uniform design,” says Owen Rutter of VMG Clothing in Auckland and Palma de Mallorca. “Uniforms for superyachts are generally pretty traditional in terms of what they are and the handful of colors that you can work with. The biggest change you can make is in the fit and the fabrication, and that’s something that we’ve really taken to another level with [our] new range… We’ve introduced quite a bit of stretch into a number of our garments so the comfort factor has been improved hugely.”

They’re not the only ones. Crew uniform companies across the globe are unveiling pieces made with fabric that’s lighter, stretchier, and more quick drying and comfortable than ever.

“In the fabric world, things move really quickly,” says Montana Pritchard of Zeidel & Co . in West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. “It’s driven by companies like Patagonia and Arc’teryx that are putting a tremendous amount of money into developing fabrics, and the rest of the fabric world benefits from that.” Zeidel has a soon-to-be-available hybrid deck short, the Murphy, in its men’s SEE Apparel line made of stretch Taslan, a high-tech woven polyester fabric that’s durable and very quick drying. “It’s going to feel featherweight,” Pritchard says.

Inspired by the material for its popular board shorts, Smallwood’s Yachtwear in Fort Lauderdale, Antibes, and Barcelona has unveiled a new daytime collection called the Pacific, featuring light, stretchy, water-repelling, quick-dry performance fabric. “We’re even doing a dress in it,” says Helen Smallwood. “It fits most bodies, it’s super comfy, it feels almost like nothing.”

Kingston White of Liquid Yacht Wear in Fort Lauderdale and Antibes says the Liquid Gold line with its high-tech, high-performance fabric in updated styles has been a big success. “It’s got the SPF functionality, it’s got breathability, it’s got wicking capabilities, it’s quick dry, and it’s got the mechanical stretch; the fabric itself feels amazing. The skorts (for example) are made to hold up the entire working day, whether that’s 10 hours, or more realistically 20-plus hours, and still look great.”

Durability is an important consideration with what crew put the clothing through in a typical day, day after day, charter after charter. “It’s not just how it looks when someone puts it on for the first time,” Rutter of VMG points out, “it’s when it goes through the superyacht commercial washing machines and how much ironing it needs, how much care it needs afterwards. We’ve really taken a lot of care to make sure that the people who are responsible for the clothing on the boat get great feedback from the people that are wearing it.”

With supply chain issues coming to the forefront this year, Saltee Rags — a Fort Lauderdale company run by former yacht chef David Marchand and former stew Lena Rossello — has begun manufacturing their own polos, SPF shirts, rain jackets, and a few additional items so their supply is steady and they’re not subject to discontinued styles or colors. “All these new products are being designed by yacht crew for maximum quality, comfort, and safety,” Marchand says. “We have found new materials that will protect the crew from harmful UV. All our new apparel will reflect that and offer SPF-rated protection for crew.”

Presentation is also key, notes Prudence Ellis-Bundren of Anchors & Dove in Sydney. “You’ve got to make sure, say with the men’s Walkshort that we sell, that the fabric is comfortable, it’s four-way stretch, and if it gets wet it dries quickly and it dries quickly across the entire short. We’ve found the perfect fabric for that.” The former chief stewardess knows what works and what doesn’t after a decade in the industry. Living ashore nowadays, she personally tests her designs, putting the clothes through their paces as she chases after her children. Along with unveiling two new skorts this year, she reports that all polo shirts are now bamboo fabric. “They’re getting rave reviews in terms of the color fasting, and they’re super duper soft. A lot of crew are commenting that they don’t even feel like they’re wearing a shirt,” she says.

It’s Easy to be Green

In addition to the comfort and breathability that bamboo brings, it’s also a superbly sustainable material. Fast growing, naturally pest-resistant, and requiring minimal water, it’s an environmental win all around.

“We are in a moment where the green approach is fundamental,” says Annalisa Mutti of Floating Life in Varese, Italy, which has introduced fabrics to its regular collection that have Oeko-Tex certification for being ecologically safe.

The trailblazer in this movement when it comes to yacht crew uniforms is Ethical Yacht Wear in Fort Lauderdale. Started by a stewardess two years ago, the company supplies clothing that has the least environmental impact possible, choosing, for instance, organic cotton so there’s no chemical runoff into the sea from pesticides or fertilizers, or performance fabric made from 95 percent recycled material. The latter makes up its new collection of Eco Hybrid skorts and shorts.

“We don’t just take care of the planet, we take care of the people,” says founder Lauren Wardley. Every item is certified Fair Trade, meaning all workers from manufacturing through to distribution are paid honest wages and work in safe, clean conditions.

This is the approach Liquid Yacht Wear has taken as well. In addition to producing its own brand, it works with vendors that are committed to safe labor conditions and giving back more to the environment than they take away. This past November, it launched a recycling program for old uniforms at its Fort Lauderdale location. Crew can bring in discarded uniforms from any supplier. Anything with a yacht’s name or logo on it is sent to a shredder to be made into new product at Liquid Yacht Wear’s expense, and clothing without a yacht name is given to charity.

Crew & Tailor in London also encourages crew to return old uniforms to them for recycling. In addition, they’ve launched a Crews for Oceans line that will be trickled into its product list. “We’re phasing in planet-friendly fabrics to our clothing line, including fabrics that biodegrade in landfill and fabrics made from 100 percent recycled materials,” says founder Sienna Roebuck.

When Events Clothing was acquired by VMG Clothing in late 2019, the company became part of a larger organization that produces a lot of clothing for the New Zealand market and, as such, has close connections to and even ownership of factories overseas. This gives the uniform company a lot of control over the manufacturing process. “We’ve gone through and looked at all those different fabrications and said how can we make what we’ve got at the moment better? And how can we do it in a more sustainable way?” says Rutter.

For example, “Repreve is one of the brands that’s being used,” he continues. “It is a name for polyesters that come from recycled plastic bottles. We’ve got their fabrication in a number of our performance garments, in the shorts and the pants and in one of our polos, and at the other end of the scale we’ve got organic cottons that we’re using in our polo shirts and our T-shirts.”

“Since our first day of inception, Saltee Rags has had a strict environmental policy — we are the only yacht supplier that offers 100 percent green screen printing where nothing touches the earth,” Marchand says. “We have been researching earth-friendly materials that look great and have minimal impact on the earth.” The company offers eco apparel made of 100 percent recycled post-consumer products, and its line of triblended shirts has a social and eco conscience, adhering to environmental policies and labor laws that elevate communities worldwide.

In Zeidel’s proprietary SEE Apparel line, all bottoms are made from fabric that ranges from 50 to 75 percent polyester chips recycled from PET bottles. “Our three-year goal is to be utilizing 100 percent recycled material across our uniform line,” says Pritchard. Moreover, the fabric’s manufacturer uses only rainwater collected onsite, since water is one of the biggest wastes in the process.

“One of things that a lot of crew are looking at is socially responsible items,” Pritchard says. “One of the big brands that we’re selling is tasc, made from sustainable bamboo; the AS Colour T-shirts are a premium shirt and they are organic cotton; the Allmade T-shirt is 50 percent recycled plastic bottles (Repreve), 25 percent organic cotton, and 25 percent Tencel, a type of super sustainable wood like bamboo. We’re seeing people care about that quite a bit now, and they’re willing to pay more for premium brands.”

One of a Kind

Some crew are prepared to pay even more to be unique. Big boats mean big budgets and limitless options for dressing the crew in something that will turn heads when they pull into port.

“From 2019, we noted a big increase in bespoke items’ requests,” says Mutti of Floating Life. So much so that the Italian company separated its offerings into two lines: The Collection for its regular pieces that are always available, and the bespoke Collection Privè, which shows the customization possible with its in-house stylist. “We start from the client’s idea of what he would like to have on board, and after that we speak with our stylist, and she proposes a few sketches, a few designs from which the client will choose. And from there, we start selecting the perfect fabric and measuring all the crew.”

Roebuck of Crew & Tailor agrees this is a growing trend. “I think there has been a general feeling of caution due to the pandemic, but with the current rate of new builds there will be an increase in ‘expressions of luxury,’ including bespoke uniform,” she predicts. “Our bespoke service is a great chance for yachts, especially new builds, to develop uniform in line with the yacht’s aesthetics. There is no limit with custom-designed textiles, prints, cuts, and accessories.”

This feature originally ran in the April 2022 issue of Dockwalk .

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Lauren Wardley

#humansofyachting – Lauren Wardley

The founder of Ethical Yacht Wear on her motivations behind launching a sustainable uniform brand for superyacht crew.

“A friend described superyachts to me as luxury hotels on the ocean and I was sold. I had already done a degree in business and hotel management and was working in Sydney in a hotel by the beach. I jumped on a plane and went over to Fort Lauderdale to do my training and have now been working on yachts for about three and a half years.

I’m on a boat called Samadhi at the moment as a full-time steward. I work 8am until 5pm, unless we are in charter season, then I try to do a good few hours every evening for my own business, Ethical Yacht Wear . I usually sit down by about 7.30pm and I’ll generally work until midnight. It’s just how I am. I love building and creating. I’m not good with downtime.

Ethical Yacht Wear started off the back of another clothing brand I’d started called One Back. It sold street-style T-shirts and I donated part of the profit back to ocean pollution and research. I had an article about it in an industry magazine called Dockwalk and then a lot of boats got in touch to ask if they could use my product for yacht uniform. As soon as I realised the level of interest, I turned it overnight into Ethical Yacht Wear. I wasn’t expecting such a response and since then it’s been awesome. I’ve had six or seven big boats doing most of their ordering through me.

I took inspiration from a couple of other companies – TOMS was one of them – you buy a pair of shoes from their store and they give another pair to a child in South America. I really appreciated that business model so I always knew I wanted to give something back for everything we sold. In terms of the actual product, we use organic, ethical cotton. Non-organic cotton uses tonnes of pesticides and it literally runs straight off into the oceans – it’s a large contributor when it comes to killing off sea life. With organic cotton, there are no pesticides and no toxins.

I’d love to get as many boats interested and encourage them to move from using uniforms with regular cotton or polyester with plastic inks and things. I want to make a big impact. I am already designing my own clothing line so that I can supply everything as at the moment I am limited to hats, hoodies and polos. Then I’d like to move into sustainable guest amenities. In terms of the future for the company as a whole, I’d like to use Ethical Yacht Wear as a vehicle to help organize beach clean-ups, getting young people involved, and creating some movement.

It’s just about being constantly mindful of how we can better the practices on board every day. Beyond the uniforms, there’s plenty of other stuff to think about. One big one is eco-friendly detergent – lots of the regular stuff actually says on the label that it harms sea life so I would like to encourage people to be careful about what products they are using.

I haven’t been in the industry long, but there seem to be a lot of initiatives going on in this space, which is great. I was recently down at the Antigua Yacht Show and competed in the Designer Water Contest. The idea behind it is to promote eco-friendly ways of serving water to guests on board – anything but plastic bottles! I was in Barcelona recently too and did a beach clean-up with one of the big marinas there – there are always things happening. I love what 4Ocean are doing too [the company pulls plastic and glass waste from the oceans and uses it to make jewellery] – they have made an awesome impact and really delivered on what they set out to do.

I am absolutely stoked to do the job I do and it gives the opportunity for so much travel. I love Barcelona – I went there for the first time recently before we crossed the Med and fell in love with it. The beachfront is right there in the city– plus there’s this great culture, with really good food and drink and loads of activities. Capri was also beautiful. I am not really a city person – if I’m not in the mountains or by the ocean I’m not happy – it’s a nature thing really. I would still love to go up to Alaska. I was over on the West Coast for a while but I didn’t quite make it up there. It’s top of my bucket list.”

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Yacht crew uniform company sponsors removal of one million plastic bottles from oceans

Yacht crew uniform company Ethical Yacht Wear has announced that it has sponsored the removal of the equivalent of one million plastic bottles from the oceans through its profits.

Launched in 2019, the company facilitates a "two-party system" to remove plastics. The first is through sponsorship, with a portion of Ethical Yacht Wears' profits donated to the Plastic Bank, which funds people in lower-income coastal communities to retrieve plastic from the marine environments. 

The second is through its circular business model, in which it only supplies "eco-friendly" uniforms made with 100 per cent organic cotton or material recycled from plastic. 

"I launched the company because of my love for the ocean. I wanted to give back and use business as a force of good," said founder Lauren Wardley. "I am extremely proud of our consistent commitment and effort in supporting ocean cleanup. This achievement in plastic cleanup in collaboration with our clients and the Plastic Bank is huge, and we are determined to continue making a positive impact and showing people and the industry that there is a better way."

Ethical Yacht Wear is based in Florida, United States.

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