Bureo Skateboard

reviewed by deep cleaning house

Short description

Bureo skateboard designs and manufactures a unique line of sustainable skateboard made from abandoned fishnet in ocean of Chile.

Description

Bureo designs and manufactures a unique line of sustainable skateboards. Bureo’s innovative boards are manufactured in Chile through the team’s initiative, ‘Net Positiva’, Chile’s first ever fishnet collection & recycling program. Net Positiva provides fisherman with environmentally sound disposal points, while Bureo receives highly recyclable and durable raw materials. By offering recycled high quality products, Bureo enables ethically conscious consumers to support recycling development and job growth for local inhabitants.

The name ‘Bureo’ comes from the language of the Mapuche, the native Chileans, and means ´the waves’. Selected in honor of the Chilean people, the name represents our mission. Just as a wave originates from a disturbance of wind along the ocean surface, Bureo is starting with a small change in an ocean of plastic. Through time and energy, the waves of Bureo will develop the force required to cause real change.

Sources

Photos

Data

Phase:

Active

Starting date:

2013,june

Qualitative Analysis

Description of the Process

+Business establishing process +

Becoming aware of the various threats to our waterways, the 3founder of Bureo skateboard made their mission to do something about ocean plastics. They started dreaming big at 2013, and left their safe careers behind in search of solutions. Their answer was ‘Skateboards for Plastic-Free Oceans’. After months of speaking with experts and investigating plastic pollutants, they proved from research that this material was incredibly strong to make skateboards from and highly recyclable! They were given an amazing opportunity to bring their idea to Chile, where they could run their whole process from fishnet collection in the coastal communities to final production in Santiago. Starting from establishing 'Net Positiva', their fishnet collection and recycling program.

Bureo skateboard started funding project to collect $25,000 which will facilitate their final production setup costs, the recycling cost for several tons of fishnets, and our initial component/hardware costs, from April 2014 till May ,and the project was successfully funded by May 15 reaching $64,554. And now the Bureo skateboard is being successfully produced in communities of Santiago.

+Product Design process +

Bureo skateboard has numerous prototypes, and with supporters help they turn their prototypes into final products. The Minnow’s 25” body is perfect for cruising the streets and along the beach, and their innovative locking feature paired with the 'B-hook' lets you lock up your board for stress-free storage.Bureo boards reflect the natural recycled color (black) from underlying fishnet formula, and they think The Minnow wears black well. Bureo skateboard working with a paint provider on the most environmentally friendly application of a unique blue fish scale pattern as shown from pictures. As an exclusive offer for Kickstarter, the team has done up some epic hand painted patterns for a limited run of boards. In partnership with Satori Movement, and our dedicated and talented designer Gabriella Laruccia, their Cruiser Wheels are 30% veggie oil and include 100% recycled cores.

History

The idea of Bureo skateboard started from 2013 and soon among the 85 businesses out of 1,300 applicants, accepted into 'Start-Up Chile', a government-sponsored accelerator program that provides startups with $40,000 each to put their plans in action

Result of project

Bureo skateboards contribute to clean ocean of Chile by producing sustainable skateboard from abandoned fishnet, and the profit from selling products supports and funds local fishing community. It creates better conditions to ocean life circle and Santiago local community. The idea if this project started June,2013 and the production line completed on June,2014 . There is might be too early to expect evident result of it but we definitely expect admirable result of this project in the future due to it's high potential.

Problems during the the realization of the project and how they were approached

Before produce product, Bureo have manufactured and ridden several prototypes, which have been tested for performance and safety. They acknowledge that achieving consistent performance between recycled products is a challenge and risks remain in any manufacturing operation. However, Bureo consider these low risks given the extensive testing, they have completed and the industry knowledge of their selected manufacturer. To achieve proposed Kickstarter schedule, they temporary reliant on the timely shipping and processing of Bureo boards from Santiago to Los Angeles. They have secured trusted industry partners to handle this process. By building a community with Kickstarter backers, and completely engaged with their supporters during this process dream of Bureo skateboard could successfully manufactured.

Spatial quality

From collecting fishnet from Net Positiva to producing final product ‘Bureo skateboard’ is done inside Santiago community, and it gives maximum positive economical and environmental profit to it. And each skate board contains 30 square meter of harmful fish net. This also means with every single board production,it cleans 30 square meters of ocean of Chile. In addition to the fishnet collection program, Net Positiva is aligned with coastal clean-up and conservation efforts. Under this initiative, Bureo is connecting with non-profits and local communities across the US and Chile to support the removal of marine debris from our coasts.

Contribution of the project to the design practice

Bureo skateboards reflect the natural recycled color (black) and fish skin patterns from their underlying fishnet formula. And Bureo is working with a paint provider on the most environmentally friendly application of a unique blue fish scale pattern. Also as an exclusive offer for Kickstarter, the team has done up some epic hand painted patterns for a limited run of boards. In partnership with Satori Movement, Bureo Cruiser Wheels are 30% veggie oil and include 100% recycled cores.