Clean Waves platform to fight marine plastic pollution

Clean Waves, a creative fundraising platform aimed at boosting the use of eco-innovative materials in fashion and industrial design. The first product launched, sunglasses, are made from Parley Ocean Plastic® and incorporate new forms of upcycled marine debris intercepted on islands, coastal communities, beaches, underwater and on high seas.

The limited-edition sunglasses will be available on NET-A-PORTER with each pair enabling consumers to help protect dedicated remote islands. Individual geographical coordinates are featured on every pair of eyewear, directly connecting each pair to a specific place in paradise impacted by marine plastic pollution and through purchase consumers help protect. For every 100 pairs of sunglasses sold, Parley and Corona, the founders of Clean Waves initiative, will expand their commitment and protect one more island against marine plastic pollution for one year. The first edition launches with models linking to islands in Maldives, Palau and Bali.

“Plastic is everywhere, a design failure which harms sea life and human health. While we can’t phase it out overnight, we can stop making more. Clean Waves is the urgently needed fundraising platform where creators support our movement by designing products from Ocean Plastic®, a premium material made from upcycled marine plastic debris,” said Cyrill Gutsch, founder of Parley for the Oceans.

Clean Waves will include collaborations from industry leaders in fashion, industrial design, photography, art, film, music and material science who are equally passionate about the health of our oceans and the development of less harmful, and ultimately non-harmful ways of designing, making and using products.

“As a brand that calls the beach home, Corona has a long-term mission to address the problem of marine plastic pollution and ultimately protect paradise. Over the years, we’ve conducted many clean-ups and most recently committed to protect 100 islands by 2020 with Parley,” said Felipe Ambra, Global VP of Corona. “Yet, with approximately eight million metric tons of plastic being dumped into the ocean each year, we recognize that the problem is bigger than any one island and the creation of Clean Waves is a way for other ocean warriors to support upcycling and help us build on our existing commitment.”