Before a ghost net decorates your wrist, it faces a long journey: it is recovered, cleaned and handcrafted into a Bracenet. Fortunately, we can count on the valuable support of our partners along the way. In this article, we want to introduce our partner Healthy Seas. We have been collaborating since 2016 to recover ghost nets from the oceans and to prevent more nets from ending up at sea. Additionally, we regularly donate parts of our proceeds to Healthy Seas – and you are probably eager to learn how your contribution helps to fight the ghost nets.
Healthy Seas was launched in 2013 as an initiative by a non-profit organisation and two further sustainable companies: Ghost Fishing, Aquafil and Star Socks. Ghost Fishing is the world’s leading ghost net recovery organization, Aquafil is developing the ECONYL® yarn made from recycled nylon, and Star Socks were the first manufacturer to use the yarn made from recycled ghost nets, nets directly from fisheries and old carpets to create new products. They all share a common mission, to liberate oceans and marine life from plastic waste and to re-utilize discarded equipment. Healthy Seas originates from this idea: they rescue sea animals and protect ecosystems by retrieving ghost nets from the seas to give them new life.
“A Journey from Waste to Wear” – Healthy Seas’ motto aptly describes their work. The initiative begins with “Waste”: they dive for ghost nets, devise preventive measures to seize them directly from fisheries, and generate awareness of the issue among the general population. After the nets have been recovered and cleaned by our partner Nofir, they are given to Aquafil for recycling or to ourselves at Bracenet for upcycling and thus become “Wear”.
Healthy Seas dives with 250 divers from Ghost Fishing for ghost nets. The diving teams are mainly active in the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea, but also have projects all over the world.
They search for ghost nets, that are mostly caught on wrecks or reefs. Professional, technical divers, carefully cut the nets loose and free entangled sea animals. For instance, they rescue stingrays, starfish, and crustaceans that would otherwise die in the nets. They then inflate “lifting bags” that bring the nets to the surface. Other team members then haul them aboard the boats, before finally bringing them ashore. As soon as the ghost nets are recovered, marine life can flourish again.
Ghost net recovery is an important contribution to the protection of the oceans. However, since 1 million tons of additional fishing gear land in the oceans every year, Healthy Seas and we at Bracenet, are also involved in preventive work. To this end, we collaborate with fisheries, fish farms and coastal communities to capture the nets before they are dumped at sea. Furthermore, we are developing new solutions to ensure that no more nets end up discarded at sea. Our efforts are bearing fruit: more and more fisheries are approaching us with discarded end-of-life nets. We check possible disposal options with Healthy Seas, or accept the nets directly and use them for Bracenets.
In addition to efforts underwater, Healthy Seas is committed to fostering a better understanding of ghost nets among the general public. Through lectures and training programs, the initiative educates people on the effects of lost fishing gear on marine life and emphasizes that healthy seas have both ecological and economic significance.
Healthy Seas’ work does not end with diving for nets: The initiative also endeavours to give them new life. Nets that are suitable for upcycling to Bracenets are handed over to us after being cleaned by Nofir. These nets are usually made of HDPE (high-density polyethylene), as their fibres and structure are well suited for daily wear around the wrist. Other nets are sent to Aquafil, one of the founding companies of Healthy Seas, for recycling. Aquafil uses nylon nets together with other nylon waste to produce its recycled ECONYL® yarn, which is used for instance for sustainable apparel – as by Star Socks for socks or other companies for swimwear. While ghost nets are still undesirable waste in the sea, thanks to the work of Healthy Seas, Bracenet and other partners, they can become beloved clothing and accessories.
Since its foundation in 2013, Healthy Seas has already retrieved 773 tons of net from seas – equivalent to the weight of 4 blue whales, the world’s largest animal. Healthy Seas has consequently saved countless marine animals and prevented thousands more from getting entangled in the nets. They are also an important factor in making our Bracenets and ECONYL® yarn with nets possible. Healthy Seas’ commitment to protecting our oceans is also publicly recognized and rewarded – for example, in 2019 Healthy Seas received the award for circular economy at the “Green Carpet Fashion Awards” of Milan Fashion Week.
Healthy Seas is doing a fantastic job fighting ghost nets and we are extremely grateful for their support ever since we first started. We have now processed 7 tons of HDPE ghost nets into Bracenets and other products, generating over €150,000 in total donations to Healthy Seas and Ghost Diving alone. With the help of donations from us and others, the organisation has grown and expanded its diving teams from 50 to 250 divers. We’ve come a long way together – and look forward to continuing our collaboration as Ghost(net)busters.
To keep up to date with new projects carried out by Healthy Seas, please visit the Healthy Seas website.
Would you like to know more about ghost nets? Here are 5 things you should know about Ghost Nets.
We upcycle old fishing nets into new products like our “Bracenet” bracelets. But where do we get all these fishing nets? And what’s the deal when we talk about “recovered ghost nets,” “discarded fishing nets,” or “former fishing nets”? Does a “North Sea Bracenet” really come from the North Sea? Can we trace the origin of all our nets?
With BRACENET, you’re making a contribution to ocean conservation. More specifically, a double contribution: With every product, you help put an end to the menace of ghost nets and simultaneously donate towards the protection of the seas and marine life. We’re thrilled to announce our first major milestone: To date, we have collectively donated over a quarter of a million Euros – €250,558!
Become part of our mission and subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about new colors and products! As a welcome gift, you’ll receive a coupon code for a 10% discount on your first order right away. SAVE THE SEAS, WEAR A NET!
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