Patagonia Announces First-of-its-Kind Wetsuit Recycling Program

June 24, 2024

Patagonia announced Wednesday that it has co-developed an end-of-life wetsuit solution with Colorado’s Bolder Industries to turn unwanted wetsuits into components for new wetsuits. The program works only with wetsuits made with Yulex natural rubber, a wetsuit material pioneered by Patagonia as a cleaner substitute for petroleum-based neoprene. Patagonia’s wetsuits are made from 85% Yulex natural rubber and 15% synthetic rubber.

Patagonia was the first brand to use Yulex rubber in its wetsuits, but has worked to share the technology with competing wetsuit makers in a bid to clean up the industry. Finisterre, Seea, Manera, and Nymph, among other brands, now use Yulex in their wetsuits. Shop Eat Surf