Production has started on a unique, designer, decorative plant pot made from recycled ocean plastics. The Ecotribo ‘Oceana’ plant pot is being made locally on the south west coast of England, Bristol. The idea is different to any other plant pots on the market for a number of reasons. All of them are positive and exactly what people and the planet needs.
Our plant pots have positive outcomes for coastal communities.
This plant pot aims to provide positive outcomes for coastal communities by supporting beach cleaning groups with 10% of our profits. We support our charities with monthly donations as well as our profits. Our mission is to clean our oceans, promoting recycling and demonstrating how we can renew, recycle, restore and regenerate the planet and our economy. Post covid there has been a lot of talk about ‘building back greener’. This local business and product is actually doing it. It will grow a social enterprise that aims to help people and the planet by starting locally and growing around the world. It aims to demonstrate how business can do things differently – where profit does not come before the planet. This plant pot demonstrates how we can help coastal communities take control of their plastic waste turning their trash into treasure and at the same time providing jobs and incomes.
Made from abandoned fishing nets
You may have heard of 'ocean plastics' by now which can mean its plastic found with 50 miles of the coast. We think that's a green wash! Our material is found on the beach! Literally washed up on our UK shores and found by beach cleaners before it hurts wild life.
We have utilised recycled fishing nets in our products production. Constructed from high-quality plastics, the material is extremely strong and robust and should last a lifetime. (If it doesn’t you can send it back to us and we will recycled it again for you). Fishing nets are the most abundant form of macro-plastic in the ocean and also the most lethal form of plastic debris for marine life according to the WWF. Currently, 640,000 tonnes of the stuff is produced every year. By using this material we give fishermen alternatives to landfill, as well as financial incentives to recycle their nets at the end of their lifecycle, returning the material back into a circular material loop. The material is recycled and processed here in Bristol and we turn it into products with a positive purpose – cleaning our seas, planting positivity.
Made locally. Made different.
This plant pot is made with a Precious Plastic ‘Plasticpreneur’ machine. A simple yet extremely effective machine which is part of a big community working to fix the plastic waste problem. The machinery for this planter is extremely cost effective, taking the means of production away from big manufacturers and empowering communities and small makers such as ourselves. This enables grassroots access to turn plastic waste into new opportunities to create and launch innovative products and set up new, income-generating projects and social businesses around the world. With these mobile machines it is possible to start recycling workspaces and the production of recycled products anywhere. We have plans of continuing to demonstrate our materials work and educating communities about the plastic problem from schools to the beaches we love.
Local production means less C02.
By keeping manufacture and the material we source local there is also the added benefit that we reduce C02 emissions by ensuring transport costs are kept to a minimum. We have shredded and processed our material right here in Bristol at the KWMC Factory. We would like to thank this amazing organisation for all their help and assistance over the years from when a seed of an idea germinated when I started doing material design research and local workshops with them till now.
Different colour ways.
We have a range of colours so please check the shop now. The design is made up of 3 parts so that it can be mixed and matched in a variety of different colour ways as we ramp up production. We also want to use other local Bristol waste plastics to give us a broader colour palette.
Scientifically proven to boost wellbeing
Indoor plant pots reduce stress and anxiety. According to a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, active interaction with indoor plants (like touching and smelling) can reduce physiological and psychological stress. Researchers at Exeter University, UK found that indoor plants improve concentration, productivity and boost staff well-being by 47% at work. Being around plants can also increase memory retention by up to 20%.
Our recycled fishing net process
Collection and recovery of fishing nets from harbours and beaches
Processing ocean plastic materials locally and sustainably
Injection moulding into Ocean plastic products like our plant pot
All these reasons combined creates something truly unique and exciting for garden lovers, pot plant lovers, environmentalists, nature lovers and the planet.
There are so many reasons why we love what we do and are excited to launch this new product!
We have grand plans to grow this local Bristol business and continue to introduce new sizes, colours and products into the range. Our mission is to clean our seas, grow plants and germinate smiles. I hope you can now see – it is so much more than a plastic plant pot…it’s a shining ray of light.
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