Reverse plastic pollution, one step at a time!

OCEANA have big ambitions and a clear purpose — to rid our oceans of plastic.

OCEANA are the first sustainable sneakers you’ll actually want to wear. Made from 100% recycled plastic, they’re breathable, durable and ethical.

It is estimated that over 100,000 marine animals such as turtles, dolphins, seals and whales, die each year from ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic debris. And, more than 260 animal species worldwide have become entangled in or consumed fishing line, nets, ropes and other discarded equipment.

We take these discarded nets and other ocean plastics and turn them into beautiful, sustainable, luxury footwear. The sneakers are styled from revolutionary materials such as vegan-woven polyester thread with an airmesh lining made from recycled P.E.T and corn fibre, they carry the Global Recycling Standard certification.

OCEANA’s were created by a small start-up called Ocean Refresh (oceanrefresh.com), which partners with charities in the UK and Brazil to help reduce plastic pollution across the globe. Their aim is to remove 2 million plastic bottles from the ocean by 2021 and they have already released their first flip-flops and sliders onto the market.

Ocean Refresh was founded in 2019 by Bernardo Pedroso, the son of one of Brazil’s first female surfers. With a childhood spent playing in the seas of Brazil’s iconic Itúana beach, the ocean was part of his everyday life.

“We have big ambitions and a clear purpose — to rid our oceans of plastic,” says Pedroso. “With the current state of our global environment, we are committed to doing our bit to save marine life. Small decisions like choosing an eco-friendly product or saying no to single-use plastic makes a huge difference for the future and our planet. That’s why we created Oceana sustainable sneakers.”

“The fabric used to create our sneakers is crafted from recycled ghost nets,” he says. “Our oceans are haunted by ghost nets, fishing nets and equipment abandoned and left by fishermen. These nets continue to float in the ocean’s currents, entangling marine wildlife, damaging reefs, invisibly and silently killing.”

“We take these discarded nets and other ocean plastics and turn them into beautiful, sustainable, luxury footwear.”
Kickstarter campaign

To launch the sneakers on Kickstarter and help fund initial production, Ocean Refresh is crowdfunding to raise £14,588 in 20 days — starting 15 October 2020. You can play a part in making it happen!

Launch details
• Kickstarter Live Date: Thursday 15th October 2020 @ 12pm GMT+1
• Kickstarter Ends: Wednesday 4th November 2020
• Price: £144 (Pledge packages available from £1)
• Kickstarter: kickstarter.com