{"id":104895,"date":"2022-02-18T07:09:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T06:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=104895"},"modified":"2022-02-16T11:49:01","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T10:49:01","slug":"wyve-3d-printed-surfboards-glide-on-bioplastics-not-foam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wyve-3d-printed-surfboards-glide-on-bioplastics-not-foam\/","title":{"rendered":"Wyve 3D-Printed Surfboards Glide on Bioplastics, Not Foam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

A recent trend in 3D-printed surfboards has opened the door for new ideas. Wyve, a French company based in a Basque beach community, looks to have set the new benchmark for sustainable surfboard<\/a> designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Helene Cascarino. \u00a9 GearJunkie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Wyve\u2019s range of boards uses an internal hexagonal structure that traps air inside instead of using a traditional foam blank. Unlike with other 3D-printed boards<\/a><\/strong>, the process bypasses polystyrene or EPS foam entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, it prints its hexagonal cores from PLA, a bio-based recyclable plastic made from fermented corn starch. Not only that, it commits to a locally based manufacturing and distribution model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The method speaks to the company\u2019s strongly stated position on environmental ethics in surfing. According to early internal testing and research, the construction also strengthens its boards\u2019 performance in some key areas. And despite what the 3D-printing process might imply, custom-shaped boards come at no extra cost to the customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are trying to rethink the way we manufacture surfboards,\u201d L\u00e9o Kerhir, head of sales and international development at Wyve, said. \u201cWe want to make them more high-performance and more sustainable. Using bio-based materials and the technology we\u2019ve developed internally, we\u2019re able to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: L\u00e9o Kerhir. \u00a9 GearJunkie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Wyve 3D-Printed Surfboards Sustainability: A Brief Audit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy buying traditional surfboards, the surfing community inadvertently supports a process which uses petrochemical materials and generates toxic waste,\u201d Wyve states<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cWhether in the local small shaper\u2019s warehouse or in the famous Californian factories, for the last 60 years polyurethane and polyester have been polluting our air and oceans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To limit its emissions profile, the company pledges to gather materials and manufacture boards on a local basis. It calls the facilities that anchor the method \u201cmicro-factories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kerhir said the company\u2019s growth model revolves around establishing micro-factories and distribution networks along each coast it plans to expand to. For now, the company delivers boards to Europe exclusively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Instagram: wyvesurf. \u00a9 GearJunkie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Locally sourced materials will remain a priority. One PLA manufacturer, Total Corbion PLA<\/a><\/strong>, has factories in the Netherlands and Spain, and a sales office in France. And while Wyve does epoxy-coat its fiberglass boards for durability, it uses a bio-based epoxy resin manufactured in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Performance goes hand in hand with Wyve\u2019s sustainability positions. The overall conclusion is simple: \u201cSurfers deserve better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wyve Performance Testing and Reported Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sustainability aside, the majority of surfers probably won\u2019t find Wyve boards \u201cbetter\u201d unless they ride comparably to traditional boards. So far, Kehrir reports, the outlook is positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local talents in the company\u2019s home region of Anglet, France, are handling performance tests. Read Wyve\u2019s report on earlier testing by its internal team at Switzerland\u2019s Ala\u00efa Bay wave pool here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buoyancy and repairability look to be the board\u2019s key strong points. Testing has shown that the air-filled boards can float even better than their foam-core counterparts, and perform similarly for wave entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also look to have a clear advantage as far as ease of repair. If you ding a traditional board and puncture the shell, it will eventually soak and yellow unless you heat-dry it and patch it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Wyve\u2019s boards have an air valve that both regulates pressure inside the board and allows for drainage in case of a puncture. When you do get a ding, all you have to do is drain it (the internal walls have openings to let water through) and patch it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Instagram: wyvesurf. \u00a9 GearJunkie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Kerhir confirmed that weight is similar to polyurethane boards. He also said the hexagonal structure is three times more resistant than a foam blank but retains the necessary flexibility. In fact, he told Magicseaweed<\/a><\/strong>, the 3D-printed cores help the company\u2019s shapers control parameters like flex, mass repartition, and strength in key areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Custom 3D-Printed Surfboards for Singular Surfers; Wyve Sees the Future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the plastic cores can also increase the capacity for personalized shaping. Wyve delivers 18 stock board shapes in 10 sizes each, suited to various styles. But it also offers a questionnaire-based order program<\/a><\/strong> to draw down on specific needs. After a conversation with the surfer in question, Wyve uses a logarithm to help inform its design process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consultation and custom shaping come at no extra cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe stock shapes and sizes cover many people. But many surfers want to have their <\/em>surfboard, with specific changes compared to the stock board,\u201d Kerhir asserted. \u201cSo we offer customization at the same price, which we\u2019re able to do thanks to the technology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked if he thought 3D-printed boards would become the new standard, Kerhir expressed optimism that Wyve\u2019s method will find traction among intermediate- to high-level surfers. He said that because the company\u2019s system allows for both precision and scaled production in custom boards, Wyve is \u201cconvinced 3D printing is the future\u201d for surfers focused on performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Instagram: wyvesurf. \u00a9 GearJunkie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Check out Wyve\u2019s website<\/a><\/strong> to learn more about its process and check out its array of 3D-printed, biodegradable surfboards. If you want to pick one up in Europe and ride it this summer, act now; Wyve is trying to drive lead time down, but current demand puts delivery dates 90 days out from the order date.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A recent trend in 3D-printed surfboards has opened the door for new ideas. Wyve, a French company based in a Basque beach community, looks to have set the new benchmark for sustainable surfboard designs. Wyve\u2019s range of boards uses an internal hexagonal structure that traps air inside instead of using a traditional foam blank. Unlike with other 3D-printed boards, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"Surfboard shapers have cut boards from foam blanks for over half a century. Now, many in the industry are seeking methods for building boards that reduce environmental pollution","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572],"tags":[11270,5847,12679,19452],"supplier":[19841,13186,19840],"class_list":["post-104895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bio-based","tag-biodegradability","tag-bioplastics","tag-recyclability","tag-surfboard","supplier-magicseaweed","supplier-total-corbion-pla","supplier-wyve"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104895","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104895"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104895\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104895"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=104895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}