Pass Me The Sugar
A year and a few months ago the whole surfing world was rocked by Clark’s shutdown. In the aftermath, our board’s effects on the environment was discussed like no other time in Surfing’s history. Not much changed though, as it didn’t take long to fill the standard Polyurethane blank demand. EPS and XPS did gain some traction, but nothing as earth shattering as predicted.
A month month ago though, some very interesting news hit the market: Homeblown introduced a blank made with plant matter and today, the environmentally friendly blank market is getting even sweeter. A new blank manufacturer named Glory Foam introduced a blank made of SUGAR to the US market called PUR-Foam.
SUGAR?
Click image for larger version.
Yep. The blanks are made of sugar AND Polyurethane and blown with PMDI (anyone know what the P stands for?). Glory describes the foam as containing no “bleaches, pigments, additives, or enhancers” and says the foam is actually CLEAR. A quote from owner Tom Brown describes the foam as containing “tiny bubbles in the cell structure that refract light and make it [the blank] appear bright white”.
The full, unedited email is as follows…
PUR-Foamâ s Quality is second to none. PUR-Foam maintains a uniform tight cell structure praised by shapers and glassers alike. PUR-Foam wonâ t yellow and does not contain pour lines so the foam accepts tints well. It wonâ t chunk or tear when planned. PUR-Foam creates a light, flexible, durable blank.
Glory Foam TM was founded in Mexico in April 2005 by a group of committed surfers. The idea was born after the Brown family spent two years sailing and surfing throughout Mexico. â After what we saw in both lack of good surf product as well as crazy amounts of trash, we wanted to do something for surfers and the environment. Our goal is to lead the way in responsible, clean, safe manufacturing.â
The email makes all the right claims… ‘environmentally safer’ (not safe), shapers love it, no pour lines, won’t tear or chunk, less waste, etc., but these new blanks have a long way to go in the credibility department.
In my opinion, unless one of these environmentally safer PU blanks (either the Homeblown Biofoam or Glory’s PUR-foam) rides exactly like the good old toxic PU, the make or break will be two fold. The first one, durability, must meet or exceed the current best PU blanks on the market. The other is how shapers and glassers will respond. If it’s difficult to work with, most will write it off despite it’s environmental or durability qualities. Time, not marketing will tell. In the meantime you could give these new blanks a jumpstart by requesting a board from your local shaper that’s made with one.
UPDATE: Glory’s Foam’s blank catalog. Each blank is named after an appropriate Mexican break.
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March 6th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
It’s not just the foam that is the environmental issue.Transporting containers of lightweight P.U.foam around the world is arguably more environmentally damaging due to the massive amount of transportation.Chemicals to factory,foam to port,ship to destination port,then another lorry and so on and so forth until it eventually ends up in the waves.BUY LOCAL,HELP LOCAL ECONOMY,CREATE JOBS IN YOUR COMMUNITY,CUT DOWN ON TRANSPORTATION FUEL DEMANDS AND STOP SUPPORTING THE SWEAT SHOPS.And BUY THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND PRODUCT AVAILABLE.My board has abiofoam core, stringer from renewable resource &UV cured castor oil resin. It’s as good as any other board I’ve ridden. If you enjoy your surfing,then YOU,the surfer or shaper should be walking the walk and using the most environmentally sound products on the market…….USE IT OR LOSE IT. The choice is yours/ours…….Choice? Dam it we don’t have one!!!!!!!
August 21st, 2007 at 11:26 am
Shit flies!