Earthwise Sorbents, a San Diego-based company and TMA member, supports the circular economy by manufacturing sustainable sorbent products for industries that handle oil and chemical spills. The founders of Earthwise: Jim Mullen, Andrew Jakubowski, and Marty Gilchrist, are all surfers who work to introduce sustainability to the surf industry by making bio-based high-performance surfboard foam. After discovering surfboard foam dust is able to quickly and effectively clean up a hydraulic spill in their Arctic Foam factory, Earthwise Sorbents was formed.

At Earthwise, the surf industry and environmental clean-up are tied to each other. Earthwise’s sorbents are manufactured almost completely from recycled and repurposed materials, giving waste a second life as an environmental cleanup product. Their products include loose absorbents, recycled socks, booms, socks, pads, pillows, all made from repurposed polyurethane surfboard foam, recycled paper waste and recycled polypropylene fabrics. In a world where plastic pollution is a major issue, even a single extra use for plastics can generate major environmental benefits.

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By investing in third-party testing, Earthwise strives to provide its consumers objective performance data for all of the sorbents they purchase and use. The company also promotes transparency so that investors understand how the environmentally-friendly production process works. Finally, Earthwise encourages proper disposal of used sorbents based on state and local regulations or via waste-to-energy production facilities.  

Surfers, scientists, and searching investors who care deeply about the environment can contribute to these efforts. Earthwise is currently raising money on StartEngine, for equity shares in their company. “Normal people want to support businesses that are doing right by them and in the world,” explains Julie Hampden, Earthwise investor and consultant. This is a chance for people of all backgrounds to invest in Earthwise Sorbents at low cost and in alignment with their values. Earthwise Sorbents is promoting a more circular economy and providing a greener solution to pollution by producing sorbents with recycled and repurposed materials.