Entrepreneur looks to “wipeout” surfboard waste

In Wales, a young surfer/eco-entrepreneur has developed a prototype surfboard out of mushrooms and coral. Twenty-three-year-old Steve Davies came up with the idea while researching mycelium packaging as part of his master’s program at Cardiff Metropolitan University. He chose coral as a framing material so that if the board becomes lost in the ocean, the remains could theoretically become a habitat for marine life.

Davies tells Wales Online he is working to secure funding and scale production at his Porthcawl studio. “I’m looking to transform this into a self-run business, offering a sustainable product that fits fully within a circular eco model offering something back to the environment while offering a good product to the surfing community—allowing them to do their part in helping the environment.”

Producing a single surfboard releases about 275 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions, according to the University of California Berkeley. At the end of their usable life, surfboards also contribute to plastic pollution.