Zone3 makes wetsuit out of biobased neoprene alternative

In the United Kingdom, Zone3 will soon introduce the world’s first biodegradable wetsuit. Made from Terraprene, a  biobased thermoplastic elastomer produced by Germany’s FKuR, the £399 wetsuit is part of Zone3’s Vision line of triathalon gear. Tests have shown that about 30% of the wetsuit breaks down after two years in a landfill. Wetsuits are usually made out of neoprene, a fossil fuel-based material that can take hundreds of years to decompose.

Zone3 also takes used wetsuits back to remove and recycle the lining and zippers. Previous sustainable offerings from Zone3 include ZONE3 RENEW Open Water swimwear made from recycled bottles and ZONE3 YULEX range of open water swimming accessories made from natural rubber extracted from the guayule plant.