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Duotone have started a Concept Blue initiative, another step along their journey to becoming more sustainable. We spoke to them about
the concept and about the Volt SLS, their first surfboard from the Concept Blue range.
What have you been doing to become more sustainable over the last few years?
For many years we’ve been going step by step and we see it as a process – whatever can be done now, we do it, but we are always looking towards the next step. Over the past few years we’ve saved tons of plastic and packing material in general, using recyclable materials. We are lowering CO2 emissions wherever possible, our offices are powered with green energy wherever possible, employees use their bikes to get to work, and so on. We’re convinced also that these small things are great for your own awareness. If you’re not switching off the light in the office when going home or you have the radiators on whilst the windows are opened, what’s the point. Our Concept Blue initiative is the next step.
Tell us about this initiative. What is the inspiration behind this?
Concept Blue products are our next step towards a better future and an additional element in our Save Our Playgrounds campaign. Our R&D team is dedicated to designing products with the latest and most sustainable materials available on the market whilst maintaining quality and performance. Concept Blue is now focused on all products, and we have our first two twintips with the Select and the Soleil Concept Blue, plus the Volt SLS surfboard, which are all built from sustainable materials.
How is the Volt SLS more eco-friendly than your other surfboards? What are the key materials that increase the sustainability credentials?
Made in Italy, the Volt SLS is our first Concept Blue surfboard. The goal was to reduce the impact of surfboards on the planet and the oceans we enjoy. A Zero Impact Core, Bio Resin, Cork Stringers and Basalt Fiber are used instead of more traditional materials. Basalt replaces glass and carbon. This new material is both natural and plentiful, coming from volcanic rock, but it nevertheless offers very similar characteristics to carbon. It is incredibly strong and gives you a very responsive and lively ride.
How does the Volt perform in comparison to a board composed of traditional materials?
It was very important to us not to compromise on performance, therefore it took a while to find the right materials, but now we’re absolutely happy with the feedback of the board and the durability.
Talk us through the Volt’s shape and what style of riding it is designed for?
The Volt SLS is a small wave and lightwind board designed to get you out on the water having fun as soon as possible. It has a fast rocker line, perfect for getting going in light winds and ideal for offering lots of drive and speed on the wave. Perfect for smaller waves, the rail design allows it to perform tight vertical snaps while ensuring you have lots of grip through more drawn-out bottom turns. Incredibly fun to ride when the conditions aren’t playing ball, the Volt SLS Concept Blue is the first in what will become a much bigger lineup of eco-friendly surfboards from Duotone.
So you’re planning for all your boards to be part of the Concept Blue line?
The Volt SLS is only the first surfboard; step by step all surfboards and new shapes will be added to the Concept Blue line. Same with our twintips – for now we have the Select Concept Blue and the Soleil Concept Blue, but we will add more over time.
What are the long-term challenges you face to becoming even more sustainable? Can you foresee kites being made from recycled or recyclable materials for example?
The biggest challenge is probably to actually see the overall picture, not fall into green washing traps, and to calculate CO2 emissions of products from raw material to delivery to the customer – an overall balance for each product. For spring, two kite lines will be added to the Concept Blue range, but unfortunately I cannot tell you any more about it now!
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