We’ve seen sustainable surfboards develop a lot in recent years. Here at Solid we’re happy to be a leader of the movement. But, if you don’t know how to ship sustainable surfboards, it can be as detrimental as using traditional materials. A board made from recycled materials in Asia and shipped to the US can have a bigger carbon footprint than one made locally with traditional materials. This is why at Solid, we take a holistic approach to sustainability. Our commitment to sustainability starts with domestic manufacturing using environmentally friendly materials. Then we consider our carbon footprint at every stage up until delivery. We deliver by hand in our custom-built vans, packaged with reusable materials.
Use Eco-Friendly Packaging to Ship Sustainable Surfboards
Shipping boards is risky. Theres a good chance that the board will be damaged in transport. The cost of replacing a board for an unhappy customer is high. So, even when shipping sustainable surfboards, most board companies will load up the bubble wrap and packing peanuts in order to minimize the potential for damage.
At Solid, we don’t use plastic packaging. We deliver our boards in a van that is designed to transport surfboards. So, we have surfboard racks and other secured storage built in. We package the remaining boards using cardboard based packing materials. Since we deliver the boards ourselves we hold onto the packaging and reuse it for the next trip.
Ship Sustainable Surfboards via Ground Transportation
People are often surprised when we tell them how we ship our sustainable surfboards by hand. Or, when we say that we’d prefer to drop a custom with your favorite local shop rather than ship it in the post. But even basic research into the impact of freight shipping shows carbon emissions often cancel out any impact we’ve reduced through sustainable production.
Hand Deliver in Bulk
One part of sustainability that people often overlook is consumption reduction. The more boards we have to make to fill one order (if one gets damaged or lost) the bigger our carbon footprint will be. And, the more waste is generated. In other words, boards not being damaged by transportation is good for the environment.
Additionally, we use less gas making one big trip rather than many small trips. People might see our methods for how to ship sustainable surfboards as unconventional, but we see them as the future of business practices.
Build Community
Not only do our shipping practices help us be a more sustainable company, but it also helps us build a community. Sustainability is not only about reducing waste. We support our surf shops, customers, and friends with a high-quality and reliable supply of surfboards. And they support us and allow us to keep our business going. After almost 20 years in business, the relationships we’ve developed mean much more to us than a business transaction, and we know that we will have this community we’ve built for years to come.
