Tide turning as Cali surfboard maker embraces renewable materials

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In California, surfing champion turned custom surfboard maker Ashley Lloyd Thomson has begun incorporating natural materials into her products.

Thompson takes into account her customers’ weight, height, surfing style, stance, and preferred surfing spots when shaping the board.

Thompson, who at one point ranked fifth in the world at longboard surfing, also aims to “honor” the ocean ecosystem. Her boards are glassed with plant-based epoxy produced by Entropy Resins, and in the future she hopes to replace boards’ polyurethane base with foam made from algae and swap fiberglass cloth for a flax-based alternative.

“You don’t have that many green options with surfboard making, but in the last five years there’s been more and more,” she tells mother nature network. “It’s neat to be part of the change.”

Her shop in Santa Cruz recently received green certification from the Sustainable Surf organization.

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