In New York, menswear manufacturer Noah is set to launch new wetsuit styles incorporating limestone. The suits are made from Yamamoto #40, a hybrid fabric produced by Japan’s Yamamoto Corporation using neoprene and calcium carbonate sourced from Hawaiian limestone.
Yamamoto also uses hydroelectric power and recycles its wastewater, further improving the wetsuits’ sustainability profile.
Retailing for just under $600, the suits are available in four styles: Tulips, Oysterman, Core Logo, and Sandpiper. They are hand-stitched and suited for temperatures ranging from 55 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit.
Most wetsuits are made of neoprene, a petroleum-based material invented by DuPont in the 1930s. Its availability caused a swell of interest surfing.