One pioneering surfboard shaper in New Zealand discovered surfboards can be made with wool. Replacing manmade with sheepmade!

From Fibreglass to Natural Fibres

We’ve known of the amazing properties of wool for a long time and believe it should be being used more than it is. After all wool is waste product. Yet it has many uses thanks to a wide range of properties. It’s strong, fire retardant, sound absorbing, warming, soft, absorbing and durable. However it is its strength and absorbency that attracted one New Zealand surfboard maker to it.

Paul Baron discovered by accident that wool could make a possible substitute for fibreglass, after spilling resin on his woollen jumper. He developed his idea further before patenting it.

Firewire Surfboards as holders of the ECOBOARD standard, started using Paul’s technique. Using wool instead of fibreglass, fitted perfectly for them. As it allowed them to halve the impact of their standard board construction.

Furthermore surfboards made with wool look beautiful. The wool is dyed during manufacture. As wool is a natural fibre, the amount of pigment it absorbs varies and thus the wool takes on a mottled effect. Adding to its aesthetic appeal.

To read more about Woolight be sure to check out Firewire Surfboard’s article.

Custom Made Eco Friendly Surfboard Bags

Being a surfer and reading about this, it occurred to me surfboard bags could be made from baize. Wool is naturally wicking and antimicrobial. Thus allowing the surfboard to dry out quickly and not go funky. Also baize, as mentioned earlier, is highly durable.

For a “day runner” type of surfboard bag just the baize itself would be enough, but for extra protection and padding a woollen fill could be used.