Ocean plastic pollution is a massive problem facing our planet. How massive? More than 10 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year. As far as alarming facts go, that’s just the tip of the iceberg:
- The ocean contains approximately 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris. (National Geographic)
- Each year, around 100,000 animals are entangled and killed by ocean plastic. (Earth.org)
- On average, every 1 gram of mussel that you eat contains “0.13 and 2.45 microplastic particles.” (Technology Networks)
- Some experts project that by 2050, the ocean may contain more plastic than fish. (IAEA)
What are we doing to help?
Everyone has a responsibility to join in on the fight against plastic pollution—that means businesses, too. Making products that people love to use is one thing. Striving to make a net positive impact on the world is important too, from the materials used to our packaging
One way to reduce plastic pollution is to remove it from the ocean and use it to make new products. This helps on 2 fronts by cleaning up the environment and ensuring that less plastic is used in the production process.
With our latest showerhead, the Nebia Corre Handshower, that’s what we did. We took upcycled materials, produced from fishing nets that often end up as trash in the ocean, and used them to make the showerhead’s magnetic dock. This makes the Nebia Corre the first showerhead ever to be built with components that incorporate recycled ocean plastic.
Finding ways to make products with recycled materials isn’t easy. It takes material scientific advancements, methodical engineering, and rigorous reliability testing. But we think it’s worth it given the problems at hand. By taking ocean plastic and upcycling it into products that can last decades, the result is less plastic, all-around—and that’s just the beginning.
Plastic pollution is a serious issue, but it’s not the only one that’s affecting our planet. Since 2000, global droughts have increased by 29%, and the United Nations believes that Climate Change is a driving factor. The Nebia Corre Handshower is designed to use 50 percent less water than a standard showerhead. Nebia technology has already saved over 500 million gallons of water and counting—and with the Nebia Corre, we’re poised to make an even bigger impact on water conservation efforts.
The best is yet to come—for you and the planet
With our bath mats made from reclaimed cotton, our shower curtain made from upcycled bottles, our towels made from a breakthrough recycled textile, and our membership to 1% for the Planet, we are marching towards a future where our product development is fully sustainable.
The march to incorporate sustainable materials into all our products won’t happen overnight—but the Nebia Corre Handshower is a critical first step. Our mission has always been to help people achieve healthier, more enjoyable spaces. And we can’t do that without improving the place we all share, the planet.