EP 79. Upcycling Kayaks Into Sunglasses with Dylan Coates and Stephen Vaughan from Hobie Eyewear

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Dylan Coates and Stephen Vaughan from Hobie Eyewear to talk about one of the most innovative sustainability stories in the fishing industry.Hobie Eyewear is transforming waste into value by upcycling leftover plastic from Hobie kayak manufacturing into their best-selling Hobie Hull sunglasses. The process is simple but brilliant: grind down kayak manufacturing scraps into pellets, then mold them into durable, floatable sunglass frames. The result? A product anglers love that also keeps plastic out of landfills.Beyond innovation, Hobie Eyewear is proving that sustainability and business success go hand-in-hand. Their Hull sunglasses are the #1 seller on their site, showing that anglers are demanding more sustainable products. Plus, Hobie gives back by donating a portion of proceeds to the Fish America Foundation and organizing lake cleanups. Even the packaging is designed with more sustainable paper-based materials.If you’re curious about how brands can turn "squandered corporate assets" into sustainable innovations that resonate with customers, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.🎣 Like what you heard? Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.