North Sails has launched RENEW, a panelled laminate sailcloth for cruising boats 25 to 45ft featuring recycled raw materials.
RENEW sailcloth is constructed from more than 90% sustainable sources, a shift that the sailmaker says is important in the process of finding solutions for sustainable sails, low-impact manufacturing, the use of alternative fibres, and opportunities for material circularity.
“There’s been a lot of rigorous work behind the scenes over a number of years to ensure RENEW is a sailcloth with legitimate sustainability credentials,” said RENEW product director Tom Davis. “This product has been tested to the absolute limit, and we are confident that a sail constructed with RENEW will offer unbeatable durability and sail shape for our cruising customers without compromising on performance.”
For RENEW, North Sails sourced recycled polyester film and yarn, and bio-based Dyneema, to create the cruising laminate cloth that features more than 90% alternative bio-based and recycled raw materials.
The supplier products for RENEW are all Bluesign Certified and ISCC compliant to guarantee the validity of the sources and processes used in their manufacture.
“We have been deliberate and comprehensive in vetting the authenticity of sustainability claims and thoroughly testing the materials before bringing a product to market,” said North Sails president Ken Read. “We wanted to be 100% certain with RENEW that North Sails could stand behind the improvements in the carbon footprint and authenticity of the sustainable materials in our sailcloth.”
He added: “With our wider commitment to continuous improvement and our push to strive for more sustainable solutions across the business at all levels, RENEW will not stop with panel laminates, and we will look to apply this approach to sustainable raw materials across our broader range of products.”
Under the RENEW program, North Sails will continue to partner with suppliers to identify and refine the raw materials needed to produce ever more sustainable sails for all customers.
The sailmaker is working on new solutions for sustainable sources across all North Sails technologies, including 3Di sails and has committed to adopt Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to learn about the ecological impact of all products and to establish goals for reducing waste and pollution.
“By 2025, North Sails will implement a Responsible Product Scorecard for all products and will also establish measurable goals for circular products that can be recycled at the end of their lifecycle,” added Tom.
