Wexford Designer Breathes New Life Into Old Wetsuits

1st February 2019

Some samples of Lynn Haughton’s Neo Collection Credit: RTÉ

Old wetsuits aren’t recyclable, with thousands dumped in Irish landfills each year — but as RTÉ News reports, one woman has found a way to ‘upcycle’ them into something new.

Lynn Haughton, a designer based in Co Wexford, has been repurposing the durable neoprene fabric wetsuits are made of into a variety of accessories such as bags and pencil cases.

And what’s more, a tenth of the profits from Haughton’s Neo Collection goes to the aid of local marine wildlife charity Seal Rescue Ireland.

For other recent efforts at upcycling marine-related materials, see the outstanding work of two Cork schoolgirls entering this year’s Junk Kouture contest.

What happens to a wetsuit once it’s thrown away? A Wexford based designer says "they are only waste if you waste their potential”. pic.twitter.com/3Ktqe0F1un
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 30, 2019

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