Recycling plastic waste at sea has grown into a notable business. Using a constant, virtually free raw material and with the help of fishermen who bring it on board in bulk, items such as home and office furniture can be produced. This is the core activity of Gravity Wave, which removes plastic from the seafloor and converts it into durable furniture and design pieces, all within a circular economy framework that emphasizes long life and high sustainable value.
The year-end figures underscore the success of this business model, which has continued to expand. Gravity Wave closed 2022 with a surge in activity: more than 163,000 kilograms of fishing nets collected from around 100 ports and seas, including several in the Mediterranean.
Among its ports, sixty are in Spain, with key locations including Santa Pola (the largest in the Spanish Mediterranean), Valencia, Palma, Santander and Almería.
The company also extended its footprint beyond the Mediterranean, moving into the Cantabrian Sea with a presence in six ports and expanding into the Atlantic with work at the Port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Cádiz. The startup continues adding to its network of operating ports, consistently closing new locations on a rolling basis.
fishermen’s participation
Fishermen often encounter thousands of plastic pieces tangled in nets. Instead of discarding them at port, many nets are stored and eventually redirected to Gravity Wave.
“Collaboration is essential. That’s why Gravity Wave partners with fishermen, individuals, companies and organizations through the Plastic Free Oceans initiative,” explains Amaia Rodríguez, CEO and Co-Founder of Gravity Wave.
“The venture began as a social entrepreneurship project aimed at a positive planetary impact. After three years of operation, the impact has grown sixfold in 2022, with 40 new clients including Alain Afflelou, MINI, Imagin, Sprinter and Sol y Mar Hotels, among others. The team has also expanded to 14 members. ”, Rodríguez notes.
Gravity Wave highlights customer loyalty as a driver of growth. About 90% of customers who joined in 2021 remain with Gravity Wave, including Dentaltix, Imagin, Bit2me, Lektulos, Iberdrola, Reale Seguros, QBE, Tennium, Eden Bar, Canthynnus, Calcher, Bebambu, Belone, Viña Esmeralda, Woodabu and LN6. In total, more than 90 companies have joined the Plastic-Free Oceans commitment.
The product catalog features street furniture such as benches and flower pots, along with commercial design elements and large signage.
International expansion
Gravity Wave has crossed borders, finding receptive markets for its products, notably at a major Paris decorative fair in France.
The company has begun collaborations with firms in Portugal and with international insurer QBE. Decorative inscriptions were created for an office in Madrid, which collected 1,550 kilograms of sea-sourced plastic in 2022.
The organization reports encouraging environmental impact numbers for 2022, while acknowledging there is still much work ahead. A primary goal for 2023 is to remove one million kilograms of plastic from the sea and oceans.
Looking ahead to 2023, Gravity Wave aims to support all customers with new projects and commitments to continue removing plastic from marine environments. The plan also calls for greater international presence, with emphasis on major European markets, as part of a broader growth strategy, according to Amaia Rodríguez.
…
Environment department contact details have been removed in alignment with content policy updates.