How Does Tikós #MakeWaves for the Ocean?

There’s a reason why plastic is used in everything from packaging to medical devices: it’s an inexpensive, versatile material. But, our relationship with plastic has gotten too casual - we now rely heavily on it without consciously thinking about the impact it is having on our environment, especially the ocean. 

You’ve probably heard the facts - eight million tons of plastic winds up in the ocean every year, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 - but it’s overwhelming to try to make a difference when plastic is so ubiquitous in our everyday lives. 

So how does tikós help this problem? Learn more below. 

Virgin and single-use plastic are hurting our planet. 

Plastics are a vital component of our modern life, playing an important role in cell phones, bike helmets, cars, computers, and sunglasses to name a few. But, most of the plastic in these items is made of virgin material (new plastic) instead of recycled material, using tons of valuable fossil fuels and water.

To make things worse, 50% of plastic is used just once before being thrown out and 91% of  plastic isn’t recycled at all. Our reliance on single-use plastic is having drastic consequences for animals around the world, killing more than 1 million marine animals every year. 

If this plastic is not recycled, it continues to pollute our oceans & coastlines.

Our goal is to turn discarded plastic material into a valuable raw material.

Each Tikós cuff is made with 100% recycled ocean plastic, removing the equivalent of 100 plastic bottles from the ocean. Demand for recycled ocean plastic will increase as more brands begin to include it in their supply chains.

As the market grows, there will be greater incentive for companies to collect it from the ocean and coastlines and develop innovative technologies to process it. 

We’re proud to be one of the early adopters of using recycled ocean plastic and encourage other brands to consider making the switch, too.

It’s a daily reminder to reduce your reliance on single-use plastic.

We designed Tikós to serve as a daily reminder to rethink our reliance on single-use plastic. Each design is associated with a different challenge:

• Black: Skip the Straw
• Navy: Bring the Bag
• Teal: Keep the Cup
• Tan: Clean the Coast

An individual can save an estimated 8.9 pounds of plastic each year if they were to stop using plastic straws, plastic bags, and plastic disposable water bottles. At first glance, that might not seem like a lot of plastic, but, that’s where the power of collective action comes into play. 

If every single one of our Instagram followers were to take these three pledges, we would prevent over 800,000 pounds of plastic from being used - that’s the combined weight of the Statue of Liberty and a blue whale!

Our packaging is eco-friendly. 

When it came to designing a product with our planet in mind, we didn’t just stop at the Tikós cuff; its packaging and everything that comes in the box is made with 100% recycled materials (even the stickers!). 

The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world. We feel the responsibility to help clean up our industry and develop more sustainable and eco-friendly products. 

This is just the beginning. 

Tackling a global challenge, like ocean plastic, is no easy feat, but if we all consider what’s at stake - the health of our oceans - we’re more motivated to act. Making small changes to our daily lives can add up to make a world of difference, and we hope Tikós will play a role in a plastic-free ocean.

Every purchase of our tikós bracelets is supporting our new sustainable supply chain and turning the tide on ocean plastic. Thanks for helping Cape Clasp #makewaves!