Parley for the Oceans

In a coastal city in Vietnam, designer uyen tran learned to buy her clothing secondhand, and if it broke, to repair it. This lifestyle is a stark contrast to the consumer culture and disposable fashion she was exposed to when she moved West, where nearly 19 million tonnes of clothing ends up in landfills every year. Early in her career, Tran recognized the fashion industry’s waste problem, and wanted to be a part of the solution - but how? One of the answers came from her region’s abundant shrimp farms by way of chitosan: a biomaterial found in shrimp shells that happens to be the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth. ⁠ ⁠ Studying at Parsons and working in various fashion houses in NYC, Tran began to see just how unsustainable the fashion industry and its processes were - and became determined to create materials that addressed waste issues and could also be sustainable alternatives. Out of this desire, TômTex Co. was born: a company dedicated to creating biomaterials from seafood waste and mushrooms. Over the last three years since it’s conception, Tran has established TômTex Co. in the luxury fashion world but aims to expand globally, utilizing her technology to develop materials such as biofilms, bio-yarns, and sustainable packaging, breathing new life into old materials. ⁠ ⁠ Read about Uyen Tran and TômTex’s journey in Parley’s latest Material Revolution interview: https://lnkd.in/gwJr2ibq Music Credit (IG): @balubrigada - So Cold

We are all a part of something bigger than we know, and it all connects back to the oceans. 🌊 We’re thrilled to officially announce our ongoing, long-term partnership with frank green, a company committed to reducing single-use plastic waste by reimagining reusable cups and bottles. 🌱 A timely announcement to kick off #plasticfreejuly! This partnership will be crucial in raising awareness and continuing education on ocean conservation and preservation globally 🌏 delivering projects focused on real action, community education, plastic interception, material science and eco innovation. 💚 “Our commitment extends to restoring and preserving the ocean from the devastating impact of single use plastics. And to be frank, we need to,” says Benjamin Young, founder and CEO of frank green. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g88Zmsf5

Born out of a mutual love for the oceans, we are proud to announce a partnership with Parley for the Oceans. Launching at Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, the collaboration includes locally tailored sustainability initiatives, ocean education to inspire a network of Ocean Guardians, and scientific research projects that harness community conservation to support native biodiversity - such as coral mapping the Mayan Reef in the Riviera Maya to help protect these vital marine ecosystems. The oceans cover more than 70% of the planet, harbour 99.9% of the biosphere, control the climate and weather, and produce more than half the oxygen in the air we breathe. We all depend on the oceans - together we are custodians of the coastline, collaborating to protect what connects us all. Read more here: https://bit.ly/3XxqyNx #TheArtOfBelmond #Maroma #RivieraMaya

Thank you Art Basel 💙 🌊

The Overview Effect gets a lot of love, for good reason. In a zoomed out view, Earth is a fragile, finite blue sphere of interdependence. A cognitive shift is inevitable when you see home floating in the darkness beyond. But how can we make sense of anything we find out there if we don’t also turn our attention inward? Here we are. Don’t just look up, go deeper into the unknown. Beneath the blue surface is a living world that remains, for the most part, a mystery. Over the last century, explorers, divers, scientists and photographers have widened our view of Planet Ocean, and in the process have reported the Underview Effect - a sense of awe similar to that experienced far above sea level. Meanwhile, sailors and surfers know the Oceanview Effect that comes with losing sight of the shore and witnessing the vastness and power of the seas. Studies show that simply staring at a body of water alters our brain waves. Surely it’s no coincidence that we’re hardwired to feel changed when we contemplate the things that connect us all. We humans tend to think of ourselves as the protagonists of the Anthropocene, but a study of Earth’s largest ecosystem changes the narrative. While our actions touch every corner of the globe, it's the oceans that rule our world. As Dr. Sylvia Earle says, "onward and downward." Happy #WorldOceansDay. ⁠ Photos: @underwaterellen, @platoux, Matt Howard & @jonoallenphotography

You’ve probably visualized vibrant rainforests like the Amazon and natural wonders like the Grand Canyon - but have you ever pictured the great expanse known as the Great African Seaforest? As a forest of kelp that is over 1300km long and one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world, it’s almost so vast, it’s hard to wrap your head around. ⁠ Even though kelp forests are vital to maintaining the planet’s stable climate through sequestration of carbon and removal of nutrient pollution, they fly under the radar in terms of other worldly natural features. Intrigued by this scientific curiosity, marine biologist Loyiso Dunga has been mapping these forests of the sea since 2016, and is still trying to figure out why this specific kelp forest is expanding while others around the globe are on a significant decline. ⁠ ⁠ Join in on our conversation with Loyiso Dunga as he discusses his learnings from his career, his grandfather’s indigenous wisdom as a traditional healer, the barriers that still need to be overcome in South Africa, and the hope of everything we stand to gain by respecting Indigenous teachings.

Parley for the Oceans is a global environmental organization and network that was founded to accelerate a crucial process of change. What started as a space where creators, thinkers and leaders could talk and think together has evolved into a global network of people working to challenge the status quo and reimagine how we live together on our finite planet. Our impact is achieved through the dedication and fearlessness of a global team who share a love of the oceans and a readiness to act on their behalf. The people in this movement make the seemingly impossible task of protecting this planet’s largest ecosystem seem possible — and exciting. Our mission is to rapidly transform the economic system that drives the destruction of the oceans, by reimagining and replacing harmful materials, methods and mindsets. Using creativity, eco-innovation, collaboration and education, we have the tools we need to end plastic pollution, meet the challenges of the climate crisis, and regenerate our planet’s life-giving ecosystem. The future is blue. Subscribe for updates at parley.tv/wavelengths

"Fashion has the power to turn everything upside down," explains Parley for the Oceans Founder and CEO Cyrill Gutsch, "and that is exactly what we are doing with Dior - connecting what we know to innovate and change our current culture." We are thrilled that Christian Dior Couture believes in a Material Revolution just as much as we do, and is committed to working towards a better, eco-innovative future.

In an unassuming London laboratory on an industrial estate is a shoe - but not just any shoe - this one is made with bacteria. This is the work of Modern Synthesis, a biotechnology company that’s literally bringing life to a new branch of fashion. ⁠ ⁠ Their innovative approach to material design uses K.rhaeticus bacteria (found in kombucha) to create lightweight, strong, and naturally biodegradable materials. In collaboration with major brands like Ganni A/S these new textiles could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing plastic-based materials and animal leathers.⁠ ⁠ “Nature is the ultimate circular economy and we have a lot to learn from the organisms that were here many years before us,” co-founder Jen Keane shares with us. “I’m a designer by background, but I also dabbled in the sciences - and I quickly learned that you can’t make change without all of these different disciplines working together.”⁠ ⁠ Get a firsthand look at the plastic-free products they’re making, the science behind it all and their journey into the fashion industry in the full Material Revolution interview. https://lnkd.in/gK8AqNhq

Huge congratulations to our team as we created and celebrated the launch of our latest Parley AIR Station in Chile! 🇨🇱⁠ ⁠ “I think this has been the project that has fulfilled me the most and it is only the beginning,” Rodrigo Farias Moreno, Parley Chile Country Manager told us after a week of hard work and celebration. ⁠ ⁠ “Having a place to provide free education and awareness of our oceans aligns with the objectives that I have always set for myself as a person, but it is more important here because I have the support of organizations that fight for the conservation and protection of our oceans and now we have a physical place where we can show our work and collaborate in the search for solutions.”⁠ ⁠ Parley Chile has been working in collaboration with both local and global initiatives for years with the goal of organizing cleanups and implementing education initiatives throughout the coastal country. Now, this AIR Station will further our actions and bring the community together for our oceans more than ever before. Learn more in the Parley Journal. 🌊⁠ https://lnkd.in/gzZdGEgH