San Clemente CA— Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC) will celebrate the opening of its newest exhibition, “From Plastic to Fantastic,” on Saturday, August 27 from 6 to 9pm with a no-host bar and appetizers provided by L&L Hawaiian BBQ.
The exhibition showcases a collection of innovative apparel and other products made from recycled plastic bottles, discarded nylon fishing nets and other upcycled material. The first 100 visitors through the doors will receive a free, SHACC logo imprinted stainless steel water bottle. Admission is free to SHACC members and $5 to the general public.
“We’re stoked to have received support from major surf industry brands, including A-Frame Photo, Betty Belts, Bloom, ecoFins, Enjoy Handplanes, Firewire, Hurley, Indosole Footwear, Michiaki lshida, Mafia Bags, Rodney Rodrigo Mccoubrey, Jim Olarte, Outerknown, Patagonia, David Puu, Quiksilver, ReCork/Surf Traction Pads, the Recover Upcycled Textile System, Reprieve, Resin and Grain, Ruby Moon, Slater Designs, Suga Yoga Mats, Surfrider, Sustainable Surf, Thread, and VISSLA to present this unique show,” said SHACC Creative Director/Curator, Barry Haun. “From Plastic to Fantastic” is about raising awareness of the growing global problem of plastic pollution in our oceans, while at the same time showing how recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets are being retrieved and synthesized into fantastic new products. Companies like Reprieve and Thread are doing great work, creating versatile fabrics from recycled plastics, which reduces the amount of plastic bottles that end up in our oceans and landfills.”
To get local high school students engaged and thinking about this serious pollution issue, SHACC invited students to participate in an Essay Contest, on the topic of “Problems and Solutions to Plastic Pollution.” The authors of the two winning essays, selected by SHACC’s Educational Committee, were each awarded a $1,000.00 scholarship. Excerpts from the winning student essays as well as the other entrants are featured in the exhibition.
“Our goal is that visitors will take away from this unique exhibition a better understanding of the gravity of our plastic pollution problem, along with a few practical tips on what they can be doing every day — to be part of the solution,” Haun added. This new exhibition is aligned with the Surfrider Foundation’s nationwide Rise Above Plastics, campaign.”
We’ve also teamed up with Sustainable Surf and their Waste to Waves program. We are inviting all SHACC visitors to help ACTIVATE the “From Plastic to Fantastic” exhibit , by bringing in their own “trash” (otherwise known as a resource…) to be upcycled or recycled into your next rad piece of surf gear–become part of the solution to plastic pollution–everyone who brings in a “resource” to be upcycled or recycled gets entered into a drawing for some of the same rad products on display at the exhibit.
Resources (clean) to be collected at SHACC from August 27 through the end of November: styrofoam packaging, wine corks, wetsuits and kiteboard sails.
About SHACC
Founded in 2000, SHACC is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, presenting and promoting surfing’s heritage for the appreciation and education of current and future generations. SHACC serves as the world’s foremost educational and support resource for surfing publications, manufacturers, and museums. Learn more at surfingheritage.org