A new jewelry partnership between two organizations dedicated to protecting marine life, 4ocean and Coral Gardeners, is promoting coral reef restoration through the sale of limited-edition bracelets made from plastic recovered by oceans.
The bracelets are available in five colors, all named for types of coral: Verrucosa Pink, Grisea Glacier (light blue), Retusa Green, Muricata Blue, and Globiceps Glow. For every bracelet sold, a segment of that species of coral will be planted off the coast of Moorea in French Polynesia.
Each bracelet purchase represents the removal of five pounds of trash from the world’s oceans, says Alex Schulze, CEO and cofounder of 4ocean. The handmade bracelets are priced $34 individually, but 4ocean and Coral Gardeners are encouraging people to buy the full collection for $150.
“A lot of people ask us, ‘Who is your ideal customer?’ The answer is we cater to 12-year-old children all the way up to 70- or 80-year-old women who want to rep it,” Schulze says. “There’s the surfer who wants the grunge look and rock the bracelet all the way to people who want to wear it alongside their other high-end jewelry.”
With this partnership, Schulze says 4ocean and Coral Gardeners hope to fulfill their goal to help plant 1 million climate-resilient corals by 2025. Each Restoration Collection bracelet comes with a mission handbook, which includes a QR code the wearer can scan to “adopt” a coral garden, track its progress, and watch their coral plants grow over time.
4ocean is one of the largest ocean cleanup companies in the world, working with full-time, professional captains and crews seven days a week to recover debris from oceans, rivers, and coastlines, Schulze says. It is certified a B Corporation for its social/environmental impact and operates as a public benefit corporation.
Coral Gardeners runs reef restoration and ocean conservation projects worldwide. Coral reefs are a diverse and important ecosystem, Schulze says, and the world has already lost half of them, due to pollution and climate change.
4ocean started in 2017 and has expanded to cleanup crews of more than 250 people total, says Schulze. It has livestreaming cameras on its vessels and documents every pound of trash it has removed. Schulze says this transparency and connection between crews and supporters are main reasons for its growth.
The company has several other bracelet offerings, including its signature blue bracelet, and designs named Ghost Net, Osborne Reef, and Last Straw, all of which raise funds for 4ocean, Schulze says.
With World Water Day (March 22), Earth Day (April 22), World Ocean Day (June 8), and Coral Reef Awareness Week (July 15–21) coming up, Schulze hopes to spread awareness about the bracelets and get jewelry retailers to sell them.
Top: 4ocean raises funds for its marine cleanup work through the sale of bracelets, including a new line created with Coral Gardeners to benefit coral reef restoration. (Photos courtesy of 4ocean)
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