It’s written over and over again in the IKO Manuals, because we truly care.
If you love kiteboarding, you know how special your playground is: the sea, oceans, lakes, the beaches, and the wind. These elements create the perfect setting for your best moments on the water. But what are you doing to protect the environment?
Every year, over 8 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans, threatening the places we love to ride.
Why Must We Protect Our Playground?
Because our playgrounds face serious risks. Every year, tons of plastic pollute the oceans, harming marine life and water quality, posing severe dangers to marine ecosystems and the future of water sports like kiteboarding. In the Pacific Ocean, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch alone covers over 1.6 million square kilometers, larger than the Mediterranean Sea. In the Atlantic Ocean, the North Atlantic Garbage Patch is about roughly 1.6 million square kilometers, the size of over 250,000 Olympic swimming pools. In the Indian Ocean, the Indian Ocean Patch covers around 1 million square kilometers, roughly the size of 12 million football fields.
IKO’s Role in Environmental Responsibility.
IKO teaches more than kite control, safety, and fun; it also builds respect for the environment. During Instructor Training Courses (ITC), environmental care is a key evaluation point, with participants taking part in beach clean-ups. Many IKO Centers regularly include sustainability activities and organize a clean-up day.
Join IKO, learn the right way, and help care for our world now and for future generations.
Small Actions That Make a Big Difference.
You don’t need grand gestures to protect the environment; small, everyday actions add up. Picking up trash or using reusable gear helps keep beaches and oceans clean. A single beach clean-up can collect up to 500 kg of trash, and using a reusable bottle saves hundreds of plastic bottles annually. Choosing sustainable kite gear can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 30%.
Many leading kiteboarding brands are committed to sustainability.
Duotone
Uses recyclable packaging and recycled materials through its Concept Blue initiative, reducing water use by 46%, energy consumption by 35%, and CO₂ emissions by 12%. Features undyed canopy fabrics, a bio-based bladder with 29% lower carbon footprint, and at least 50% post-industrial recycled plastic in parts, marked with the Save Our Playgrounds logo. Offers plastic-free packaging, including Flexi-Hex cardboard for surfboards and recycled PET nylon kite bags, repurposing about 35 plastic bottles each.
Cabrinha
Develops gear with recycled fabrics and recyclable packaging. Their BLUESIGN-certified factory ensures low-impact textile production. Uses recycled ripstop fabrics and bio-resins to reduce pollution. Supports beach clean-ups, educational workshops, and the Soundwave Project benefiting the Surfrider Foundation. Cabrinha combines sustainability, clean production, and ocean advocacy for eco-conscious, high-performance kiteboarding gear.
North Kiteboarding
Uses recycled materials and eco-friendly packaging to reduce environmental impact. Their kite and wing bags contain an average of 33 recycled PET bottles and use fabrics certified by the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). They’ve replaced plastic packaging with paper and cardboard, aiming to eliminate plastic. North also partners with local and global efforts to reduce ocean plastic and support a cleaner future.
Naish
Uses recycled fabrics in kites and gear bags, promotes eco-friendly production, and supports marine conservation through beach clean-ups and educational partnerships.
ION
Offers wetsuits made with limestone-based neoprene, recycled materials, and solvent-free adhesives. Linings use 100% recycled nylon, and production includes solar energy and waste reduction, all part of their “Save Our Playgrounds” mission.
Slingshot
Uses recycled components and FSC-certified wood in its boards, and has eliminated almost all plastic from packaging, switching to FlexiHex recyclable cardboard. The company runs an internal Sustainability Team and actively supports beach clean-ups and ocean-awareness campaigns, showing a clear commitment to reducing its environmental impact both in production and within the community.
Fanatic
Uses FSC-certified wood and recycled components to minimize environmental impact. Their products, like the Fly Eco model, incorporate natural materials such as flax, cork, and wood veneer, avoiding PVC and petroleum-based resins. They also reduce paint and graphics to lower their ecological footprint further.
Every choice you make makes a difference.
How You Can Join the Movement.
Want to make a difference? Join or organize a beach clean-up with your IKO Center and friends. Share eco-friendly tips, support marine research, and raise awareness.
Clean beaches attract more visitors, support local economies, and make for better kiteboarding. Many organizations worldwide work daily to protect oceans, beaches, and marine life.
🌍 Top Organizations You Can Support or Join
From large global foundations to small local groups, many organizations work every day to protect beaches, oceans, and marine life.
🌐 PADI AWARE Foundation
Supports coral reef protection, marine debris surveys, and endangered species efforts.
💙 4Ocean
Their teams remove thousands of pounds of trash weekly from oceans and coastlines.
🐠 Coral Gardeners
Specializes in coral reef restoration. You can adopt a coral and follow its growth online.
🐢 WWF Marine Animal Adoption
You can symbolically adopt sea animals like turtles, whales, and sharks, supporting species protection globally.
🛠️ The Ocean Cleanup
Develops advanced technology to remove plastic from oceans and rivers, especially in highly polluted zones.
🌊 Ocean Conservancy
Organizer of the International Coastal Cleanup, empowering millions of volunteers worldwide to protect coastlines and marine life.
♻️ Plastic Pollution Coalition
Focused on policy, education, and reducing plastic at the source.
And there are many more.
Be a Good Role Model.
Protecting our playground is essential for anyone who truly loves kiteboarding. By adopting eco-friendly habits, you help preserve over 10,000 km of coastline worldwide.
Start today with small daily actions, for example, attaching a bag to your harness, which is enough to collect bits of trash you find. These simple gestures inspire others and show that every kiter can be part of the solution.
Share this message with your kiteboarding community and help spread a culture of care and respect for nature. Together, we can ensure the sea and beaches continue to give us unforgettable moments.
Become a sustainability ambassador in kiteboarding, be a good role model, and always leave the beach better than you found it!
