THE NEW VISION
The new 2024 vision takes our award winning wetsuit and creates something truly amazing. The first ever performance wetsuit made from 100% biodegradable rubber.
shop the new visionA WORLD FIRST FOR TRIATHLON PERFORMANCE WETSUITS
In a world first for triathlon performance wetsuits, we are proud to introduce you to the NEW Vision Wetsuit. Constructed with biodegradable rubber, for the first time your wetsuit has the ability to biodegrade when it reaches the end of its life supporting you in the water.
Designed to perform
With the use of a B.R.E Body rotation enhancement panel on the front chest to help maximise distance per stroke and body roll during the swim. The new vision will help you shave off those seconds in the water.
Yamomoto BIODEGRADABLE NEOPRENE
Yamomoto's new neoprene is a cutting edge rubber that offers the same quality and performance you know and love from our other Yamamoto neoprene wetsuits. It has one key difference. Once it reaches the end of its life as a wetsuit it can be added to your normal waste, and in landfill the material will biodegrade by 30% in 522 days.
Let's be clear, the suit will ONLY biodegrade once it is disposed of into compostable conditions, and not while it is still in action.
However, if you want to go one step further, we will accept the return of the Vision wetsuit at end of life and we will strip out all recyclable items such as zips and linings for recycling, before sending the neoprene to landfill to biodegrade.
X-10 One piece shoulder panel
A unique design that extends across the chest and shoulders to give even more flexibility and stroke efficiency when in the water.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What is Terraprene and what does it decompose into?
Terraprene is a synthetic rubber with similar properties to performance neoprene, but is produced from renewable feedstocks and is 100% biodegradable rubber. It uses limestone rock (calcium carbonate) as the key ingredient to replace the main petrochemical inputs to make polychoroprene (neoprene). In landfill conditions, it breaks down into methane and biomass, like other organic materials in landfill. There’s no micro-plastics to worry about.
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How do traditional neoprene wetsuits degrade?
Traditional neoprene is a synthetic rubber, made from petrochemicals, with great performance in wetsuits. However, it is highly resistant to a broad range of environmental conditions, but it is non-biodegradable and will last 100+ years in landfill, stiffening and then breaking down chemically into smaller particles over long periods of time.
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Under what conditions does the Terraprene material biodegrade,
and how long does it take?Correct heat, moisture and pressure found in landfill conditions, as tested to ASTM 5511 Standard. The ASTM 5511 assessment determines the rate and degree of anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials in high-solids anaerobic conditions – a lab-proxy for best-case conditions found in landfill. The Terraprene will biodegrade 30% in 522 days in landfill conditions, this is ensuring there is the correct heat, moisture and pressure.
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How should I dispose of my Terraprene wetsuit at end of its life?
When at end of life, dispose of it in landfill, where it will decompose. Don’t try to compost it at home as there won’t be enough pressure in your garden compost bin. Customers are encouraged to return the suit to ZONE3 at end of life, where the lining, zips and other recyclable elements will be removed sending the Terraprene to landfill to biodegrade.
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What’s next in terms of ZONE3 Vision’s sustainability journey?
We are working on longer term initiatives to encourage and further improve end-of-life wetsuit materials recovery and recycling prior, and introduce a biodegradable lining also. Being biodegradable is a great first step at reducing the suits impact on the environment. However, the neoprene itself still uses limestone rock (calcium carbonate) as the key ingredient which is a non-renewable resource and requires vast amounts of energy to process. Using Yulex Natural Rubber, a plant-based alternative to traditional neoprene, can dramatically reduce the garments carbon footprint and we launched our Yulex Swimwear range in 2023. Yulex is great for certain styles of wetsuits, but there is still not a plant-based material on the market that matches the specific needs swimming/triathlon require. This is something we are pushing for. Until this is possible, we can focus on using recycled/biodegradable linings and trims to reduce the suits environmental impact and designing longevity into the wetsuit. Other initiatives include encouraging customers to get their worn suits repaired, thus ultimately increasing their lifespan. We have also recently partnered with Circularflow who aim for a sustainable circular economy for neoprene waste. Old ZONE3 wetsuits can be given a second life and recycled into products such as bags and yoga mats.
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What is the processing energy relative to other ZONE3 wetsuit materials?
The majority of ZONE3 wetsuits and neoprene products use synthetic neoprene derived from limestone. This is the most sustainable and environmentally friendly option currently available for triathlon wetsuits and has superior elongation, flexibility and insulation characteristics compared to petroleum-based neoprene. Having said this, we are aware that limestone neoprene is not perfect, due to the rock’s energy intensive mining process and the fact it is a non-renewable resource. We will continue to work with our manufacturers towards a more sustainable wetsuit.
SHOP THE TERRAPRENE VISION
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Vision Wetsuit
$545
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Vision Wetsuit
$545