In 2019 I went to buy a wetsuit after taking up surfing. I couldn’t believe Ireland had no home grown wetsuit brand and I was even more shocked to find out wetsuits were made from petrol! Or most recently as a greenwashing attempt by the industry, mined limestone.
So I started a journey to develop a wetsuit I would be comfortable buying, i.e. a wetsuit made out of sustainable, regenerative materials with minimal environmental impact.
So here I am, 4 years later, an idea jumped on, a pandemic endured, family grown, career changed and a range of sustainable wetsuits I can passionately stand behind and promote as Ireland's answer to a global problem.
Thanks for checking out Snawve.
Stephen | Founder
OUR 3 MAIN GOALS
LEAD THE CHANGE TO SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WETSUIT INDUSTRY
It is time for a change.
If the past few years researching the wetsuit industry has taught me anything, I have learned it's a nightmare for an environmentally conscious consumer. Greenwashing, fancy marketing and in some cases, downright lies, are what await a prospective buyer and ultimately the foam will still be petrol or mined limestone based.
Not at Snawve - One of our core values is transparency - about what is in our wetsuits and why, alongside No Neoprene Always!
I actually think we might be the first brand to start as No Neoprene. It is great to see other brands introduce a sustainable option but we are Neoprene free from day 1.
CONTRIBUTE TO RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION IN WETSUIT MATERIALS TO DELIVER A COMPLETELY SUSTAINABLE OPTION
As Snawve grows it is a deep passion of ours to contribute to innovation in the space of materials with the creation of a research and development arm of the business.
Right now we are heeding the advice of our manufacturers and suppliers around what the most sustainable elements are we can use in our production. Foams, lining, glue, dyes, threads, labels and so on, when we are introduced to the available components on the market the only questions are which are the most sustainable and highest performing.
A BRAND TO PROMOTE IRELAND, ITS COASTLINES AND WATER SPORTS
We are proud to be Irish. It comes across in our brand, the Irish origin name, the celtic themed logo, the irish sayings on the website….. Ok we get it!
So with that we are excited to build a brand to put a product and brand to the powerful imagery of the Irish coastline, our world renowned surf and harsh water conditions.
Known for the warmth of a woolen Aran jumper, Ireland will soon be known for the warmth of our wetsuits and we hope that drives awareness globally to Ireland to attract water sports enthusiasts chasing their next wave.
Global Snawve surf competitions would be pretty amazing as a stretch goal too.. Let’s make it a reality and harness the warm hospitality we are renowned for on this island and bring the world's stars here.