Sustainability
Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Here at Sanders we recognise the negative impact businesses can have on the environment and we are dedicated to reducing our own ‘foot print’ on the world by working closely with local companies and organisations.
Upcycling Sails
We are at the beginning of a project which we hope will inspire and grow—a bigger movement to repurpose ‘once loved’ sails into fabulous new creations such as bags, windbreaks, cushions, awnings, and more. Our aim is to keep these sails, which are no longer needed out of landfill. We hope to offer businesses, charities, and individuals – who re-purpose these ‘once loved’ sails into creative, useful and sustainable products – an easy way to pick-up these recyclable sails.
We are proud to share that we have recently converted a double garage at the Sanders Sail Loft in Lymington into our dedicated Upcycling Sail Drop-Off Point. This new space will serve as a hub for collecting sails that are no longer seaworthy, but still full of potential. Over the coming months we will work further on this drop-off point to hopefully create a great facility.
Over the past year or so we have been working with a few like-minded companies and creators, and are eager to connect with more individuals, designers, and artisans who have the eye and skills to turn salvaged sailcloth into amazing products for others to enjoy.
Which ‘Pre-Loved’ Sails do we accept: We accept Dacron, Laminate, Nylon and Membrane sail cloth.
How to leave your sails: We accept, clean – (they do not need to be laundered beforehand – just clean / ideally not mouldy!), dry folded sails. Please remove battens and hardware as currently we are unable to re-purpose these items.
Sails from yachts over 50ft: At the moment, please contact us beforehand if you sails are from a yacht over 50ft. This is mainly due to the weight of these sails.
How to collect sails: Anyone is welcome to collect sails and any end of roll sail cloth which is left in the ‘Upcycling Drop-Off Point’. Unfortunately, due to how busy the Sail Loft is and time being precious, we are unable to advise on the cloth which has been left and how to use it. We do ask for anyone collecting sails to please collect a whole sail, rather than cutting them up in the ‘Drop-off Point’.
Companies who are interested in ‘Pre-Loved Sails’: Do feel free to contact us on: [email protected] / 01590 673 981
We are excited to see how this project develops and how Sanders can help and encourage sustainability.
Lymington Christmas Tree Festival at St. Thomas Church
Here is Paula, (busy out of the office!), decorating our tree which will be displayed at the Lymington Christmas Tree Festival at St. Thomas Church running from Friday 29th November – 3rd December.
We really need to give a big thank you to Jean for recycling our sail cloth offcuts into these fantastic Christmas decorations – they are superb. Jean is still amazing on a sewing machine even though she has officially retired!
The orange and yellow streamers are made from left over Nylon which is used for wind socks! Zoom in to see the candles which are made from Polyant Pro Radial and the fairy wings are made from bits of window panels! Look through the photos for the other clever decorations!
Do check out all the trees if you are in Lymington…there are over 60 on display!
Sail and Canvas
We are delighted to announce our latest partnership with Sail and Canvas, a fantastic company based in Devon with the sole purpose of recycling sails into a new lease of life, saving them from landfill. Not only are we able to pass on our old sails, that customers no longer need when upgrading, but we are an official “drop-off” site for any sail that is no longer needed and wants to be avoid adding to our landfill problems. We are really excited about this relationship and look forward to sharing more exciting news in the upcoming weeks.
For more information visit www.sailsandcanvas.co.uk
Waterhaul
Our relationship with Waterhaul was instigated by a joint goal of protecting our environment and helping to do our bit in the big ocean clean up. The team at Waterhaul recycle old nets, fishing rods and other plastic waste and can turn them into sunglasses and waste disposal brackets to name but a few of their many items. Where we have been able to help in this fantastic initiative, is the upcycling of old spinnakers, which can be turned into reusable bin bags that are then used to collect the rubbish from our beaches.
For more information visit www.waterhaul.co
Salt Creative
We are delighted to announce our partnership with Salt Creative, a start up fashion brand by Will Penrose where we have been suppling off cuts of our nylon cloth and end of rolls, which will be used to make sustainable garments, such as jackets and waterproof clothing. We love their mission objective of producing authentic and responsible clothing, prioritising human welfare and ethical practices and we are delighted to be helping Will and his team along the way.
For more information visit www.saltcreativeltd.com
Oarsum – Giving sails a second life
We have an incredible relationship with Judy and her team at Oarsum, where all of our used and discarded woven sails under 10oz cloth are taken away and recycled into a range of personalised gifts; including bags, accessories and furniture. Since we started working with the team at Oarsum in 2018, we have been able to reduce our sail waste by more than half.
We are delighted to announce that this partnership, in conjunction with several other initiatives listed below – we have not put one single woven or membrane sail into our bins.
For more information visit www.oarsum.co.uk
Doing Our Bit for the Environment…
We understand our role to help promote sustainable commuting into work and with public transport being less than ideal into Lymington, we have invested in electric charging points and electric company vehicles.
We have also promoted the cycle to work scheme where 75% of staff have bought a new bike through, which, along with reducing the number of cars, has encouraged a healthier lifestyle.
Trinity’s Big Sleep Out 2023
We were delighted to offer our services to ‘Salon Sustainability’, whose aim is to embrace the hairdressing industry from freelances, to small and medium sized salons right up to super salons while encouraging the power of recycling and a cleaner environment. It was fantastic to hear that they wanted to take this renewable thinking and get involved with the “Big Sleep Out” in Winchester where renewable materials are used to make homes outside, helping to raise awareness for homelessness in the surrounding areas.
We helped make sleeping bags and we have heard that early initial reports suggest that upwards of £30,000 has been raised towards this incredible charity.
For more information visit trinitywinchester.org.uk/bigsleepout & salonsustainability.club
Purpose Party, Portsmouth
We are delighted to be working with Jaimie Harris and Paul Coverdale in support of the first Purpose Party in Portsmouth Docks. With the mission statement of bringing together some of the most impactful, sustainable businesses, organisations and creative changemakers in the South to one location, the Purpose Party is like no other. We know the importance of community and it is at the core of our business thinking.
Visit www.purposeparty.co.uk for more details.
