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Over a decade ago, Sicomin (Châteauneuf les Martigues, France) and surfboard manufacturer NOTOX (Anglet, France) began to address the untapped potential of bioresins in the manufacture of sports equipment. Together the companies have created a formulation that offers as little environmental impact as possible and supports greener production methods. The resulting product is Sicomin’s trademarked GreenPoxy 56 and it is now used to manufacture the entire range of NOTOX greenOne short board, long board, standup paddleboard (SUP) models, kitesurf boards and the newly launched Korko board.

When NOTOX was established in 2006, the founders’ vision was clear – to provide surfers with boards that respect nature and to protect the people that produce them. The company was looking to offer the market an alternative range of surfboards that were not produced with standard glass-reinforced polyester polymers and shaped polyurethane foam cores.

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Although these traditional materials delivered clear performance benefits and helped elevate surfing to a high performance sport, the products emit toxins that have significant environmental and human health impacts, say the companies. NOTOX therefore approached Sicomin in 2009 and together the companies began their development program.  

Sicomin had anticipated the rise in demand for naturally derived epoxy systems and was already in the process of developing their first bioresin, GreenPoxy 56. The product contains over 51% carbon content which is sourced from plant and vegetable matter, the highest level available on the market.

NOTOX used GreenPoxy 56 for the construction of their first greenOne board design, a 2m hybrid short board. Prototype boards were constructed with EPS foam (expanded polystyrene) that contains up to 100% recycled content and is guaranteed to be HCFC-free. A quadraxial flax fabric was then applied to minimize torsion and bending in the board, followed by the application of Sicomin’s GreenPoxy 56 for vacuum lamination. This system provides a clear and waterproof coating and a robust, hard wearing gloss laminate.

NOTOX strives to achieve the lowest carbon footprint possible and sources 80% of their products in France and 20% in Belgium. The boards are then assembled at the NOTOX facility in Anglet under their strict quality and environmental control standards labelled Ecoride Gold. The boards are trialed on the challenging surf beaches of the Basque region in southwest France on the Atlantic Coast. The  greenOne board made from recycled EPS, Sicomin’s GreenPoxy56 bio resin and flax fibers generates only 1kg of production waste, and contains significantly more recycled content than standard boards.

“Providing surfers with boards that match their core values is our aim. We are constantly striving to produce the most eco-responsible and sustainable products possible and through our technological synergy with Sicomin we have achieved this,” comments Pierre Pomiers, R&D consultant expert at NOTOX.

Sicomin continues to invest considerable resources in the innovation of environmentally-enhanced systems. The GreenPoxy product range now encompasses; GreenPoxy33, GreenPoxy56 and the newly launched InfuGreen810; InfuGreen 810 has been formulated to support manufacturers producing parts using injection or infusion techniques and is also DNV GL maritime approved.These products contain bio contents ranging from 28% to 51%. The entire GreenPoxy range is available in high volume, industrial quantities and is certified by the American BETA laboratory and French CNRS and tested in accordance with Carbon 14 measurements (ASTM D6866 or XP CEN/TS 16640).