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Boating Gear With Benefits

If you're in the market for some nautical accessories and goodies, consider these products that work as advertised while also helping the aquatic world we love.

Four white sailboats with blue trip and red, yellow and light blue sales along a beach.

Photo, Getty Images/NoDerog 

A pair of black sunglasses with multi-colored lenses set on a wooden table.

Hobie Hull Float Sunglasses

Hobie, the manufacturer of plastic sailing dinghies and kayaks, recently announced a new line of sunglasses made from 100% upcycled scrap plastic. The frames, constructed using excess material from its boatbuilding process, turn waste into something useful. The carrying case is also made of upcycled plastic. The lenses are made using castor oil, as opposed to the petroleum-based polymers usually found in lenses. Hull Float sunglasses are polarized and float. A portion of all proceeds are donated to the FishAmerica Foundation, which funds conservation and research initiatives.

$119.99 | hobieeyewear.com

A navy blue, white and red square cushion and smaller red and pink cushion set on a dark gray couch.

727 Sailbags Cushions

You may have seen used sails turned into totes and handbags, but have you seen them turned into throw pillows? 727 Sailbags’ expansive collection of products made from recycled end-of-life sails includes nautical décor for your cockpit or living room. Sails are predominantly made from Dacron, a polyester, so transforming used sails into new products extends their life and reduces the need to create more polyester. Plus, Dacron sail material is made to hold up well in a marine environment, and the designs are great!

$80–$100 | 727sailbags.com

Pair of navy blue board Patagonia boardshorts.

Patagonia Wavefarer Boardshorts

These new boardshorts from Patagonia are not only comfortable and rugged, they’re made from reclaimed and recycled nylon fishing nets from NetPlus. NetPlus collects end-of-life commercial fishing nets from communities around the world, preventing them from becoming “ghost gear” or heading to a landfill. They clean, shred, and reform the nylon into usable thread fit to be woven back into fabrics, like Patagonia’s swim trunks and other outdoor apparel.

$75 | patagonia.com/netplus

Light blue long sleeve shirt

Gill XPEL Tec Long Sleeve Top

Most water-resistant outdoor clothing is made using a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating. But DWR uses harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals that can leach into the environment and persist there indefinitely. Enter Gill, with a better idea. The company engineered XPEL, a replacement to traditional DWR coatings that maintains water repellency, sweat-wicking properties, and breathability without using those “forever chemicals.”

$39.95 | gillfishing.com/xpel

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Author

Kelsey Bonham Bailey

Associate Editor, BoatUS Magazine

Kelsey is an associate editor and writer for BoatU.S. Magazine, covering everything from the environment to tech news, new media to personality profiles. A lifelong sailor, at 20 she refit her own boat top to bottom, then skippered the 30-footer down the ICW. She’s been a professional crew and instructor on boats up to 100 feet, written for several other boating magazines, and earned her 25-ton Master’s license in 2024.