Please select your home edition
Edition
J Composites J/45

Major awards win for Sustainable Sailing

by Sustainable Sailing 20 Nov 2023 06:34 PST
Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) Start-Up of the Year Award 2023 © Sustainable Sailing

The team at Sustainable Sailing are celebrating after winning the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) Start-Up of the Year Award 2023. Sustainable Sailing won the award for their development of the world's first true sail recycling technology.

The technology can recycle 90% of all the different sail cloths on the market, in a closed loop. This innovative solution for a 2000 tonne per year waste stream, mostly from the boating and leisure marine industry has been sorely needed since the invention of Dacron sail cloth in the 1960s.

The IET is a multidisciplinary professional engineering institution, who have presented awards in a wide range of categories since its inception seventeen years ago. They have a major focus on technologies which are building a more sustainable future. The President of the IET focused his awards speech on the potential of biological and chemical engineering solutions for real world challenges. This focus aligns perfectly with Sustainable sailing's innovation in recycling sails.

Sails are designed to be hard wearing and resistant to all the abuse of high-performance racing, but this has come at the cost of their being very difficult to manage at their end-of-life. While about 1% of sails are recut or repurposed into bags and jackets, the majority are stored or landfilled. Sails in landfill leach microplastics and heavy metals with even the smallest sail taking hundreds of years to degrade. However, by combining recent advances in chemical and biological engineering, Sustainable Sailing can recover high quality components of these sails, with potential to return the components into sails.

Founding Director Sam Penhaul said "We're really proud to have won the Start Up Award. To win the award in Glasgow, one of the historic hubs of maritime innovation, feels very appropriate. We're looking forward to our next steps in the business. Massive congratulations to all the shortlisted and winning companies and individuals."

Ed Almond, IET Chief Executive and Secretary, added: "The Excellence and Innovation Awards shine a spotlight on the ground-breaking innovations and best practices in engineering, science and technology, and the fantastic trailblazers who are changing the course of our future. Congratulations to each and every one of our winners. With your skills, commitment and passion, you are proof of the positive difference that engineers can make in transforming our world for the better."

If you are interested in knowing more, or partnering with Sustainable Sailing, please contact them via email:

Related Articles

SailGP: Spain wins Final in Bermuda
Spain's flawless tactical decision-making trounces season leader Diego Botin's young Spanish team executed flawless tactical decision-making to head off New Zealand and Australia season, in the three-boat winner takes all sailed on Bermuda's Great Sound. Posted today at 7:29 pm
Back in Stock: Henri-Lloyd Elite Jacket and Hi-Fit
Excels in extended conditions, crafted for year-round performance Born from 7 decades of know-how and engineered from ultra-reliable and incredibly durable 3-layer DRI PRO Fabric. The Elite Series has been built for sailing pros and enthusiasts and it excels in extended conditions, crafted for year-round performance. Posted today at 7:00 pm
J/121 Blue Flash eclipses Newport to Ensenada Race
The beloved 125-mile Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race sailed last Friday Hosted by the Newport Ocean Sailing Association, the beloved 125-mile Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race sailed last Friday, April 26 for the 76th time. The fleet of 146 sailboats crossed the start line starting at 11 a.m. off the Balboa Pier. Posted today at 6:40 pm
20th PalmaVela Overall
Galateia win again at PalmaVela… but only just David Leuschen and Chris Flowers' Wallycento Galateia won the Maxi class at PalmaVela for the third time in a row today in light winds on Palma Bay. Whilst last year's triumph was something of a whitewash, this time they were made to work all the way. Posted today at 6:28 pm
Restore an Old Sailboat Contest
Hundreds of old sailboats are lying in wait, or are already undergoing loving restorations The Restore an Old Sailboat Contest is back and you have about two months to share your mad skills! We can't wait to see your projects and the results of your hard work. Posted today at 6:17 pm
The Transat CIC Day 8
Richomme still on course for Transatlantic double While the IMOCA race leader Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) was still making more than 20 kts this afternoon, a nerve racking slow down is still expected for the final miles to the finish of the Transat CIC solo race from Lorient to New York. Posted today at 6:02 pm
The oldest footage of 505 racing
A look back into our video archive We delve into the past, and round-up all videos which show sailing at in the 5o5 class of dinghy. Posted today at 11:00 am
Cap-Martinique Line Honours to Dumortier & Thiriez
Finishing in Fort-de-France at 22:41:59 on Saturday Amaury Dumortier and Geoffrey Thiriez (Terre d'Enfants sur l'Atlantique) have taken line honours in the second edition of the Cap-Martinique, this Saturday 4 May at 22:41:59 hours local time. Posted today at 8:43 am
International 18s in the 1950s
A period of New Zealand-led design & innovation Following the first major change in the 18 footers from the big boats of the early 1900s to the 7ft beam boats of the mid-1930s, there had been no major change or innovations until the late 1940s Posted today at 6:02 am
SDYC Yachting Cup 2024 kicks off
Light winds, with heavy competition What's Yachting Cup without on the water fierce competition, tasteful strategy, and a hint of chaos? The outside courses on the Coronado Roads gave way to quite the interesting turn of events for some. Posted today at 4:16 am
Rooster 2023 - Aquafleece - FOOTERHenri-Lloyd - For the ObsessedETNZ-STORE-728X90 one B BOTTOM