3D-printed surfboards from Santa Cruz firm catching wave of the future

By Molly McCrea

In a recent survey, the vast majority of surfers feel a personal responsibility for the health of the ocean. Now, a Santa Cruz company hopes to provide them with one way to surf in a more eco-friendly manner.

Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz is one of the most iconic California surf spots. It has consistent, powerful waves as well as incredible scenic coastal views, drawing surfing aficionados from around the world. 

“The ocean is so powerful. It holds such a good place in my heart,” said surfer Tyler James. “When you’re out there, it’s just you and the ocean, and there’s something so special about it.”

It was even more special recently when James tried something new: a high-performance surfboard that was custom-made for him. While most surfboards are carved out of blocks of petroleum-based foam, Tyler’s board is 3D printed, using a biodegradable plant-based plastic.

“This is the future, I think, of surfing,” James said, as he examined his new board.

By one estimate, 40% of foam cut away from a board is thrown into a landfill. But the boards like the one held in Tyler’s hands are foam-free. They’re created at Swellcycle with just enough bioplastic filament called polylactic acid. 

“Which is compostable under very specific conditions, said Swellcycle sustainability and operations manager Dr Liesbeth Van Hassel. “Basically, made mostly from corn or sugar cane. Anything that can be turned into sugar.”

The material is industrially compostable with controlled temperatures, humidity, oxygen, and microorganisms.

“In our process we keep all the waste that we generate, which is pretty low, but we keep them, and this material is completely recyclable,” added Van Hassel.  

The startup works with board shapers, including Spina, Iconoclast, and Tigre Bona. Swellcycle told CBS News Bay Area that more shapers are on the way.

The shapers provide design files to Swellcycle, which brings the board to life using a 3D printer and the renewable thermoplastics. The company can also scan a physical board and create the digital files.

After the boards are printed, Swellcycle laminates them, which makes them not only waterproof but stronger. Van Hassel explained how their cores hardly ever get pressure dings, while the epoxy resin used by Swellcycle is 30% biobased.

In addition, the 3D printers and Swellcycle’s entire Santa Cruz headquarters are powered by solar energy.

“We’re developing tools to make manufacturing more sustainable,” said co-founder and CEO Patricio Guerrero. “We’re looking at different processes and seeing how we can take advantage of waste reduction opportunities thru 3d printing and additive manufacturing, where you’re actually laying down the material you need rather than subtracting it from a big block of foam.”

Swellcycle hosts demo days when surfers can try out the boards. Recently, a handful of surfers tried out some of the boards at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz.

“They’re really fast, they’re really fun,” said surfer Keaton Mayo, who tested a Tigre Bona-shaped board. “They’re not your traditional board. It was a blast.”

“I thought it was sensational,” said surfer Sam Bartosik-Velez, who tried a Spina.

The surfboard industry is not very sustainable. Most of the tens of millions of boards made each year are not environmentally friendly. But Swellcycle hopes to make a difference.

“They feel like a regular surfboard, and they’re sustainable,” said Bartoski-Velez.

“If the surf culture doesn’t kind of make changes towards sustainable surfboards, it’s going to be a problem,” added Mayo.

James is now an ambassador for Swellcycle. 

“It’s so important for surfers to understand that if we want to keep surfing, that we got to care about our oceans, we got to care about the process that’s making our boards,” he said.

The next two demo days will be scheduled soon for December. Van Hassel recommends keeping an eye on their website or Instagram.