On the Ocean Road… in the Mediterranean :)

At Apnée, we manufacture 100% recycled swimsuits from plastic waste collected in the Mediterranean Sea, but our commitment does not stop there.

Beyond the choice of fabrics, manufacturing circuits, transparency vis-à-vis our customers, our duty is also to question ourselves every day about our practices, our mission to raise awareness in our community about the protection of the oceans.

It is for this reason that we have decided to join Umaï on the “ Ocean Route ”, an adventure they are undertaking for the second time, this time in the Mediterranean, going from Barcelona to Genoa. The purpose of this project is to raise awareness, inform about eco-responsibility, and highlight the new actors involved.

Tuesday, July 20, we made the round trip by train to participate in the round table on the theme “Between Land and Sea”. A long journey that took us to Château Léoube, a magical and preserved place. We came away with a wealth of lessons that we want to share with you today.

A rich exchange in the heart of Domaine Léoube

Convey and create automations

Do you know how long a cigarette butt takes to degrade but also how many liters of water it will pollute?

Some think of bringing their can back but leave their cigarette butts in the sand. However, one of the components of cigarette butts: cellulose acetate, takes almost 10 years to biodegrade and a single cigarette butt can pollute up to 500 liters of water , a dramatic consequence for our oceans.

In Port Cros National Park , initiatives have already begun to bear fruit, such as the removal of beach bins, encouraging holidaymakers to take their waste home, the distribution of pocket ashtrays, the marking of marine paths with explanatory panels, and the distribution of guides explaining the eco-gestures to adopt.

Team work

The interdependence of local actors is a key factor in the success of this quest.

Fortunately, the relationship between public and private institutions is not always contradictory. Today, in the heart of the Port Cros National Park, the collaboration between Château Léoube and public service players works well and this is what keeps this place preserved.

Château Léoube, an eco-responsible wine estate looking to the future

The estate has been striving for ten years now to optimize the eco-responsibility of their services and consumption patterns. It offers advanced agro-agriculture, systems combining new technologies and traditional techniques, with a view to performance and respect for the environment.

Château Léoube is the ideal place to soak up the magic of the south of France, with your feet in the sand, the sound of the waves in your ears, the olive groves and vineyards just a stone's throw away. You will also find a magnificent restaurant under the cork oaks, offering local fishing and vegetables from the estate.

This year, the estate inaugurated the Boutique de la Plage. You will find a selection of eco-responsible and handcrafted products: beach bags and towels, organic cotton household linen... and also a selection of Apnée swimsuits and shirts :)

Being engaged is a journey made of encounters, questions and doubts, love and passion.
The love of the oceans is what drives us every day, the love of our community is what pushes us to always go further without getting discouraged.

Attended the talk:

the representatives of Château Léoube, the Umai team, the Explore & Preserve association, the Model Forest of Provence association, the managers of the coastal path at the town hall of Bormes-Les-Mimosas, the Education managers and environmental awareness of the Port-Cros National Park, the Association Syndicale Libre de Gestion Forestière de la Suberaie Varoise and our team.