Patagonia Releases Eco-Friendly R1 Wetsuit

Patagonia has responded to customer calls for a cooler wetsuit with the release of its new lightweight R1 suit. Available in both male and female styles, Patagonia claims its new suit features more recycled materials than any other on the market.

Patagonia's R1 is carefully crafted from limestone based neoprene and lined with a blend of recycled polyester fleece and flexible spandex. It's made for surfers frequenting subtropical oceans, as Patagonia's director of surf, Jason McCaffrey, explained.

"We figured that if we took everything we knew about building suits for cold water and applied it to warm water while maintaining the attention to detail that makes our suits best in class, we could offer a suit that doesn't currently exist in the market," he said in a press release.

Patagonia undertook extensive research to find the perfect fabric for the R1. Bamboo was considered but dismissed due to its high chemical solvent content. It settled upon recycled polyester as it's a clean, low-energy-intensive fiber to use and produce.

The R1's core is cleverly insulated but the arms and legs left without the padding for better flexibility in the water. It's also hand-stitched inside and out like Patagonia's usual wool-lined wetsuits.

The R1 sounds like it could be just the thing for a Californian getaway or trip Down Under. It's currently available in a range of men's and women's styles from the Patagonia website.

[Source: Ecouterre]

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