Clarins has invested in a ship that will sail the world eating plastic from the ocean. The brand recently partnered with the charity Plastic Odyssey in the fight to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean, via a vessel that will be powered by plastic garbage.
In 2017, a conversation began thanks to Roland Jourdain, the cofounder of the Explorefund, a French organization that turns polluted areas into exploration destinations, who introduced Clarins to Plastic Odyssey. At the time, Plastic Odyssey was still working on its first prototype—a ship that turns plastic into fuel—then, a year and a half later, an official five-year partnership was signed. Clarins is supporting the charity as its ship plans to circumnavigate the world. Having been a supporter of green beauty from the very beginning, Clarins founder Christian Courtin has been combatting plastic use for years, and even went as far as banning plastic bags from all of his stores back in 1999.
The main goal of Plastic Odyssey is to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean and alleviate poverty. Through the development of low-tech and open-source solutions, it attempts to turn plastic waste into a resource at a local scale and reduce the global plastic footprint. In 2020, the Plastic Odyssey plans to embark on a three-year voyage around the globe promoting plastic recycling and reduction. This will all take place on a boat that is powered by plastic garbage. The ship will aim to sail along the most polluted coasts on the planet, including Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.
“Every piece of land has been discovered, all our seas have been explored, but there are still some who are explorers of our future,” says Jourdain. “Finding new ways of living, of eating, and protecting our planet–they are the new explorers!”
For more information or to follow the Plastic Odyssey journey, visit the website here.
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