Trek ventures into bike grips made from fishing nets

Bikemaker Trek has become the latest outdoor brand to take steps to boost its green credentials, with the launch of a new range of mountain bike grips made from old fishing nets and ropes. Trek bicycle brand Bontrager worked with Plastix, a recycling company that specialises in turning maritime plastic waste into new products, to develop the new grips. The Danish firm sorts, shreds, separates, and dries used plastic in order to turn it into ‘green plastic’ pellets that are then transformed into consumer goods.

“A grip core is a small thing,” said Michael Fitch, Trek’s director of product for essentials. “But small things can add up to something meaningful.” Pellets produced by Plastix will be used for the core of the new XR Trail bike grips, which will come in three different versions, standard, pro, and elite.

Fitch added: “We believe in Plastix’s vision for a circular economy for plastic, where this material is never considered waste, and we’re excited to partner with them on this essential step.” Bontrager said that the new bike grips “set the stage” for applying sustainable manufacturing methods to other bike parts made of plastic.

Source: Business Green

Author: Kirsi Seppänen