FAQ

Every Oceanness apparel bought from Oceanness, funds the collection of 2 kg (4.4 lbs) plastic waste from oceans and waterways. This is equivalent to 100 ocean-bound plastic bottles. We are collecting all types of plastic, not just plastic bottles. All plastic is harmful to our oceans, hence we collect all plastic waste. The impact is verifiable through blockchain technology provided by IBM, together with Plastic Bank.

We currently collect ocean-bound plastic in Haiti and the Philippines through our award-winning partners, Plastic Bank. We are always looking for areas to expand the operations. For a live update of our collection locations, check out our dynamic map here.

Thousands of people are part of our community, collecting plastic every day. These are people living in developing countries. They turn in the plastic collected, and in return they are paid, so that they can provide for themselves and their family.

All the funds are sent to our partner, the Plastic Bank. The majority of the funds goes straight to the plastic collectors. A smaller share of the funds go to development of plastic recycling infrastructure in areas where it's needed the most. This way, we can turn off the tap on plastic pollution.

We are working with the latest blockchain technology from IBM, called LinuxONE. It enables transparency by utilizing a system of token rewards based on blockchain that moentizes plastic waste and records transactions at the micro-level. That means that every single plastic bottle collected is recorded and verified, guaranteeing full transparency.

It is defined as plastic waste near coastlines or waterways that will easily flow into the ocean, e.g. during seasonal rain, if measures are not taken.

Everyone is part of the ocean-bound plastic crisis we are facing today. However, the lack of proper recycling facilities in developing countries is a major cause of today's vast plastic waste. That is also why we do not only focus on collecting ocean-bound plastic, but also on building recycling infrastructure. This way, we can turn off the tap on ocean-bound plastic pollution at its source. Learn more about how you can help save the ocean from plastic pollution here.

Yes, of course you can! You can donate directly to the Plastic Bank through their website, or you can make conscious decisions in your everyday life (check out our blog post on 5 simple ways to live more sustainably: 5 Ways to Live More Sustainably www.oceanness.com/blogs/blog/5-simple-ways-to-live-more-sustainably). And of course, we will always collect 100 ocean-bound plastic bottles for each item you purchase from us. We are also looking to host plastic collection events in the future!

All Oceanness clothes have a modern fit. That means that it is in-between slim fit and regular fit.

The sizing charts with images are available on all product pages, so we recommend to look at the sizing charts there. However, we have also listed the measurements of our t-shirts below for your convenience. If you are in-between two sizes, we recommend you order one size up.

SIZING CHART WOMEN'S

XS | 1/2 chest: 37cm / 14.6" | body length: 60cm / 23.6"
S | 1/2 chest: 40cm / 15.7" | body length: 62cm / 24.4"
M | 1/2 chest: 44cm / 17.3" | body length: 63cm / 24.8"
L | 1/2 chest: 47cm / 18.5" | body length: 64cm / 25.2"
XL | 1/2 chest: 52cm / 20.5" | body length: 65cm / 25.6"

SIZING CHART MEN'S

S | 1/2 chest: 47cm / 18.5" | body length: 67cm / 26.4"
M | 1/2 chest: 51cm / 20.1" | body length: 69cm / 27.2"
L | 1/2 chest: 53.5cm / 21.1" | body length: 71cm / 27.9"
XL | 1/2 chest: 57.5cm / 22.6" | body length: 73cm / 28.7"

The Oceanness t-shirt comes in 3 different colors: Arctic White, Midnight Black, and Ocean Green.

We recommend washing the t-shirt on 30 degrees with similar colors and hang dry. Each t-shirt will of course come with a washing label.

Yes, of course!

Our material is totally safe and even certified following strict international standards.

Not many people know this, but polyester (60% of all clothes today) is actually plastic, made from oil. What we do is that we upcycle plastic, instead of creating more from scratch, and turn it into high-quality apparel. Our material is thus recycled polyester, with the same capabilities as virgin polyester.

Moreover, all recycled plastic used in our clothes are certified following the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). The GRS is an international standard with strict requirements for third-party certification of recycled content, chain of custody, social and environmental practices and chemical restrictions. So rest assured, our material is totally safe, and with the same quality as virgin polyester.

Yes!

Research by Patagonia shows that recycled performs just as well as gear made from virgin polyester. Try for yourself and see, we promise our apparel will not disappoint. The Oceanness t-shirt is packed with some of the newest and best technologies in fashion: ultra soft, anti-pilling, quick-drying, breathable, liquid resistant, and durable. And of course we offer 100% Happiness Guaranteed, so if you are not 100% satisfied, just return the product for your money back.

Not many people know this, but virgin polyester (60% of all clothes today) is actually plastic, made from oil. At Oceanness however, we upcycle plastic instead of creating more from scratch, and turn it into high-quality apparel. Same quality, just sustainable!

The Oceanness t-shirt is ultra soft. Its softness is commonly mentioned by our customers (check out the customer reviews). During stress-testing we even had team members sleeping in it, that's how comfortable it is. So you can rest assured that the Oceanness t-shirt will be comfortable and soft on your skin. We are so confident you'll like it that we offer a 100% Happiness Guarantee.

We support all efforts to make more sustainable clothes (or any type of sustainable products for that sake). There are pros and cons for each material, and unfortunately there are no all-around perfect eco-friendly material.

Natural fibers for instance (cotton, bamboo, linen etc.) are good in the fact that they are natural, but are also well known for the negative environmental impacts such as water pollution from pesticides, heavy water consumption, and the loss of natural habitats. For instance, it takes about 10,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of cotton fabric. That’s about 10 years’ worth of drinking water for one person. Moreover, the earth simply doesn’t have enough land to sustain the ever-increasing production of such materials.

Obviously, recycled polyester is not a perfect solution either. However, the fact that we upcycle post-consumer plastic bottles that are already polluting our environment, means that we are creating a positive net effect. Recycled polyester is also durable and a high quality material, which means you can use and wear it for a long time. We believe recycled polyester is a very good eco-friendly alternative to other materials. Regardless of what sustainable material you choose, we are happy as long as you choose sustainable over unsustainable.

First of all, we are thrilled that you are concerned about the environment, as we are! Microfibers is indeed a complex issue, so here comes quite the lengthy answer, however, we have split it up to make it as readable as possible.

The situation:
To date, no studies have shown that microfibers cause health problems (World Health Organization report on microplastic, published 20/08/20), and many scientists believe that it simply passes through in the digestive system. However, we are just starting to learn about microfibers, so it is important that we remain cautious. The issue of microfiber is a major ongoing challenge. Today, 60% of all clothes shed microfibers! But most clothing brands don’t even mention it and leaves the customer in the dark. Even many of the eco-friendly ones are surprisingly quiet on this issue. Here at Oceanness, we practice transparency in everything we do, and think it is important to also highlight our weaknesses. We are not perfect, but we strive every day to become a better version of ourselves (free life lesson for everyone right here).

What we are doing at Oceanness to minimize the issue:
Since we first started Oceanness, we have always explored ways to reduce the shedding of microfibers. For instance, we are always trying to knit our clothes in a way that minimizes the shedding. Keep this in mind when you are buying clothes: high quality clothes usually shed less microfibers than cheaper alternatives.

We are also currently working on creating a high-tech, scientifically proven washing bag that prevents microfibers from entering the drain during washing. Our partners have more than 33 years of experience in the field, and we have already taken major steps together. We hope to release it on the market soon.

We also urge washing machine brands to make washing machines with microfiber filters (we encourage you to do the same!). A handful of Japanese manufacturers already do this, though European and US firms seem slow off the mark.

What you can do to minimize the issue:
o Purchase the right washing machine when possible. Top-loading washing machines are the biggest sinners, and releases 7 times the microfibers as front loaders.
o Wash lightly and dry your clothes outside. With the Oceanness t-shirt, it takes minutes rather than hours to dry outside.
o Purchase high-quality apparel, as these shed less microfibers than poor quality apparel, according to a Bren School study.
o Use products that can be used with your existing washing machine that collect some of the microfibers from washing. We recommend:
     - Guppy Friend – washing bag from Langbrett
     - Cora Ball – microfiber-catching laundry ball
     - Filtrol 160 – washing machine lint filter
     - Lint LUV-r – washing machine discharge filter
     - Xeros Technologies – washing machine filter