3D-printed surfboard made of upcycled algae ditches polyurethane foam for eco-wave riding

3D-printed surfboard with upcycled algae from paradoxal

Paradoxal Surfboards introduced its new 3D-printed plank made with upcycled algae and biosourced fibers, saying goodbye to the polyurethane foam traditionally used in surfboard production. Jérémy Lucas, the founder of the surfboard startup, unveiled this news in time for the Cannes Yachting Festival 2023 and revealed that the pilot model was created using sargassum algae and 3D printing. The resulting surfboard presented a resin-polished board that features 3D honeycomb structures inside.

The vivid green edge also covers the entire side of the surfboard to signal the use of sargassum algae. Jérémy Lucas explains that 3D printing helps create a circular honeycomb pattern with empty cavities inside the 3D-printed surfboard, making it stronger than conventional designs with a polystyrene core. He adds that this design provides the surfboard with algae greater resistance to dents, regardless of the frequency of use or intensity of the waves.

images by Paradoxal Surfboards

Biomimicry-inspired surfboard design

It was in July 2021, in an Instagram post, when Jérémy Lucas announced that after years of research into the soap-making process, he and his team were able to create the first wax made from green algae collected from Ris Beach in Spain. This soap-like material evolved over the years until it was recently incorporated into Paradoxal Surfboards’ latest production using 3D printing technology. For the rest of the surfboard’s components, Paradoxal Surfboards takes pride in combining thermoplastics, thermosetting materials, and sourced fibers to create the 3D-printed plank.

Regarding the design inspiration for the surfboard with algae, Jérémy Lucas drew inspiration from watching numerous conferences on biomimicry where once he came across an image of circular empty cavities, which is a nanoscale view of a diatom found in algae. ‘After observing the nanometric scale, we examined the microscopic scale of this same alga, and we noticed that, to our great astonishment, it has the shape of a surfboard,’ he says, explaining how he developed the layout for his 3D-printed surfboard. As of publishing this story, Paradoxal Surfboards is gearing up for a limited supply sale at the end of 2023.

close-up view of the 3D-printed surfboard made of sargassum algae