NEWS

Puffin Swim launches with UK’s first biodegradable swim tow float

Puffin Swim is a new open water swimming company created by Pete and Andrea Kelly, who run the adventure swimming company, Swim the Lakes, through which they lead swimming trips across England’s Lake District.

The new company aims to combine swim safety and adventure with sustainability. Its first product is a swim tow float with a twist: it’s designed to be biodegradable. This sounds odd: how can it be both durable in water and biodegradable? Andrea Kelly explains:

“It will not degrade in use, only when composted. It’s made of biodegradable TPU, which is very durable and resistant to abrasions. It is also very tear and puncture resistant making it an ideal material for a swim float. It will last as long, if not longer than, a PVC float. The big difference is in the way it is disposed of. It can be composted rather than going to landfill.”

The new product has been named the Billy Eco15 Drybag float.

The motivation behind the project is Pete and Andrea’s love of wild and beautiful places and an understanding that they must try to reduce their impact upon them and help protect them. Puffin Swim also promotes the RSBP’s Puffin Appeal, to adopt a puffin.

“Puffin Swim is passionate about swimming outdoors and the real adventure of using swimming as a means to explore the wild environment and travel through open water. For this we need reliable, good equipment that will empower our adventure, improve our experience and be functional,” says Andrea.

“But we also have a duty to protect the environment.  We have tried and tested all our products and will continue to source and design the best products for the greatest experiences. But wherever possible, these must be sustainable.”

Find out more: www.puffinswim.co.uk

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I created Outdoor Swimmer in 2011 (initially as H2Open Magazine) as an outlet for my passion for swimming outdoors. I've been a swimmer and outdoor swimmer for as long as I remember. Swimming has made a huge difference to my life and I want to share its joys and benefits with as many people as possible. I am also the author of Swim Wild & Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 a Year and I provide one-to-one support to swimmers through Swim Mentoring.