FARNET
Fisheries Areas Network

Good Practice Short Story

Fil & Fab: From harbour collection to recycling of old fishing nets

New start-up, Fil & Fab, is tackling the issue of marine litter by developing the first French recycling network for old fishing nets.
Our goal is to offer a Breton (regional) product that is based on a local plastic resource while promoting forgotten waste.
Théo DESPREZ, CEO of Fil & Fab, project promoter

New start-up, Fil & Fab, is tackling the issue of marine litter by developing the first French recycling network for old fishing nets.

In 2015, Théo Desprez and Thibaut Uguen noticed the abundance of old and discarded fishing nets while walking along a dock in Brest, France. At the time, they were both design students at the European Higher School of Art of Brittany (EESAB) and developed a prototype for a shoe made from recycled fishing nets. The prototype was critically acclaimed at the Brest International Maritime Festival and based on that positive feedback, Fil & Fab was born.

Across France, old fishing nets are typically sent to landfill, incinerated or shipped abroad for recycling. Théo and Thibaut decided to develop a more sustainable and local recycling solution for these nets. For the past three years, Fil & Fab has been working with its partners to set up a responsible collection system in harbours of the area. Once collected, a local social enterprise (Les Genêts d'or) sorts, cleans and crushes the nets into a nylon powder ready for reuse. Fil & Fab have developed a technique to transform this new raw material into plastic sheets, which are then used to create a series of new plastic products. With a grant from the FLAG, Fil & Fab was able to invest in the equipment required for these processes, creating a successful company and three full-time equivalent jobs. To date, over 100 tons of fishing nets have been recycled and sold by the start-up.

Funding

Budget €175 350
EU contribution €70 140
  • EMFF: €70 140
Other public contribution €70 140
  • National: €70 140
Private contribution €35 070

Contact details

FLAG Contacts

Ms. Luce Demangeon
+33 2 98 00 62 37
France
Publication date: 
22/07/2019
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