Level One
- Plant-based, low to zero VOC resin with at least 19% bio-carbon content in the fully cured resin (the sum of all component parts)
- Core with at least 25% recycled or plant-based content, or wood constituting at least 50% of the core by weight
Gold Level
Informed by Sustainable Surf’s Ecoboard lifecycle assessment, ECOBOARD Gold Level rewards the top sustainable surfboards and surfboard producers – those with the greatest environmental impact reduction. These boards should:
- Be verified by a third-party Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) covering carbon footprint, recycled/renewable materials, and reduced toxicity
- Use USDA BioPreferred plant-based resin with ≥25% bio-carbon and low to zero VOCs
- Have a core with ≥25% recycled/plant-based content or ≥50% wood by weight
- Source materials from sustainably managed supply chains
Plants Seatrees
The final level of certification to build an Ecoboard is the most impactful yet: for every board made, a Seatree is planted.
This ties each board directly to ocean restoration, ensuring that your board doesn’t just ride better - it gives back to the planet. It's the ultimate expression of surfboard sustainability.
Gold Level - Wood Boards
Wooden boards that require little to no resin and/or fiberglass in their manufacture (e.g. an alaia made from FSC Certified paulownia), produced by manufacturers that have been audited and have met the requirements of the Gold Level designation, also qualify as Gold Level boards.
Further information about getting listed as a Qualified Material specific to the Gold Level designation can be found in the Ecoboard Project Program Guidelines below.
