Sweaters made from oyster shells and plastic water bottles? Yes! Look no farther than the Long Wharf Supply Co.’s SeaWell Collection.
The sweaters are 50% rPET yarn. PET is polyethylene terephthalate—polyester to us less scientific types. Since it is derived from crude oil and natural gas, its use is draining our precious natural resources. rPET is recycled polyester, and it is made from crushed oyster shells combined with post-consumer recycled poly fibers from plastic bottles. It not only saves our natural resources, but its manufacture generates fewer CO2 emissions than PET. In addition, rPET scales down the millions of pounds of oyster shells turning toxic in landfills and the eight million tons of plastic bottles per year that are carried around the world by the ocean currents, infiltrating global ecosystems and killing millions of seabirds and hundreds of thousands marine mammals.
Long Wharf Supply Co.’s SeaWell Collection: the Most Sustainable Sweaters on Earth
The SeaWell sweaters are made with Old World quality and craftsmanship. The soft, comfortable material with thick ribbed cuffs and collars provide natural insulation to keep the body warm in low temperatures and cold winds. The multi-season sweaters are also moisture wicking and quick drying for all day wear.
- 50% of the material is rPET yarn that is antimicrobial, antistatic, and odor resistant;
- 10% is the finest natural lambswool for thermal regulation and warmth;
- 20% is plant-based viscose that is light, highly breathable, and smooth against the skin;
- 20% is nylon for its singular durability for years and years of wear.
Long Wharf Supply: a Family Affair
Long Wharf Supply, Co. is the result of Founder and CEO Mike Lamagna’s interests and ambitions coalescing. He grew up along the coast of New Hampshire, his young life filled with sandy beaches, boats, and days spent catching fish and lobsters. He moved to New York City after graduating from college with a degree in finance and worked for a private equity firm. He became interested in how startup companies are funded and how some grow into successful businesses and some don’t. He became involved with the fashion industry working for a successful retail entrepreneur. All the while, he never left his roots for long, using his weekends to return to the seaport communities in New England or, when time was limited, to Montauk on Long Island.
Then the day came when it all clicked: his desire to launch a startup, a brand that reflected his history and love of the sea and seaside towns, that used material that set it apart and one that could contribute to cleaning up the waterways. He wanted to develop high quality goods from recycled materials.
Mike found a vintage fisherman’s sweater while foraging around in his father’s closet, and he had his first design. The name of his company was a nod to his great-grandfather who worked in textiles in the mills at Long Wharf, a historic pier in Boston, that produce some of the highest quality textiles in the world at the beginning of the 20th century.
Today, his sister, Lauren Lamagna, is Brand Manager at Long Wharf Supply, after a career in merchandising for Homesick, who produces and sells eco-friendly soy candles, WIN Brands Group, and Wayfair.
Long Wharf Supply’s Contributions
Mike has partnered with organizations and non-profits committed to the well-being of oyster populations. A portion of sales from each sweater is invested in reseeding coastal oyster reefs that naturally filter seawater. One oyster filters 50 gallons of seawater every day. They have already helped reseed more than 70,000 oysters, and that’s 3.5 million gallons of water filtered every day. It’s an important legacy to leave future generations.
Also, Mike hasn’t deserted New York City entirely. He remains on the Advisory Board of Harlem Lacrosse, an academic intervention program for underprivileged youth that leverages the platform of lacrosse to develop effective community leaders.
