Why Ferry Life Rafts?
Life saving fabrics
What is a Ferry Life Raft?
What is a ferry life raft you ask? Good question! Here is all about the decommissioned ferry life rafts from the Aegean island ferry routes we use.
Greece is well known for its islands and they are all connected with regular ferry routes. These ferries are large and small, but they all carry enough life rafts for their passengers. To reduce space and make their deployment rapid and safe, they are tightly packed in barrels. Have you been on a ferry around the Aegean islands? It’s the white barrels dotting the periphery of the vessel we’re talking about.
These life rafts are large, inflatable, and made from synthetic fabrics of unusual qualities – they need to be inflated to a high pressure in seconds, withstand the sea and all weather, and be visible from afar. The fabrics used to make them are difficult to tear and cut, resistant to scratches and soiling, and obviously 100% waterproof!
Once a year, all ferry life rafts get dismounted, sent for inspection and remounted on the ferries. Any hint of damage or a problem is a reason to decommission them, as it’s a matter of life or death. Life rafts also have an expiry date, and they get decommissioned after approximately 20 years, even if never used.
There you have it then. This is where we come in.
Why reuse life rafts?
So we work with decommissioned ferry life rafts. We collaborate with one of the main companies in Greece that inspects and decommissions them. In case it’s not obvious, here are two reasons we do what we do.
They're cool
Just look at them! Seriously though, the fabrics used to build ferry life rafts are super strong and durable with few but amazing colours. Made from high tech synthetic threads and coatings, they are already many years old and look like new. There's a lot of hard work to disassemble them, a lot of glue to remove, and they have small marks and irregularities. But they are really cool to carry and work with. Try one!
They're Waste
Dozens of ferry life rafts from the Aegean routes get thrown away every year. Being very complex and large constructions, they are extremely difficult to recycle. So they get sent to landfills. Being as strong and long lasting as they are, they will remain in a landfill for decades. We're addressing an existing & urgent waste issue and trying to keep synthetic fabrics in use for as long as possible.
Made from ferry life rafts
With Lifetime Repairs
Why limited colours?
Ferry life rafts do not come in many colours. Black, orange and yellow are most common since they are highly visible and distinct. It’s by necessity that our products come in few options.
But this also creates an interesting situation. Do we need so many options? The question is: which colour are you?
Orange
Orange fabrics come from very large life rafts. They are soft, matte, light and slightly elastic. They have a beautiful waterproof coating and a weave on the inside. Might carry wide black connection stripes, serial numbers or glue, but no creases.
Yellow
Yellow fabrics come from the water pockets of smaller life rafts, essentially anchors. They are hard, slightly elastic and shiny with an internal weave; a very bright yellow that stands out. Might carry glue marks and heavy creases. Sadly, we cannot iron them.
Black
Black fabrics are really heavy duty. Used for the main inflatable tubes of the life rafts, at very high pressures. They come in shiny (full black or with white specs) or matte, might carry glue marks, fade in time and have a certain smell.
Dark Orange - Red
Red or dark orange fabrics are shiny on both sides, very light and with no visible weave. They are packaging bags for medium sized life rafts. Might carry heavy creases sometimes, serial numbers and glue marks.
