We’ve heard about every upcycled material possible-from grape leather to a fabric made from spoiled milk. While innovative, the pliability of those raw materials still makes sense. But Long Wharf Supply Co. is turning rock-hard oyster shells into silky soft sweaters with a proprietary trademark yarn, SeaWell.
How is SeaWell made?
SeaWell requires 3 main raw materials: oyster shells, recycled plastic bottles, and lambswool or cotton. The oyster shells are ground into a fine powder blended with PET recycled plastic bottles. They’re fused with a mixture of wool or cotton to form the final yarn which is then spun into fully-fashioned knitwear.
Each Long Wharf Supply Co. garment is made of approximately 5 oyster shells and 8 water bottles.
Protecting coastal oyster reefs
Hailing from Newburyport, Mass., founder Mike Lamagna states he “grew up salty.” His expansive affection for the sea and marine life turned into a dedication to protect it. In search of the perfect “simple goods” that served function and style, Long Wharf Supply Co. was born.
Each SeaWell™ Sweater reseeds up to 30 oysters & naturally filters up to 1,500 gallons of seawater every day.
The sustainability-focused brand aims to create timeless goods while simultaneously reseeding coastal oyster reefs that naturally filter seawater. Millions of pounds of discarded oyster shells end up in the landfill each year and turn toxic. To date, Long Wharf Supply Co. has already reseeded over 800,000 oysters which filter 40 million gallons of seawater daily.
Sharing New England with the world
Although a local brand, the lifestyle apparel company was seen on Shark Tank in season 13. And it is carried 19 different states, including stores across all 6 New England states and the South End’s SAULT New England.
The brand launched in 2016 and only introduced its sweaters in 2021. The sweaters whose contents are about 10% lambswool, 50% recycled material, and 40% a plant-based viscose and nylon blend or for the cotton options 60% cotton and 40% SeaWell fiber, are named after popular seaside New England towns! Nantucket fans should buy the Sconset Sweater, and Rhode Islanders can opt for the Westerly hoodie.
The brand’s own namesake is inherited from Boston’s historic Long Wharf, which Lamagna’s grandfather worked at in the 1800s when it was an international port for some of the world’s most advanced wool textile development.
Find Long Wharf Supply Co. online and in Boston at SAULT New England
577 Tremont St. Boston, MA