From Plastic to Fabric – Pigeon Island, a Responsible Fashion Brand Now Roots Itself in Marine Conservation

Pigeon Island to Partner with Blue Resources Trust, an organization which creates conservation programs

Sri Lankan tropical wear brand Pigeon Island, based on marine conservation and plastic recycling, recently partnered with Blue Resources Trust, a marine research, conservation, and education non-profit organisation based in Sri Lanka. Through this partnership, Pigeon Island and Blue Resources Trust will gather research on the status of sharks and rays in Sri Lanka and contribute towards their conservation and sustainable management.

Pigeon Island roots its design philosophy on two environmental pillars – one is marine conservation and empowerment & the second is creating fashion products from plastic waste. The brand Pigeon Island, inspired by its namesake marine national park in the North East of Sri Lanka has given itself the mandate to build awareness and educate society on coexisting, conserving, and preserving marine ecosystems and sea life. Pigeon Island has identified 4 species namely the Grey Reef Shark, Black Tip Shark, Hawksbill Turtle and Olive Ridley Turtle along with coral reefs as the areas of focus for which they are collaborating with BRT as the experts in that field.

The plastic to fabric program of the Pigeon Island brand is one of the most quantifiable plastic recycling programs where it is possible to measure the exact amount of waste converted to create the product. 7 plastic bottles are recycled to make a pair of Pigeon Island shorts and 10 plastic bottles are recycled to make a polo t-shirt, making the brand one of the most quantifiable recycled products in the fashion industry.

Since Pigeon Island’s debut at Colombo Swim Week last year, for every piece sold from the brand’s collections – a line of marine-inspired swimsuits and tropical wear depicting sharks, turtles, and other sea creatures – a portion of the profits will be donated towards efforts to end plastic pollution and protect the seas around the brand’s namesake, Pigeon Island National Park in Nilaveli.

“Pigeon Island is a brand that stands for conservation and each piece in our collection is artistically created to not only increase awareness about the importance of ocean preservation but also to encourage people to act towards saving endangered species. Therefore, it is a privilege to partner with Blue Resources Trust, which conducts important research into Sri Lanka’s marine ecosystem and educates people on conserving marine life” said Mr. Ajai Vir Singh, Founder of Pigeon Island Tropical Wear.

The Blue Resources Trust is an organisation in which researchers, creators, and other partners come together to raise awareness about the state of the oceans and to collaborate on projects that can protect and conserve them. Pigeon Island will collaborate with Blue Resources Trust in its education and communication efforts which intend to save the oceans and the endangered species which call these waters their home.

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Daniel Fernando, Co-Founder of Blue Resources Trust stated, “At Blue Resources Trust we aim to promote robust, science-based decision making to facilitate the sustainable use of marine resources. We believe in promoting education and awareness and encouraging greater participation of local communities in conservation. We are excited to partner with Pigeon Island and together we will advocate for the protection of our seas and marine life.”

For more information on this project and to learn how to save our oceans, please reach out to Pigeon Island on Instagram @pigeon_island and visit www.blueresources.org.