The idea for the company 4ocean started when entrepreneurs Andrew Cooper and Alex Schulze took a trip to the country of Bali after they graduated college. The two planned to surf along the coast but were taken aback when they saw the amount of garbage that littered the coast. They wanted to find a way to make a change and hopefully inspire others to do the same. Andrew and Alex were inspired by multiple lifestyle brands that had a charity edge to them. In 2017 they launched the company and their great venture started.
Bracelets being their main product, are made of a simple woven string and recycled plastic beads making for a simple yet recognizable bracelet. Every time a bracelet is purchased the company uses part of the proceeds to pull one pound of trash out of the ocean and to also fund beach cleanups. As their following and sales increased so did their product line. They now offer various bracelets in different cord colors themed after different marine animals. 4ocean water bottles, drink ware, apparel and cleanup supplies are also sold by the company. A end of life program is also being worked on so that there is minimal waste when it comes to their products. Andrew and Alex are aiming to have a way to recycle their old products once consumers are done with them. The company has removed approximately 4.7 million pounds of trash as of 2019. They also provide jobs for the women of Bali who make the bracelets and provide jobs for people all around the world who help with the cleanups.
Andrew and Alex were able to grow their company large enough to be featured in Forbes, The Today Show and CNBC. Both entrepreneurs were listed in Forbes 30 under 30 in the 2019 edition and won the category of Social Entrepreneurship. With over 2 million Instagram followers the two were able to create quite the cult following with just a simple idea and a business plan.
Click the link below to explore 4ocean or to make a purchase.