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Australia is home to some of the most diverse and threatened marine environments on earth, including the Great Barrier Reef, the Ningaloo Coast and the southern kelp forests. Will and Wind is an Australian brand that makes every product from recycled plastic bottles specifically because we believe the people who love these places have a responsibility to help protect them. |
Marine conservation in Australia is not a niche concern. It is the work of protecting something that belongs to everyone who lives here and everyone who visits, and it is more urgent than it might appear from the surface.
What Australian Marine Environments Are Facing
Plastic pollution is one of the most visible and most solvable threats. Millions of tonnes of plastic enter the world's oceans each year. Marine animals including turtles, seabirds, whales and fish mistake plastic fragments for food. This is the most direct reason Will and Wind chose to make every product from recycled plastic bottles. Every towel sold keeps plastic out of the ocean rather than adding to it.
Climate change is affecting water temperatures, coral bleaching events and the distribution of marine species across Australian waters. The Great Barrier Reef has experienced multiple mass bleaching events in recent years.
Habitat destruction from coastal development, agricultural runoff and human activity continues to put pressure on seagrass meadows, mangroves and shallow reef systems. These are the nursery environments for enormous numbers of species.
Why Marine Conservation Australia Is Personal for Will and Wind
Will and Wind was built on a love of Australian marine environments. The designs on every towel and mat in the range are created with award-winning marine photographers, real people who spend their lives in the water documenting and celebrating what lives there. Meet them on our Our Photographers page.
Every time you unfold a Will and Wind towel, you are looking at an image of marine life that these photographers caught in the wild. A whale. A leopard shark. A sea turtle. A manta ray. These are not stock images. They are the real thing, captured by people who care deeply about protecting it.
How Every Purchase Makes a Difference
Each Will and Wind towel is made from 18 recycled plastic bottles. When you buy a Will and Wind product, you are directly diverting plastic from landfill and ocean waste streams.
We also support marine conservation causes in Australia and partner with environmental organisations. Read more about our sustainability commitments in our brand story and our blog about a mother whale, a calf and a community that cares for the ocean.
What You Can Do for Marine Conservation in Australia
Reduce single-use plastic. Every piece of plastic that does not enter the waste stream is plastic that cannot end up in the ocean. Reusable bags, bottles and towels are a practical starting point.
Choose sustainable products. When the things you buy are made from recycled materials or designed to last longer, the demand signal you send is real. Brands respond to purchasing behaviour.
Support marine conservation organisations. The Australian Marine Conservation Society does important advocacy work on plastic pollution, fishing sustainability and habitat protection across Australian waters.
Talk about it. The most powerful driver of cultural change around conservation has always been conversation. The more people understand what Australian marine environments face, the more likely it is that the protection they need becomes a genuine political priority.
Frequently Asked Questions About Marine Conservation in Australia
Which organisations work on marine conservation in Australia?
The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the main non-government organisation focused on ocean protection in Australia. WWF Australia also runs significant marine programs. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is the government body responsible for managing the reef.
How does plastic pollution affect Australian marine life?
Plastic fragments and microplastics are ingested by marine animals including sea turtles, seabirds, fish and whales. This causes internal injury, malnutrition and death. Larger plastic items cause entanglement. Australia's coastal and island territories are among the most affected regions globally.
What is rPET and how does it help ocean conservation?
rPET stands for recycled polyethylene terephthalate, which is plastic made from recycled bottles rather than virgin petroleum. Will and Wind uses rPET microfibre for every product. Each beach towel is made from 18 recycled plastic bottles, directly diverting waste that would otherwise enter landfill or the ocean.
The Connection Between Beach Days and Marine Health
The people most likely to care about marine conservation in Australia are the people who spend time in and around the water. Beach lovers, surfers, divers, fishers, families who spend every summer at the coast.
When your beach towel is made from recycled plastic bottles and features a photograph of a wild whale taken by an award-winning marine photographer, going to the beach is a small act of care for the environment you are enjoying. That is what we are trying to build with every product in the range.
Read more about the ocean story behind Will and Wind, the microfibre environmental debate and explore the full travel towel range.