O’Neill Blueprint 3/2mm Sustainability Report

The Blueprint 3/2mm+’s neoprene features a blend of recycled Carbon Black from scrap tires and powdered oyster shells, providing a lower-impact alternative to fully petroleum-based neoprene. While it doesn’t completely eliminate synthetic rubber and isn’t as sustainable as Yulex natural rubber, this material reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and repurposes industrial byproducts. Even so, the suit does not receive full points in this category, since materials like Yulex have a lower environmental impact.

Some wetsuit brands have begun to transition away from petroleum-based neoprene, which relies on non-renewable fossil fuels. Among the alternatives, the lowest-impact option is Yulex, a plant-based rubber derived from Forest Stewardship Council–certified hevea trees, which are a renewable resource. Yulex has an 80% reduced carbon footprint compared to petroleum-based neoprene. Other brands use limestone-based neoprene as an alternative to petroleum-based versions. While it avoids oil extraction and the associated risk of spills, limestone is still a non-renewable resource that requires energy-intensive mining and processing. Some companies claim that limestone-based neoprene has a lower environmental impact than petroleum-based versions, but we have yet to find research or lifecycle assessments to substantiate that claim. As a result, we do not include limestone-based neoprene in our low-impact rubber criterion.

Although the O’Neill Blueprint 3/2mm+’s product description does not explicitly state that it is PFAS free, its use of solvent-free laminations and REACH-compliant materials suggests steps toward reducing harmful chemical usage. However, we could not confirm if this wetsuit is PFAS free.

The materials in a wetsuit often contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) as part of the product’s defense against outside moisture and stains. These synthetic compounds, also known as "forever chemicals,” are found in a range of gear categories, from jackets to footwear. They resist water, oil, and heat exceptionally well, making them ideal for outdoor use, but their nearly indestructible nature also means that they take an extremely long time to degrade, if at all. PFAS can eventually end up in everything from soil to drinking water and have been linked to a range of health issues.

The Blueprint 3/2mm+ is laminated using Aqua-Alpha solvent-free adhesives, which avoid the use of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Some outdoor gear, such as wetsuits and tents, uses adhesives to bond materials together. These adhesives are often solvent based and can contain harmful chemicals like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are hazardous to human health and contribute to air pollution during manufacturing and off-gassing. Switching to water-based adhesives significantly reduces VOC emissions, improving air quality and creating a safer environment for workers. Water-based alternatives can still provide strong, durable bonds suitable for technical seam construction, but with a reduced environmental impact.

The O’Neill Blueprint 3/2mm+ incorporates a variety of recycled components that reduce its reliance on virgin resources and minimize waste. The neoprene is infused with Carbon Black derived from scrap rubber tires and oyster shells, offering durability with less environmental impact. Additionally, recycled TBX tape is used for seam reinforcements, and the suit lining uses recycled graphene fabrics.

Outdoor gear can be made partly or entirely from recycled materials, the most common being nylon, polyester, wool, and down. Some products include a single recycled component or a partially recycled fabric, while others are 100% recycled (generally excluding accessories like zippers, Velcro, toggles, etc.). For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate the amount of recycled materials in a particular product and assign points accordingly.

Solution-dyed yarn is used for the Blueprint 3/2mm+'s jersey lining, a process that embeds color pigments directly into the fibers during manufacturing, using significantly less water and generating fewer carbon emissions.

Solution dyeing is a process in which pigment is added to a synthetic fiber’s raw materials during production instead of after. Compared to traditional methods, solution dyeing reduces water consumption, energy use, and carbon dioxide emissions, and releases fewer chemicals overall. In addition to these environmental benefits, solution-dyed fabrics resist fading because the fiber’s pigment becomes intrinsic to it, rather than being dyed on the surface.

O’Neill has made strides in responsible manufacturing by establishing a code of conduct based on the International Labor Association and the UN Declaration on Human Rights, while also auditing many of its factories with the Amfori BSCI program. Amfori BCSI audits supply chains and distributes ratings to factories for a variety of social responsibility criteria. Amfori’s criteria include safe working conditions, fair wages, environmental protection, and more. It also gives companies guidance on how to improve, rating factories on an A-F scale—factories that are a B and above meet the Better Trail responsible manufacturing criteria. However, O’Neill does not disclose the ratings of its factories from BSCI audits, so we couldn’t confirm whether they meet our criteria for responsible manufacturing. For added transparency, O’Neill signed the Transparency Pledge in 2021 and publishes the details of its Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers on its website.

This criterion evaluates a brand's commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing its environmental impact throughout the production process. Responsible manufacturing is most commonly demonstrated through certifications and membership in programs such as Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accreditation of Production, and the Fair Labor Association. We also recognize brands that prioritize local production, such as those that manufacture primarily in the United States or Europe, to reduce carbon emissions, maintain better oversight of working conditions, and comply with strict social and environmental regulations.

O'Neill has implemented several initiatives to reduce the impact of its packaging. The company uses boxes made from 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified recycled cardboard and bags containing 80% recycled plastic. Additionally, O'Neill has set a goal to ensure that all packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.

Packaging can add significant waste to an outdoor gear purchase and often ends up in landfills. Many brands are using recycled packaging and/or making efforts to reduce packaging altogether. For example, they may use a certain percentage of recycled cardboard or make efforts to use less plastic or paper across their packaging operation. In some cases, brands also use Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, which helps to ensure sustainable sourcing of forest materials.

O’Neill will repair wetsuits that fall under warranty but the brand does not perform general wear and tear or sun damage repairs, nor will O’Neill do wetsuit alterations. Since the company does not perform non-warranty repairs, this does not meet our criteria for repair services.

Repair services extend the lifespan of outdoor gear and reduce overall consumption. Some brands offer comprehensive repair programs that can fix a wide range of issues, while others have more limited capabilities. If a brand's warranty policy only covers replacement, rather than repair, these programs usually do not meet this criterion.

O’Neill does not currently offer a dedicated wetsuit recycling program. Expanding initiatives to collect and repurpose used wetsuits could further the brand’s sustainability efforts and support circular economy practices.

Resale and recycling programs help keep outdoor gear in circulation for longer and out of landfills. The most common form is a trade-in program, where consumers can exchange items for store credit, which is then resold. Some brands accept products back for recycling at the end of their life, thereby reducing waste. Occasionally, some do both.

O’Neill tracks its greenhouse gas emissions and has established emissions reduction goals; however, the brand has not publicly released carbon emissions data for a few years. Its 2022 sustainability report details the brand’s goals to reduce absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (for Scope 1) and 30% (for Scope 2 and 3) by 2030.

This criterion evaluates whether this brand measures its greenhouse gas emissions, along with its commitment to reduction and transparency in reporting. Typically, we require brands to follow established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. Most companies use the widely recognized scope categorization system for measuring brand emissions. Those who earn the most points in this category have emissions reduction goals verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a global organization that helps companies set greenhouse gas reduction targets in line with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C. To verify their goals through SBTi, companies undergo a rigorous assessment process and continual follow-up to ensure consistent progress towards achieving their targets.

O’Neill has published annual sustainability reports in the past, with its most recent report being from 2022. This report highlights the brand’s plans to align its sustainability goals with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for 90% of its product collection to adhere to sustainable material criteria (as defined in SDGs) by 2030. The publication of this report suggests that O’Neill is committed to improving brand-wide sustainability efforts, although O’Neill could improve on the frequency at which it releases reporting documents.

An impact report is an important step toward transparency and accountability on the sustainability front. These reports vary in form but generally cover topics such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions tracking, waste and water usage, supply chain analysis, and packaging efforts. For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate this criterion based on the depth and quality of the information provided in the report, and how often it is produced. Some brands produce their own impact report, while others are published by their parent company. In practice, we’ve found that reports produced by individual brands include more detailed information about their sustainability efforts.