The Big Sea tells the story of how surfers, filmmakers, activists, and partners joined forces to expose the hidden environmental and health impacts linked to the global wetsuit industry. For decades, almost all neoprene wetsuits were made using chloroprene rubber manufactured at the Denka plant in Reserve, Louisiana, a community located in the region known as Cancer Alley. Research from the US Environmental Protection Agency found that residents near the plant faced a cancer risk dramatically higher than the national average because of chloroprene emissions. These communities are predominantly low‑income and Black, living on land that once formed part of plantation estates. Until recently, few people in surf and outdoor culture knew their equipment was tied to this level of harm.
Support from the Lifes2Good Foundation played a meaningful role in enabling the film to be completed and in helping the team build an impact campaign that reached audiences worldwide. The documentary has since screened at festivals around the world, winning multiple awards and sparking a significant shift in the wetsuit sector. More than 30 major brands now include natural rubber wetsuits in their product lines, and this move away from traditional neoprene continues to accelerate.
One of the most important outcomes has been the closure of the Denka plant in May 2025. The company cited reduced demand as a key reason for shutting down. For families in Reserve, this marked a historic change. When the filmmakers returned to Louisiana during the New Orleans Film Festival, local residents described how the closure is already reducing exposure to the toxic emissions that had shaped daily life for generations. Community members such as Tish Taylor spoke about the relief of knowing that children born today will not face the same lifetime chemical burden and expressed gratitude that the project helped drive momentum for change.
Lifes2Good’s partnership with Circular Flow has further strengthened this progress. Circular Flow works with leading wetsuit brands to collect and recycle old neoprene wetsuits, turning them into new products including mats, bags, and footwear. This practical circular solution complements the advocacy efforts of The Big Sea by reducing waste, cutting reliance on harmful materials, and offering a viable long‑term alternative for the industry.
The Big Sea demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when storytelling, community action, and industry innovation align. What began as an investigative film has contributed to a major shift in global supply chains and has helped deliver concrete health and environmental benefits for one of the most overburdened regions in the United States. The stoppage of emissions from the Denka facility and the growing adoption of safer materials show how coordinated effort can drive meaningful, lasting change.
