As of today, sails are disposed of in two ways:

• Incineration: sails are theoretically treated as hazardous waste and thus incinerated in dedicated facilities. However, most of the time they are treated as regular waste (i.e. biodegradable or with little effect to the environment), and they are therefore buried in garbage dumps along with biodegradable waste. 
• Burial: Certain racing sails contain materials that prevent incineration (fibreglass, Kelvar, Mylar, Glues…) since they are either non-destructible or extremely harmful. These sails are then buried in a technical burial centre (TBC), a registered environment-protection facility. Racing sails are buried in category 1 TBCs which are designed to accommodate hazardous waste. Unlike category 2 (Food/biodegradable) and 3 (raw materials: dirt, rubble...)

• 727Sailbags’s role with sail recycling
  • When we recover a sail, we recycle an average of 90% of it; this reaches 100% in some cases. The unused portions are then separated and we perform a selective sort (steel, fuel, biodegradable compounds, non biodegradable fibres)
  • 727Sailbags agrees to provide gift vouchers to customers who return their end-of-life 727Sailbags creation.

> OUR RECYCLING PARTNERS

• In order to recycle as many sails as possible, 727Sailbags surrounds itself with individuals and professionals. Our partners range from yachters, racers, and experienced skippers. They also include companies and communities, as well as many boating professionals: boat rental businesses, Yacht Clubs, Harbours or even sail-lofts. 

• Skippers:
• Some skippers wish to sponsor 727Sailbags for their recycling efforts. They commit themselves to recycling their used sails for a limited period of time and in some cases to even donating the sale’s profits to an association of their choice

• Jérémie Beyou :
• 727Sailbags: what do you think about sail recycling?

« I think that it’s important to support this sort of initiative, 727 aren’t the first ones to do this but they do it well, they are going downwind”

Gildas Morvan , skipper de Cercle Vert

Jérémie Beyou

Yann Elies, skipper du Figaro Generali

Vincent Riou, skipper du monocoque 60' PRB

Thomas Rouxel

Erwan Tabarly, membre de l'équipage du maxi trimaran banque Populaire

Armel Tripon, skipper du figaro Gédimat - www.armeltripon.com

Nicolas Lunven , skipper du Figaro Generali 

Michel Desjoyeaux, skipper du monocoque 60' FONCIA

Corentin Douguet

Armel Le Cléac'h, Skipper de l'Imoca 60' Brit Air

Eric Peron, Skipper Macif

Jeanne Grégoire, Skipper Banque Populaire

Alain Gauthier, Skipper Foncia

Daniel Souben

Bertrand de Broc

Paul Meilhat, skipper Macif 2011 

Marc Thiercelin

Philippe Payen

Bruno Troublé

Sebastien Josse, skipper de l'Imoca 60 BT

Roland Jourdain, skipper de l'Imoca Véolia

Christophe Pratt

Samantha Davies