11 Companies That Contribute to Oyster Reef Restoration
We’re stronger together: it’s one of our mantras at Grit & Grace Studio. As ocean advocates, we’re so happy to see more and more people focusing on the health of our seas, and in particular, the importance of oyster reef restoration!
Did you know:
A single adult oyster can filter and purify up to 50 gallons of water in one day?
A 4-inch square patch of oysters can host more than 1,000 individual invertebrates from a range of different biological groups?
Oyster reefs also provide natural breakwaters against wave energy and storm surge?
Oyster reefs allow marshland habitats to form and prevent erosion?
Unfortunately, overharvesting, pollution, and disease have destroyed more than 85% of the world’s oyster reefs in the last two centuries.
The numbers are staggering, but there is so much hope. Government agencies, scientists, private companies, and small businesses are joining together around the globe to save our oyster reefs. These oyster reef restoration projects are helping to turn the tide in the fight to save our seas.
Today we’re highlighting 11 brands leading the charge for oyster shell recycling and oyster reef restoration, and we hope you’ll join us and support the movement!
11 Companies Committed to Oyster Reef Restoration
Proud Pour
Pour yourself another glass of sauvignon blanc; it’s for a good cause, we swear. Every bottle of Proud Pour’s Mendocino Country Sauvignon Blanc restores 100 oysters back to the wild by funding one of Proud Pour’s 22 non-profit environmental partners. This exceptional company’s commitment to the planet extends far beyond oyster reef restoration, however, and they also have a Pinot Noir for the Bees, a Pinot Noir Rosé for Coral Reefs, and a Cider for Sea Turtles. Cheers to that!
Grit & Grace Studio
When Rachel Gordon built Grit & Grace Studio, an in-house oyster shell recycling program was our foundation. Our oyster recycling program bridges the gap between Charleston’s bustling restaurant industry and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ oyster reef restoration projects. To date, we have recycled more than 5,000 gallons of oysters back to the Lowcountry waters. The purchase of each oyster shell jewelry dish, oyster shell necklace, or oyster candle recycles 10 oyster shells and helps us spread the word about the importance of oyster reef restoration.
Toadfish
Outdoor lifestyle brand Toadfish founded the Put ‘Em Back™ movement, and today they’ve planted more than 73,000 square feet of oyster beds. Toadfish focuses on oyster reef restoration, community education, and outreach, and giving back to the local community. Every purchase helps them on this mission, so treat yourself to a Toadfish insulated eco-canteen or Put ‘Em Back oyster knife!
Jetty
Jetty is one of the most recognizable surf and skate brands on the East Coast, but did you know they also are champions of oyster reef restoration and oyster shell recycling? Jetty is a proud partner in the Follow The Shell movement that aids oyster reef restoration in the Barnegat Bay, and the Jetty Rock Foundation, the non-profit arm of Jetty Brand, has donated more than $1,418,847 to protect our oceans and waterways. Keep an eye out for Jetty’s fascinating fabric technology, Oystex, which combines recycled plastic and pulverized oyster shells. Oystex products hit the shelves in August 2020.
Glenmorangie Whisky
Raise a glass to Glenmorangie! The whisky company funds the Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project (DEEP), which works to restore oysters to the Dornoch Firth, where they had been fished to extinction. Alongside their DEEP partners, Heriot-Watt University and the Marine Conservation Society, they completed Europe’s first oyster reef restoration project. The hard work has paid off: more than 20,000 oysters returned to the Dornoch Firth. Dr. Bill Sanderson, DEEP’s research director and associate professor of marine biodiversity at Heriot-Watt University, said, “DEEP’s ground-breaking work in the Dornoch Firth proves that it is possible to return oysters to areas in which they have become extinct.” We’ll toast to that!
Talisker Whisky
Talisker Whisky is proud to fund the shell collection initiative of the Billion Oyster Project, founded in 2013. The Billion Oyster Project aims to reintroduce a billion oysters to the New York Harbor by 2035. While the Billion Oyster Project already introduced 30 million oysters on 13 reefs over seven acres with the help of over 10,000 volunteers, Talisker Whisky’s involvement is crucial to the project’s continued momentum and success. Support their efforts and ask for a splash of Talisker to pair with your next round of oysters on the half shell, just make sure those shells get recycled!
photo credit: Diageo
Chesapeake Collection
Tip your hat to the Chesapeake Collection: this nautical lifestyle brand recycles 100 oysters for each item sold through the Oyster Recovery Partnership! The Chesapeake Bay is one of the largest natural estuaries in the world: it boasts 11,684 miles of shoreline, and 150 rivers flow into the bay. Naturally, the Chesapeake Collection felt called to restore and protect its namesake, while celebrating the Chesapeake way of life.
The Oyster Bed
The Oyster Bed is an heirloom piece of cookware designed to both raise awareness of oyster shell recycling and habitat restoration and incentivize consumers to cook and eat oysters without the shell, enabling shucking houses and fishermen to return the shells to the water. The Oyster Bed received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2019 Gulf Guardian Award, and The Oyster Bed partners with a number of coastal conservation groups devoted to restoring oyster reefs. Select the non-profit beneficiary of your choice with specified coupon codes on purchase to focus The Oyster Bed’s contribution to the waters closest to your heart.
Wither Hills
Pour one out for New Zealand winery Wither Hills! The winemaker is deeply committed to sustainability and joined the Oyster Recovery Partnership with the goal of planting one million oysters in the Chesapeake Bay through its donations. Wither Hills has a comprehensive sustainability program designed to address all areas of their operations, from water conservation to energy efficiency, composting, waste reduction, and civic responsibility.
Wear your love of oysters on your sleeve, ahem, collar with The QG Oyster Bow Tie! Available as both a tie and bow tie, this fine neckwear is a fundraising collaboration to support the Oyster Recovery Partnership, a 25-year old, Annapolis-based non-profit, which has planted more than 8.5 billion oysters to date. Geoff Nicholson designed these bivalve neckties, made of fine Italian silk, to mirror Pantone’s 2020 color of the year, “Classic Blue,” and channel the iconic brand Hermes. The QG stands for Quinntessential Gentleman, and this modern department-store-meets-barbershop is a lavish experience that focuses on building a sense of community.
Chesapeake Bay Roasting Co.
Wake up ready to save the world with Chesapeake Bay Coffee Roasting Co. Oyster Reef Medium Roast. Available in 2.2-pound bags, 13-ounce cans, and single-serve compostable pods, the Oyster Reef roast is a crowd favorite. One oyster will be planted for the sale of each compostable pod, and a portion of the sales of both the caffeinated and decaf Oyster Reef Medium Roast go to the Oyster Recovery Partnership.
If you are a business owner interested in becoming an oyster recycling advocate or reef restoration partner, we encourage you to connect with the Oyster Recovery Partnership or the One Billion Oyster Project.
Lowcountry oyster enthusiasts can volunteer through with the SCORE program (South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement) to help rebuild local oyster reefs.
We hope you support these small businesses as they anchor oyster reef restoration projects around the world, even amidst this year’s economic waves. Learn more about our in-house oyster shell recycling program and shop our gifts that give back to local oyster reef restoration projects.
One Love & Blessings,