Eco-Friendly Brand 2-DG Turns Old Fishing Nets Into Clothing

More than 600,000 tons of used fishing nets are thrown away in the ocean each year, polluting the waters and killing hundreds of thousands of marine mammals.

Luxury sportswear brand 2-DG is doing its part to save the ocean by transforming those abandoned fishing nets into snazzy clothing. The new Florida-based company turns the "ghost nets" into yarn, which is then sent to Italy and handcrafted into 2-DG's polo shirts. But cleaning up marine debris and saving dolphins and whales from being caught in the nets aren't the only benefits of this innovation. The process of making these shirts using 100 percent recycled materials takes half as long as a conventional chemical process, saving water, energy, and CO2 emissions. And, the use of 10,000 tons of recycled material saves 70,000 barrels of oil versus non-recycled material.

Named after 2–DG, an anti-cancer sugar molecule, the company also supports skin cancer prevention: Its apparel has SPF 50+ UV protection, and a percentage of each sale goes to the Lampidis Cancer Foundation. Women's short-sleeve polos cost $85, and men's start at $90. Snag one today and feel good about saving the planet and fighting cancer, all while protecting yourself from the Sun's rays.

Check out some of the collection below: