# Launching 100% Recycled Plastic Tenkara Line Spools (Also Some Thoughts on Sustainability) **URL:** \ **Category:** Marketplace\ **Created:** [May 24, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131 "2026-05-24T21:16:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tea\_and\_Tenkara](https://10colorstenkara.com/user_avatar/10colorstenkara.com/tea_and_tenkara/32/5750_2.png) [@Tea\_and\_Tenkara](https://10colorstenkara.com/u/Tea_and_Tenkara)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131/1 "2026-05-24T21:16:05Z")
### New products As some of you may know, I sell Tenkara accessories [online](https://teaandtrout.com). My latest addition is 100% recycled plastic versions of my Tenkara products. The plastic isn’t made of old bottles or anything, it’s “post industrial waste.” I order it from a company that blends together scraps leftover from manufacturing. The plastic is still good quality, but the color is unusual due to being a blend. It reminds me of when I would mix every color of paint together as a kid. There’s even some glitter(?) in there. ![](https://10colorstenkara.com/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0d55e2986f809e380e07bdcff6e155e350e80ad5.jpeg) Check them out here: [https://teaandtroutdotcom.etsy.com/listing/4505234864/magnetic-tenkara-line-spools-2-pack-made](https://teaandtroutdotcom.etsy.com/listing/4505234864/magnetic-tenkara-line-spools-2-pack-made) Recycled winders and rod mounts (not pictured) are also available. If this is popular, I may keep it around long-term, but for now this is just a limited scale experiment. ### Sustainability ![PXL_20260523_181753218](https://10colorstenkara.com/uploads/default/original/2X/a/a972abe63f90116d027fddaf5ce1576dd1976a4a.jpeg) To me, the “environment” isn’t some far-off place, it’s where the fish live. Knee deep in the creek, I see it for myself. As an angler, I feel responsibility for the environment, and this applies to my small Tenkara business too. I try to pick the eco option, even when it costs a bit more. After all, my customers are anglers too. However, it’s hard to get around the fact that my products are made of plastic. A few months back I started seriously looking for environmentally friendly plastic. There’s plastic made of just about everything these days: plants, bacteria, you name it. Each option comes with different tradeoffs. After a lot of looking, I settled on this one: plastic made of plastic. In my search for sustainable plastics, I came across an interesting concept called _green washing_. With how trendy environmental options are these days, companies have started spinning everything as eco, even when it isn’t. It can be hard to spot it at a distance, but the devil is in the details. That plant-based plastic I mentioned earlier, you probably assumed its biodegradable. It’s not. I guess all this to say, while my recycled plastic products are better for the planet, they still have an environmental impact. ---
**Author:** ![dpnoll](https://10colorstenkara.com/user_avatar/10colorstenkara.com/dpnoll/32/3684_2.png) [@dpnoll](https://10colorstenkara.com/u/dpnoll)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 10:30am UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131/2 "2026-05-25T10:30:01Z")
OK, I’ll bite. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![drolf](https://10colorstenkara.com/user_avatar/10colorstenkara.com/drolf/32/5846_2.png) [@drolf](https://10colorstenkara.com/u/drolf)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 2:02pm UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131/3 "2026-05-25T14:02:29Z")
I love the standard ones I got last year, I’ll have to look at these. ---
**Author:** ![chadhgrossman](https://10colorstenkara.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@chadhgrossman](https://10colorstenkara.com/u/chadhgrossman)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 2:27am UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131/4 "2026-06-09T02:27:42Z")
This is dope! ---
**Author:** ![Gressak](https://10colorstenkara.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@Gressak](https://10colorstenkara.com/u/Gressak)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 7:49am UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131/5 "2026-06-09T07:49:20Z")
Yeah. It is hard to know what the right choice is these days. A lot of fly line companies have switched from plastic to paper spools, which motivated me to buy this plastic line winder(SA Regulator Spool). It may be of interest. I have an aquantance whose job is to convert discarded fishing nets in the ocean to recycled plastic. I think it is used in the garment industry for companies like patagonia. I will see him in a few weeks and can inquire if the plastic is suitable for other use and if he works with smaller clients. ---
**Author:** ![Tea\_and\_Tenkara](https://10colorstenkara.com/user_avatar/10colorstenkara.com/tea_and_tenkara/32/5750_2.png) [@Tea\_and\_Tenkara](https://10colorstenkara.com/u/Tea_and_Tenkara)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 3:41pm UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131/6 "2026-06-10T15:41:48Z")
Fishing gear made of recycled fishing nets sounds almost spiritual, but maybe that’s just me. If he’s interested in making a batch of 3D printer filament, I’d be happy to engage. A company in the UK that did a run of 3D printer filament like this (made of retired fishing nets), but haven’t made any lately. I wonder if it didn’t sell well? Perhaps they lacked a killer application. ---
**Author:** ![Tea\_and\_Tenkara](https://10colorstenkara.com/user_avatar/10colorstenkara.com/tea_and_tenkara/32/5750_2.png) [@Tea\_and\_Tenkara](https://10colorstenkara.com/u/Tea_and_Tenkara)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 3:44pm UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131/7 "2026-06-10T15:44:40Z")
Just checked out the SA Regulator Spool. What a clever little invention. ---
**Author:** ![Gressak](https://10colorstenkara.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@Gressak](https://10colorstenkara.com/u/Gressak)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 4:08pm UTC](https://10colorstenkara.com/t/launching-100-recycled-plastic-tenkara-line-spools-also-some-thoughts-on-sustainability/3131/8 "2026-06-10T16:08:25Z")
It could be that the formula sucked. As you note, sometimes using recycled material is not effective. Cost and quality could be negative variables. I will ask the guy when I see him.