Jack Ventura started Faro Board Bags with a simple goal: to turn plastic trash into something surfers could use forever. His company makes board bags that protect surfboards and the planet, reported The Inertia.
The idea sparked during Ventura's surf trips to Mexico and Spain. Inspired by the lighthouses dotting those coastlines (faro means lighthouse in Spanish), he saw an opportunity to shield both surfboards and the environment.
"Since day one, my goal hasn't been money — it's been to inspire others to care about who makes their products, how they're made, and where they come from," Ventura told The Inertia.
Unlike typical board bags that wear out quickly and end up in landfills, Faro bags are built to last decades. They're made from recycled plastic and other eco-friendly materials sourced in the U.S. The neutral colors — tan, green, white, and black — won't go out of style.
When repairs are needed, Faro fixes bags at a low cost. This approach follows a simple principle from Patagonia's Gabe Davies: "The most sustainable product is the one you've already got."
The company started small in 2019, with Ventura sewing bags in his mom's basement on Long Island. Today, Faro operates from Oceanside, California, where it's built a devoted following through its products and blog, which offers free tips on surfing and board care.
For Ventura, doing good doesn't require perfection. "Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. (I am large, I contain multitudes)," he said, quoting Walt Whitman. His point? You can make positive choices even if some of your actions, such as flying to surf spots, impact the planet.
Looking ahead, Ventura hopes to inspire other surf companies to focus on quality over quantity, according to The Inertia. "I'd love to see the industry as a whole move towards smaller companies focusing on fewer, but better, product lines," he said.
"For anyone else pursuing a similar path, I'd like to add that these moments aren't always obvious," Ventura said. "Doing something great can often be lonely, but embrace that solitude as a way to learn about yourself."
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Saving money 💰 Through Faro, Ventura shows how one person's creative solution to ocean trash can build a community of surfers who care about their impact on the waves they ride.
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