Grinders made from recycled skateboards

Usually, when you broke your skateboard, you ended up throwing it away or keeping it in a corner because you were too attached to it. But that may be about to change.

Inspired by the potential of reclaiming raw materials, BoardThing decided to transform this waste into marketable objects. And succeeded in building part of their business on grinders made from these skate remnants.

After discovering that Canadian maple, the material from which skateboards are made, was a material with high aesthetic and utilitarian value, BoardThing decided to apply the 3R philosophy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Since then, the company has been collecting boards from all over Europe, and transforming them into grinders. The process is simple. First, the boards are cut, glued and then re-cut using a numerically-controlled machine tool. The grinders are then sandblasted, and finished by hand with oil and paint.

And even if wooden grinders aren't the most efficient, BoardThing founder Sebastian explains that by buying these grinders, «you're promoting ecological cultivation, helping to reduce the amount of waste, and participating in reforestation - a grinder for a tree».

Their grinders are available on their website or on Etsy.

BoardThing also makes rings, necklaces and other accessories using the same process.

«In the future, we're going to produce recycled skateboard decks,» says Sebastian.

You can send them your discarded skateboards by contact us by mail.