Let’s be honest: fly fishing has a bit of a gear problem.
We love our stuff. Rods built like fine instruments, waders that fit like a second skin, reels that hum like jazz. And every season — sometimes mid-season, let’s be real — the industry tells us it’s time for something “new.” Lighter, faster, sleeker. The latest wader tech, the next miracle fly line, the flashiest sling pack to ever hold a granola bar.
But here’s what we don’t talk about enough: what happens to all the gear when it's no longer shiny and new?
A Dirty Little Secret Beneath the Surface
Fly fishing sells itself as the gentleman’s sport. We romanticize clean water, wild trout, and wild places. But behind the curtain, the industry generates an enormous amount of waste — especially from gear like waders, boots, and synthetic outerwear.
Waders are a major culprit. Most are made with neoprene, PVC, or complex breathable laminates — materials that are not biodegradable and are definitely not curbside recyclable. Once they leak beyond patching or get that legendary "funk" you can smell before you unzip them, they’re usually headed straight for the landfill.
Here’s a sobering stat: it's estimated that over 1 million pairs of waders are discarded every year. That’s a whole lot of neoprene buried under golf courses and big box parking lots, taking centuries to decompose — if ever.
So… What Do We Do?
We could pretend this isn’t our problem. But anglers are stewards by nature. We pick up trash along rivers, we donate to stream restoration projects, we teach the next generation to release fish with care. It's time we bring that same mindset to our gear.
This is where we at Repurposed Waders throw our fishing hats into the ring.
One Man’s Waders, Another’s Wallet
Based in Maine — where the rivers are strong and the coffee is stronger — Repurposed Waders was founded on a simple belief: old gear still has value. We collect worn-out waders and give them a second life as functional, durable, hand-stitched goods. Think tote bags, gear wallets, fly pouches — even art.
We’ve taken thousands of pounds of old waders out of closets, garages, and landfills and turned them into something useful, purposeful, and surprisingly good-looking.
Each piece we make tells a story — not just about where it’s been, but where we, as a fly fishing community, are going.
The Ripple Effect
Repurposing gear isn’t just about making cool stuff. It’s about shifting our collective mindset.
If we can be thoughtful about what happens after we’re done with a piece of gear, it puts pressure upstream — literally and figuratively — on manufacturers to create products with lifecycle in mind. It creates a culture where "sustainable" isn't just a buzzword stamped on packaging, but a value woven into everything we do.
It’s not about guilt-tripping folks for upgrading their waders. It’s about offering a better endgame for the ones that no longer hold water.
What You Can Do (Besides Feeling Seen)
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Donate Your Old Waders – Whether you’re local to Maine or mailing from across the country, we’ll gladly take your tired gear and give it a new purpose.
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Support Repurposed Goods – Buy less, but better. Tote your flies in something that used to float a river.
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Ask Questions – Demand better from the brands you buy from. What’s their plan for old gear? Are they designing with sustainability in mind?
Final Cast
The fly fishing industry has a sustainability blind spot. But it’s nothing we can’t address with the same care and precision we bring to tying a perfect size 16 Elk Hair Caddis.
At Repurposed Waders, we’re not just patching holes in leaky waders — we’re patching a hole in the way this community thinks about gear, waste, and responsibility.
The water is calling. Let’s leave it better than we found it — gear and all.
