Ocean plastics into ocean toys. How Rikki Gilbey and Lucy Jackson built a successful brand by pioneering a new way of turning plastics into products. Episode 1.
Plastic is a global problem.Since 1950 it’s estimated that together we humans have produced over 9 billion tonnes of the stuff - and half of that in the last 13 years alone.Every piece ever made still exists and much of it makes its way into our oceans, breaking down into microplastics that end up in our food chain and, eventually, us. Lucy Jackson and Ricky Gilbey have made it their mission to help solve the problem by creating ocean toys out of ocean plastics. In this episode you'll hear the story of how they've made it happen, and it's a story that has it all.❤️ Love. It starts with them meeting over a shared passion for the ocean and explores how their relationship has evolved alongside the challenge of being entrepreneurs while still having time for partner and family.👊 Determination. It's all too easy in this world to take no for an answer, but in this story determination makes the impossible possible.⚡️ Ingenuity. We all build skills throughout our lives but the way Lucy and Rikki put their collective skills and resources together, from woodwork to marketing, is deft. 🥾 Adventure. The most fulfilling journey's aren't always the easiest, and you don't always end up where you thought you would, but Lucy and Rikki show the importance of an adventure mindset that embraces the unknown. 🌊 Community. If determination is what makes the WAW Badfish possible, it is the ability to bring the bodysurfing community together that ultimately makes it a success. Want to know more? Here's what AI had to say after we gave it a listen:When Rikki Gilbey discovered body surfing hand planes while working at Patagonia, he was instantly hooked by both the experience and the sustainable ethos behind them. Starting with handcrafted wooden versions made from reclaimed timber, he quickly identified both a market opportunity and a production ceiling—he could only make about 60 per week by hand. The solution? Create hand planes from recycled ocean plastic.This seemingly simple idea launched Rikki and his partner, Lucy into a three-year journey filled with rejections, challenges, and unwavering persistence. Manufacturers repeatedly told them it was impossible, but Rikki's self-described "naivety" kept them pushing forward. By partnering with beach cleanup organisations and connecting with the right manufacturer, they eventually created the "Bad Fish"—hand planes made from plastic collected from the Great Barrier Reef.Their dedication earned them National Geographic's Defy Plastics award and sparked media attention that propelled their business forward. Today, they've expanded into sustainable golf gear with Wild Golf while maintaining a flexible lifestyle that allows them to prioritise family alongside entrepreneurship.What makes their story remarkable isn't just the products they've created, but how they've demonstrated that seemingly impossible sustainability challenges can be overcome with passion, community support, and persistent problem-solving. Ready to ride the wave of positive change? Check out their products at wawhandplanes.com.au or wearewildgolf.com and see how you can join their mission to clean our oceans, one hand plane at a time.Goodtrepreneur is the podcast about good people with good ideas for a better world. Please 👀 follow, 👂listen, 🌟 rate and share 📢 to help spread the word and deliver on our mission to inspire and enable more people to create more world changing ideas - and succeed - more often. Learn more at goodtrepreneur.co
Australia