Grow Blanks - Improving the World, One Board at a time

By: Jeff Shapiro

By KAVU

February 28^th, 2023

I first met Dan Treloar when I was invited onboard the Wizards Eye by our good friend and KAVU legend, Tyler Bradt. Honestly, I had quiet concerns about crossing the mighty southern Atlantic Ocean with someone I didn't know. But, almost immediately upon meeting Dan, I knew that.... not only was I lucky to be on this ocean crossing with him, but also that I was pretty sure we were going to become life-long friends.

Dan was born in Zimbabwe and moved to the seaside city of Durban in South Africa when he was five. Growing up loving all water sports, his love for surfing and kite surfing led him to start making his own boards in his garage at home. This experience opened his eyes to how toxic the process of building surf craft really is and "how we look at our finished product but have no idea how much more waste is generated in the manufacture of these boards".

Grow Blanks - Improving the World, One Board at a time

Dan's first introduction to Kenya was through his sister, who married a Kenyan, leading to regular family holidays. A great country with incredible people, he loved Kenya right from the start. Years later he met his partner, who lived on one of the largest Agave farms in the world… and this became his introduction to Agave and the possibilities this plant provides.

Their life together on the Agave farm sparked new ideas and passions within Dan. He found he was inspired to find a sustainable solution for the waste and by-products produced on the farm, and discovered the potential of using agave poles as a substitute for polystyrene foam in surfboard cores.

He told me, "Anyone who has ever made an Agave board will tell you it feels almost like a rite of passage. It all starts just trying to get through all the vicious sharp thorns.... and there’s only splinters and dust to follow. Most only ever make one because of this!"

With that said.... Dan told me that the first ever Agave surfboard he made in Durban was during the world-wide Covid lockdown.... and it is still his favorite board to ride today.

Dan says: "It has taken us years of hard work to perfect our blank production process, and to be able to offer our clients a high-quality product with different options in blank densities. Free of any hard material, giving the shaper the most realistic foam-like feel, allowing for them to be more accepting to try our environmentally friendly alternative".

What is incredible about the GrowBlanks Agave core blanks is that all the same shaping machines and tools can be used to shape the blanks.

Their blanks can be machine cut or hand shaped, which makes it easy for board shapers to experiment or switch from foam to Agave.

Surfing is not a big scene in Kenya. While there are a few seasonal surf spots, Kenya is not a well-known surfing destination. The important thing is that GrowBlanks is based at one of the largest agave farms in the world, having an incomprehensible amount of raw material available. Access to this material means they can make a real difference to the surf industry’s negative impact on the environment.

Another important factor is that Dan and GrowBlanks provide a chance to improve lives and support their community, allowing local Kenyans to sustain themselves. Grow Blanks is situated in a part of Kenya which has very little employment opportunities, and they recruit staff from the local community and provide much needed skill & job opportunities. They are putting Kenya on the map for green innovation & job creation in an industry that is really in need of more sustainable solutions.

Recently, GrowBlanks was recognized by "Sustainsurf" and one of the only Gold Level blank suppliers, quoted as saying.... "we are proud to welcome GrowBlanks to the growing list of qualified materials that can now be used by board builders in the #ecoboard project to build #gold level surfboards".

I've always thought it was rad to see people chasing their dreams and creating their best life. It's even more inspiring when that life is helpful to our planet. Whether in the jobs he's creating or the smiles on surfer's faces, Dan is making a difference. KAVU is all about spreading as much positivity and inspiration as possible and in my opinion, Dan is KAVU to the core. If you want to learn more, get a board or support what he's doing, give him a follow. And most importantly, find the things that you're passionate about and make 'em happen!