Skip to main content

Radical Oris watch strap is made from recycled plastics, and it looks great

Luxury watchmaker Oris has introduced a watch with a strap made from a new material called r-Radyarn, a filament yarn made from recycled plastics, and the even better news is it that looks great. Often with recycled materials, the design can be simple or at worst, unattractive, but Oris has struck the right balance between style and design, especially when pairing it with the Divers Sixty-Five watch. We love the way it references an undulating sandy beach and the sea, which neatly ties in with not only the watch’s natural habitat, but also the strap’s unique material.

It’s the technically fascinating r-Radyarn that makes the Oris watch strap special. It’s made from 100 percent recycled polyethylene terephthalate plastic (PET), a material made with natural resources that are running out, and that’s often carelessly disposed of. Reusing it is an important part of combating the effects it’s having on the planet and its ecosystem. Made by Radici Group, r-Radyarn has been used in everything from socks to car seats, but Oris is the first to put it to use on a watch strap.

The beige-and-blue color scheme looks great in the pictures, and is applied here using a one-step method called solution dyeing, which lowers water and energy consumption, without sacrificing color-fastness. Even after the strap comes to the end of its natural life, it can be recycled several times over. It’s refreshing to see steps taken in this direction, and we hope to see similar straps used by smartwatch manufacturers soon, as they continue to gain popularity.

If you want to wear an r-Radyarn watch strap, then it’s currently only available on the Oris Divers Sixty-Five watch, a beautiful 42mm divers watch with a blue dial and cream hands, perfectly complementing the new strap. Domed sapphire glass covers the front and the back of the automatic watch, and it’s water resistant to 100 meters. Oris doesn’t make quartz watches, and the Divers Sixty-Five is sustainably powered by your body, due to the Oris 722 movement inside, which has a 38-hour power reserve. It’s available in September for 2,000 Swiss francs, or about $2,050.

Oris has long supported ecologically responsible causes, and has previously made watch boxes from environmentally friendly regenerative algae — yes, really — and has also added sustainably produced leather straps to its watches. Oris chairman Ulrich W. Herzog says it’s all part of the company’s long-term strategy, and that there is a lot more to come in the future.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Exkite outdoor apparel is made from recycled kites to create a unique look
exkite clothing brand uses recycled kites create unique outdoor apparel 2

Over the past year or so we have seen a number of major outdoor brands begin using recycled items to create the materials used to produce their products. For instance, each of Columbia's OutDry Extreme Eco Jackets is made from fabrics that were developed from recycled water bottles. Similarly, Adidas capitalized on this trend as well by making performance athletic wear and running shoes from plastics that were retrieved from the ocean. Now, Italian company Exkite is joining the ranks of outdoor apparel makers who are using recycled materials as well by making jackets from used kiteboarding sails.

The concept of using kiteboarding sails to make clothing first came to Exkite founder, and former pro kiteboarder, Renzo Mancini while he was testing new gear on the island of Sardinia. Mancini knew he had a number of old kites just sitting around back home, but he wasn't sure of the best way to recycle them or find a new use for them. It was then that he came up with the idea of using the materials to create new clothing. Shortly thereafter, he shared his vision with Norwegian designer Eirinn Skrede, who is now Mancini's wife. She immediately had some ideas on how the fabrics used in the kites could be repurposed and from there the company was born.

Read more
Limited edition, Olympic Apple Watch bands look awesome, but will prove hard to get
olympic hub google trends search olympics feat

The Olympics always presents plenty of opportunities for themed merchandise, and Apple is the latest tech company to come up with a related product. It will release special, limited edition straps for the Apple Watch, all in designs inspired by the national flags of countries competing in the Games.

Based on the new Nylon Watch bands introduced earlier this year, Apple isn’t pushing things with the price, and has set them at the same, reasonable $50 as the regular versions. However, there is a slight catch. The only place they seem to be sold at the moment is at the Apple Store in Barra de Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. That’s good news if you’re going to the Games, but not so good if you’re supporting your country from afar.

Read more
Get ready, aftermarket Apple Watch straps are on the way
Apple Watch milanese loop detail

If Apple’s range of straps for the Watch doesn’t tempt you, then get ready, bands made by third-party companies are on the way. Apple has released a set of guidelines for creating alternative straps for the Apple Watch, and a website promoting the process to developers. This means the choice of straps available for the new wearable is about to get much, much larger.

Apple’s not taking any chances with its approved bands, and has laid down several strict rules to make sure they live up to expectations. Developers will have to make sure their straps meet guidelines related to toughness, sturdiness, and the ability to withstand corrosion, plus the amount of force they can take before detaching from the Watch’s body. Straps can’t interfere with the operation of the heart rate sensor — so no NATO-style straps wrapped under the body — and can’t include magnetic charging systems.

Read more