Decathlon has started to produce wetsuits in a material called Yulex100. This material was developed in collaboration with the American company Yulex, which specializes in the research and production of natural latex and rubber alternatives. This neoprene-like material contains no synthetic rubber. In addition, the natural rubber used in Decathlon wetsuits is sourced exclusively from PEFC or FSC-certified forests.
Yulex100 is the first and only alternative to neoprene made from 100 percent certified natural rubber. The material reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent compared to making a wetsuit from oil-based neoprene. Yulex100 has the same properties as traditional neoprene: it is as light, insulating and stretchy as neoprene.
Decathlon is not the first brand to use Yulex technology to produce wetsuits in natural rubber-based neoprene. For more than 20 years, Yulex has been working with sports brands to provide a more sustainable wetsuit solution.
In 2008, Patagonia discovered Yulex. In 2009, the Yulex team visited Patagonia’s headquarters and showed CEO Yvon Chouinard how they could develop a foam that would outperform neoprene in terms of warmth, performance, flexibility and, most importantly, sustainability. Since 2016, Patagonia has transitioned all of its neoprene-based products to Yulex foam and has won several awards for its Yulex products. Its wetsuits have won multiple product awards.
