Materials

Careful selection of materials informs the design of our bags. Durability and water resliance are essential for long outdoor use. Simple lines and easy access define the shape. Together these elements mean more time on the river, and less frustration with equipment.

Our preference is to re-use materials. Recycling converts waste into new materials, requiring processing and more energy. Re-use, by contrast, takes the materials as they are, for use in another product.

Re-purposed fishing waders

We get most of our waders  from Simms, the premier American maker of waders and other fishing gear. Waders that are not longer repairable they send to us.

Anglers look to Simms Fishing Products for the latest advances in GORE-TEX technology. It's the sole wader manufacturer in the USA, and we're proud to be their partner in sustainability.

As fly fishing enthusiasts, we prize our Simms waders. They're durable and functional for long days on the River. They are crafted for extreme outdoor conditions, just like our gear. We put used Simms waders back to work.

Ever wonder what happens to your old waders when you replace them? They go straight to a landfill. At Deli Fresh, we want to reduce this kind of waste.

Re-purposed sailcloth

We buy used sails that come from sail makers and boat dealers.  We look for older sails that show signs of wear that make them less suitable for boaters, but still have plenty of perfectly good, clean fabric.  Serious sailors replace them every couple years, long before the material wears out.

Our sails are made from Dacron, an incredibly durable and flexible material woven from polyester fiber.  It is designed for extreme outdoor conditions.

Dacron is essentially plastic fiber that is difficult to recycle.  Eventually, most of this material ends up in landfills.   After a good cleaning, we put it back to work!

Re-used climbing rope

Climbing rope is designed to support hundreds of pounds, and take a beating in challenging outdoor environments. 

For safety reasons, climbers retire their ropes long before they wear out.  Even though it is no longer up to rock climbing specifications, it still has a lot of life left in it for less demanding applications. 

For DFD gear, we use carefully selected, synthetic ropes (9.5mm or 3/8” in diameter) to make great handles and accessory loops. 

Mountain equipment shops in Colorado are happy to give this rope to us, so they don’t have to dispose of it.  We're happy to find another use for it!

Product packaging

We hope you notice the lack of packaging for DFD products. No plastic bags, no plastic wrappers. Our products are tough, so they can take it! We also try to reuse any mailing envelopes and boxes we receive.  

Visit our eBay store here: DFD RePurposed.

DFD RePurposed

We make our gear to last for years. DFD RePurposed is our place for keeping DFD gear in play. 

All used gear is carefully selected and cleaned before re-sale. Seams, scuff marks and variations in color give each DFD item its own unique appearance and special character.