Discarded Skis That Can Take a Load Off

Jeff Theobald graduated with a business degree from UC Santa Barbara in 1988 and spent six months traveling through Europe, where he was impressed with the sophistication of the recycling programs. That was still fresh in his mind when he took a job in Aspen, Colo., and began to notice the high throwaway ratio for nearly good skis. “One day when I found six pairs in a dumpster, a light went off in my head,” recalls Theobald, who did some sketches, created his first Reeski chair and was in business.

His line of handcrafted chairs, picnic tables, coatracks and other products are made from rejected skis, snowboards and 100% post-consumer No. 2 plastic. Retail prices range from $14 for a toilet-paper holder to $399 for a chair.

Most of the skis and snowboards come from manufacturers who sell him their defective and warranty-returned products. “For years those were destroyed. I offer an environmental alternative,” says Theobald, who estimates he has recycled 23 tons of skis and snowboards.

He, in turn, gets to use the flashy graphics from the equipment for tough, weatherproof products that “jump out at you--stores love them for window displays,” he said. Information: (800) 826-5447 or https://www.reeski.com.