Ocean and San x Sway
Case Study: Packaging as an Embedded Giveback Program
THE BRAND
Meet Ocean and San
Ocean and San is an adventure brand founded in 2020 on a simple belief: true joy in the outdoors comes from presence, not performance or appearances. Their motto: Slow by Nature.
Combining technical materials with laid-back SoCal style, Ocean and San gear is ready for bikepacking, trail runs, or even a quick post-work cycle.
Most importantly, this gear is made for those who love the outdoors — and want to protect it.
THE PROJECT
Reduce Waste, Increase Sustainability
Being a nimble team of 3 at Ocean and San means a few things when it comes to sustainability:
1. High exposure to behind-the-scenes operations, where they have become hyper-aware of how quickly waste can stack up during production.
2. Ability to make decisions quickly, but less time and resources available to devote to sustainability initiatives.
Seeking packaging that could reduce plastic waste, increase sustainability, and enhance the customer experience, Ocean and San discovered Sway.
Primary Motivators
Replace conventional plastic without disrupting operational efficiency
Reflect brand values, rather than contradict them
Create a customer unboxing experience that enhances product perception
THE SOLUTION
Sway Polybags
Ocean and San adopted Sway packaging as a turnkey sustainability solution that requires minimal lift while delivering maximum impact.
Cleaner ingredients with >50% biobased content
Seaweed is a regenerative resource that grows abundantly without land, fresh water, or fertilizers
Reduces waste and pollution through home and industrial compostability (certification pending)
Printable and customizable to reflect Ocean and San's brand identity
Conversion, customization, and logistics handled by Sway production partner EcoEnclose, who played a key role in enabling this activation
Used to package 95% of Ocean and San orders in Q4 2025, with a goal of 100% transition in 2026
“As people who prioritize the outdoors — and a demographic that does the same — plastic packaging is antithetical to our brand. Seaweed-based bags are not only inherently cooler, but truer to us.”
- ALEC WILIMOVSKY, FOUNDER
Key Benefits
1. Effortless Sustainability
While most sustainability initiatives are time and resource intensive, the Ocean and San team views Sway packaging as a solution to minimize waste and maximize sustainability in an unavoidable function of their business.
"As a small brand owner, using Sway bags is like an embedded give-back program. It's such an easy solution to implement — should be a no-brainer for brands, since we all need packaging."
— Ocean and San team
No complex program management required Addresses an unavoidable business need (everyone needs packaging!) ROI on sustainability and marketing value far exceeds any cost differential Perfect for bandwidth-constrained teams who prioritize impact
2. Elevated Customer Experience
Packaging is where brand meets customer. It's the last thing a brand controls in the product journey, and the first touchpoint a customer has with the brand.
"Plastic sets up a brand experience to fail. Seaweed sets it up for success. If we can stoke our customers out before they've even seen the product, we consider that a success."
— Ocean and San team
What their customers love:
Unique texture: Distinctive seaweed texture creates memorable unboxing Natural aesthetic: Aligns with cycling and outdoor lifestyle values Built-in storytelling: "Compostability" and "made with seaweed" messaging resonates with outdoors-oriented customer demographic Social shareability: Customers are posting their Ocean and San deliveries, generating organic brand advocacy
“As a small brand owner, using Sway bags is like an embedded give-back program. It’s such an easy solution to implement — should be a no-brainer for brands, since we all need packaging.”
- ALEC WILIMOVSKY, FOUNDER
