Tide Ocean
Tide Ocean SA is a Swiss specialty materials company (founded 2019, Basel) that converts ocean-bound plastic into recycled pellets, yarn, and filament, selling custom materials B2B to 80+ global brand customers across watches, textiles, tools, electronics, and consumer goods.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersBasel, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tide Ocean does
Tide Ocean SA is a Swiss specialty materials company founded in 2019 by Thomas Schori and headquartered in Lengnau (Basel area), with the parent group Braloba Group as its original Swiss watch industry backer. The company collects ocean-bound plastic waste in coastal regions — primarily Thailand (Ranong eco-hubs) and Mexico (via wholly-owned subsidiary Tide Costa Maya) — and converts it into #tide ocean material®, a registered, award-winning recycled plastic available in three forms: pellets for injection molding (used in watches, electronics, automotive parts, and hard plastic goods), polyester yarn for textiles (apparel, carpets, upholstery), and filament for 3D printing. The mechanical recycling process and targeted compounding technology were developed in partnership with the Swiss University of Applied Sciences, and each batch carries a unique Material Passport enabling end-to-end traceability from collection to production.
Tide operates a sales-led B2B model, selling recycled materials directly to enterprise brand customers and manufacturers under custom-specification, multi-year contracts. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is determined via sales inquiry. The company has signed 80+ global brand partners across luxury watches (Maurice Lacroix), textiles (Kvadrat, Condor Group), fashion (Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Sinful), writing instruments (Caran d'Ache), hand tools (PB Swiss Tools, G.F. Garden), electronics (A. Steffen AG, Boompods), and beauty packaging (caremare, Seacliff Beauty). Secondary revenue comes from the proprietary OceanProducts line (OceanMug, OceanDomino) and the Road to 1 Billion Bottles impact program, which packages per-unit collection contributions as a corporate partnership offering.
The company is privately held, employs 51-100 people across offices in Basel, Lengnau, Hong Kong, and Ranong, and has raised approximately $4.3M in disclosed funding across 2020, 2022, and 2025 rounds. No revenue is publicly disclosed. Founder Thomas Schori (CEO) and Marc Krebs (Co-Founder & CCO) lead the company, which markets itself heavily on Swiss engineering provenance, social impact in coastal communities (fair wages to waste pickers and fishermen), and quantifiable sustainability metrics (up to 80% CO2 reduction vs. virgin plastic; 0% virgin plastic content).
Tide Ocean firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tide Ocean
- Legal name
- Tide Ocean SA
- Website
- https://tide.earth
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Tide Ocean SA is a Swiss specialty materials company (founded 2019, Basel) that converts ocean-bound plastic into recycled pellets, yarn, and filament, selling custom materials B2B to 80+ global brand customers across watches, textiles, tools, electronics, and consumer goods.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tide Ocean industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recycled Plastic Materials
- NAICS
- All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing (326199)
- SIC
- Plastics Products, Nec (3089)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rigid Plastics Recycling (HDPE/PP, Injection/Blow Molded) (EUAIAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Plastic Recycling Equipment & Technology Providers (Sorting, Washing, Extrusion) (EUAIAKAM), Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply) (EUAIAKAA)
Keywords
Where Tide Ocean is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Basel
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Tide Ocean business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Recycled plastic material sales: Sale of recycled ocean-bound plastic materials including pellets, yarn, and filament to manufacturers and brands for incorporation into their products. Revenue generated through material sales with various plastic types including rPET, rPA, rPP, rHDPE, rLDPE.
- OceanProducts (proprietary branded products): Development and sale of proprietary products made from recycled ocean-bound plastic including OceanMug (reusable coffee mug) and OceanDomino. Own branded merchandise line.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom material orders based on specifications |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Tide Ocean product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tide Ocean SA collects ocean-bound plastic waste from coastal regions in Southeast Asia and Mexico, then processes it through a mechanical recycling process developed with the Swiss University of Applied Sciences into three material forms: recycled plastic pellets for injection molding, recycled polyester yarn for textile applications, and recycled plastic filament for 3D printing. These #tide ocean material® products are sold to global brands and manufacturers for incorporation into watches, furniture, apparel, automotive parts, electronics, carpets, and other durable products. The company also offers its own OceanProducts line (OceanMug and OceanDomino) and operates the Road to 1 Billion Bottles impact program with material passport traceability.
Product overview
Tide Ocean SA is a Swiss supplier of recycled ocean-bound plastic materials. The core offering is #tide ocean material®, an award-winning material resource available in three forms: recycled plastic pellets for plastic injection, recycled polyester yarn for textile applications, and recycled plastic filament for 3D printing. The company also develops its own OceanProducts line including the OceanMug and OceanDomino. The company operates a global supply chain collecting plastic from coastal regions in Southeast Asia and Mexico, with operations in Basel, Lengnau, Ranong, and Hong Kong. Through the Road to 1 Billion Bottles program, Tide Ocean provides material traceability via unique material passports and partners with global brands to create sustainable consumer products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OceanProducts: Company's own product line including OceanMug (reusable coffee mug) and OceanDomino, made with #tide's recycled plastic pellets.
Products and services
- #tide ocean material® Pellets Recycled plastic pellets derived from 100% ocean-bound plastic waste for use in plastic injection molding. Sold to manufacturers producing watches, furniture, electronic devices, automotive parts, and hard plastic products. Available in multiple plastic types including rPET, rPA, rPP, rHDPE, and rLDPE.
- #tide ocean material® Yarn High-quality recycled polyester yarn derived from ocean-bound plastic for textile and apparel applications. Suitable for apparel, bags, shoes, home and office interiors, sports textiles, and upholstery fabrics. Sold to fashion brands and textile manufacturers worldwide.
- #tide ocean material® Filament Recycled plastic filament for 3D printing applications, enabling the creation of sustainable 3D printed products from ocean-bound plastic. Sold to manufacturers and designers using additive manufacturing.
- OceanMug Reusable coffee mug made with #tide's recycled plastic pellets, sold as part of Tide Ocean's own branded OceanProducts merchandise line. Targets consumers seeking sustainable everyday products.
- OceanDomino Domino product made with #tide's recycled plastic pellets, part of Tide Ocean's proprietary OceanProducts merchandise line. Targets consumers and promotional buyers.
- Road to 1 Billion Bottles Impact Program Corporate impact program giving companies the opportunity to help close the cycle of plastic waste pollution through active environmental and social contributions tied to plastic bottle collection. Partners join as Changemakers with measurable per-unit contributions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 80% less CO2 emissions compared to virgin plastic production
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Tide Ocean
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tide Ocean technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Tide Ocean partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and flagship.
- Oxygen at WorkcoreOxygen at Work joined the Road to 1 Billion Bottles program as a Changemaker. For every office plant delivered, Oxygen at Work supports the collection of 50 plastic bottles by #tide. This partnership connects indoor air quality solutions with ocean plastic prevention.
- Caran d'AchemajorGeneva-based luxury writing instruments Maison partnership for Fibralo pen redesign. First major redesign in product's 60+ year history using 100% recycled ocean-bound plastic, reducing carbon footprint by 50%.
- G.F. GardenmajorItalian thermoplastic molding company partnership for FOR OCEAN collection of garden tools. Products contain 50-80% ocean-bound recycled plastic. G.F. Garden is a leader in thermoplastic molding since 1966.
- A. Steffen AGmajorSwiss electronics company partnership for first power strip made from ocean-bound plastic. Steffen joined the Road to 1 Billion Bottles program with contribution per unit sold.
- Swiss University of Applied SciencescoreAcademic partnership for developing the mechanical recycling process and targeted compounding technology. Research collaboration on transforming ocean plastic into premium recycled materials for safe and durable products.
- PB Swiss ToolsmajorSwiss heritage tool manufacturer partnership. #tide ocean material used in SwissGrip Evo screwdriver handles and BitBlocks. First collaboration for BitBlocks in 2024, second for SwissGrip Evo in 2025.
- help alliancecoreCorporate sponsorship partnership for plastic collection and environmental impact in Mahahual, Mexico. help alliance is the charitable organization of Lufthansa Group. Joint initiative with Edelweiss to support local communities and environmental conservation including turtle protection.
- EdelweisscoreAirline partnership for corporate impact contribution program. Edelweiss supports the collection and recycling of ocean-bound plastic as part of the Road to 1 Billion Bottles initiative in Mahahual, Mexico.
- Menos Plástico es Fantástico (MPEF)coreLocal grassroots NGO in Mahahual, Mexico working on plastic collection and turtle conservation. Partnership focuses on beach clean-ups, environmental awareness, and creating fair jobs through recycling.
- KvadratcoreDanish textile leader partnership for creating premium upholstery fabrics from ocean-bound plastic. Partnership includes Sport collection (2023, designed by Patricia Urquiola) and Diade collection (2025, designed with Kapwani Kiwanga). Full transparency in material journey from collection to production.
- Braloba GroupminorParent company originally linked to the Swiss watch industry. Tide Ocean was established through Braloba Group's exploration of sustainable materials for watch straps.
- Maurice LacroixflagshipLuxury watch brand partnership for AIKON #TIDE collection. Successfully prevented 7 million bottles from entering oceans within 1.5 years through the That's What a Drop Makes campaign.
- Winter & CompanymajorPremium materials company partnership resulting in world's first book cloth made from ocean plastic.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tide Ocean competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- CleanHub: CleanHub connects brands to verified plastic recovery and operates collection infrastructure in coastal communities. Comparable in ocean-plastic recovery and brand-funded impact programs, though more focused on waste management than material production.
- Plastic Fischer: Plastic Fischer operates river-bound plastic collection using low-cost barriers in Southeast Asia. Overlaps in collection geography (Thailand, Indonesia region) and ocean-bound plastic recovery mission, though smaller scale and not a material producer.
- Empower AS: Empower operates a Norwegian plastic-to-fuel recycling technology using mixed, contaminated plastic streams. Adjacent in advanced plastic recycling, particularly in addressing hard-to-recycle marine plastic, though technology output differs (fuel vs. pellets).
Broad incumbents
- Indorama Ventures (recycling division): Indorama Ventures is one of the world's largest PET recyclers, producing rPET resin for global brands at industrial scale. Operates in Tide Ocean's downstream market with significant cost and scale advantages, though without the ocean-bound feedstock story.
- MBA Polymers: MBA Polymers is a global leader in recycled plastics from end-of-life durable goods, producing recycled resins for automotive, electronics, and consumer goods. Comparable in serving injection-molding applications for premium brands but operates at significantly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Plastic Bank: Plastic Bank operates a similar ocean-bound plastic collection and recycling model, converting collected plastic into Social Plastic feedstock for brands. Direct overlap with Tide Ocean in feedstock sourcing, traceability, and brand partnerships targeting ESG-conscious manufacturers.
- Bureo: Bureo collects ocean-bound fishing nets and processes them into recycled pellets for consumer products including skateboards, sunglasses, and apparel. Comparable in ocean-plastic-to-pellet model with strong brand partnerships in lifestyle and sporting goods categories.
- rePurpose Global: rePurpose Global funds plastic waste recovery and offsets, working with consumer brands to fund ocean-bound plastic collection. Overlaps with Tide Ocean's impact-program model (Road to 1 Billion Bottles) and serves similar B2B sustainability buyers seeking traceable plastic recovery.
- Waste Free Oceans: Waste Free Oceans collects ocean plastic and converts it into usable products through corporate partnerships. Direct comparable in the ocean-plastic-to-product supply chain, with similar focus on European brand partnerships and recovered-plastic materials.
Regional players
- EcoPlast: EcoPlast is an Italian recycled plastics producer serving European manufacturers with recycled PP and HDPE pellets. Comparable in pellet production for injection-molding applications, though primarily focused on post-industrial rather than ocean-bound feedstock.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tide Ocean social profiles
Digital presenceTide Ocean financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tide Ocean leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Tide Ocean subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Tide Ocean funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tide Ocean M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tide Ocean
What does Tide Ocean do?
Tide Ocean SA collects ocean-bound plastic waste from coastal regions in Southeast Asia and Mexico, then processes it through a mechanical recycling process developed with the Swiss University of Applied Sciences into three material forms: recycled plastic pellets for injection molding, recycled polyester yarn for textile applications, and recycled plastic filament for 3D printing. These #tide ocean material® products are sold to global brands and manufacturers for incorporation into watches, furniture, apparel, automotive parts, electronics, carpets, and other durable products. The company also offers its own OceanProducts line (OceanMug and OceanDomino) and operates the Road to 1 Billion Bottles impact program with material passport traceability.
Is Tide Ocean a public or private company?
Tide Ocean is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tide Ocean founded?
Tide Ocean was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Tide Ocean based?
Tide Ocean is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Tide Ocean make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Recycled plastic material sales are the primary driver. The others are oceanProducts (proprietary branded products).
Who are Tide Ocean's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are CleanHub, Plastic Fischer and Empower AS. Broad incumbents are Indorama Ventures (recycling division) and MBA Polymers. Direct peers are Plastic Bank, Bureo, rePurpose Global and Waste Free Oceans. EcoPlast is listed as a regional player.
Does Tide Ocean have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tide Ocean.
What industry is Tide Ocean in?
Tide Ocean's product category is Recycled Plastic Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAKAF, Rigid Plastics Recycling (HDPE/PP, Injection/Blow Molded), with a secondary code of EUAIAKAM, Plastic Recycling Equipment & Technology Providers (Sorting, Washing, Extrusion). Its NAICS code is 326199 and its SIC code is 3089.