BATO Designs

BATO Designs 🐾 Sustainable Dog Gear & Fashion
♻️🌊 Made with upcycled rope & retired wetsuits 🪢♻️
Handmade in Ucluelet, BC, Canada 💙

Happy Earth Day! 🌎♻️A bit of a reminder to pause and think about how we show up for the places we love 🌎💙🌊 Sustainabilit...
04/23/2026

Happy Earth Day! 🌎♻️

A bit of a reminder to pause and think about how we show up for the places we love 🌎💙🌊

Sustainability is not just something we care about, it is at the core of everything we do. Over the last year this has looked like rescuing over 500 lbs of rope and 400 lbs of wetsuits, off the landfill and turning them into something new for you and your pup. ♻️🐾

💙 If you want to show your care for the planet this week, here are a few simple ways to still make a difference:
• Pick up trash on your next beach walk
• Bring your own mug to the coffee shop
• Repair your gear before replacing
• Shop local and support sustainable brands

Small actions, real impact 🌊 💙

04/02/2026

From beach breaks to boarding gates 🌊✈️

The pull of new horizons, the wide open road, and discovering new favourite surf spots. 💙

Handmade with ocean love. from old wetsuits once headed for landfill - now reworked into passport covers for your next salty adventure ✈️💙

A portion of proceeds goes to support Surfrider Foundation Canada’s Resurf program and their mission to keep surf gear out of landfill and protect our oceans, beaches, and coastlines. 🌊💙♻️

Inspired by our love for the ocean and our desire to protect it.💙🌊

Available for grabs at shop in Ucluelet, or by PM. 🌊

🎥 Special thanks to my fellow wetsuit upcycling designer .kvat for some of the travel footage. I wish I could take you along, next time!!

Where’s your next surf trip? 🌊💙✈️
Tell me in the comments 👇

03/07/2026

I used to think I needed more skills, more tools, more machines… before I could start.
For the longest time my ideas stayed in my head.. stuck in a loop, I’d stare at an old sail, a piece of rope or wetsuit, scissors in hand, thinking: “What if I waste it?” 🫣

Turns out the only way forward is to just start cutting. ✂️🙌✨️ and every stitch teaches you something.

Experiment. Make the mess. Sew the thing.
Start creating. Start making. Just start.
Your hands will figure it out. 🪡🙌✨️

Working with neoprene has been quite the adventure. I almost gave up more than a few times trying to figure out how to deconstruct it, and sew it without losing my mind. 🤪 But after a lot of experimenting (and a few questionable first attempts), I’ve learned lots of tricks along the way!!

Little note for fellow salty makers & curious upcyclers ♻️ I’m always happy to help others who want to give wetsuit upcycling a try ♻️🙌🌊 There are way too many retired wetsuits out there for just my two hands to save! If you’re curious about working with neoprene, send me a message anytime!

Check out , Surfrider Canada surf gear circularity program, they connect upcyclers with retired wetsuits ready for a second life. ♻️🌊
Come join the surf gear upcycler crew, just like and .kvat who are already giving wetsuits a second life 🧵🌊⚓️

Let me tell you the story behind my brand.. BATO is a twist on the French word for boat, and if you know me… you know th...
03/05/2026

Let me tell you the story behind my brand..
BATO is a twist on the French word for boat, and if you know me… you know that makes perfect sense!! ⛵️💙

This is the story of the passion that fueled my inspiration, guided my career path, and ultimately became the anchor of my entrepreneurial journey.

Travelled the world in them, lived on them, fished in them, owned many of them, worked in them, learn to fix them... and mostly LOVED THEM VERH MUCH! ⚓️💙

This is a backwards journey through the last 15 years of seabound life.. scroll to the last slide to catch a glimse of the trip that changed the course of my life, an offshore adventure through Australia and out to Indonesia aboard the "Cape Petrel".

A decade of learning to challenge and trust myself as a captain (one barge, one fishing boat, two sailboats later), and countless sea-spray smiles and friend-ships along the way.. I am still keeping my boat dreams alive! ⛵️💙

The ocean is my compass.
Boats are my destiny.
The sea is stitched into my identity.
BATO isn’t just a name - It’s my story ⚓️💙

Sun naps hit different when you’re soakin' it in style! 🩷✨️Our fun bandanas are made from old shirts that were ready to ...
01/24/2026

Sun naps hit different when you’re soakin' it in style! 🩷✨️

Our fun bandanas are made from old shirts that were ready to be forgotten… and now they’re living their second life as the cutest dog accessory ever 🐾🩷
Easy-breezy design made to slip over any collar, for an effortless style. Unique and full of character - just like the pups who wear them.
Because around here we’re all about wasting less while looking cool!

Salty Dog 🌊🩷 Evie -

12/21/2025

This is what a full year of markets looks like - raw, unedited, with no trending audio - just the hum of local music and bustling vibes. Watch until the end to see where I ended up most weeks après-market... 🌊

Through the chaos, laughter (and tears!) 🤪 rain or shine I was there every weekend. What a wild ride! I’m pretty sure I only made it through thanks to happy dogs, endless snacks, and even more caffeine!

Huge thanks to everyone who stopped by, supported local and cheered me on this upcycling adventure!

After my first year as a full-time market vendor, and even though it was exhausting, markets will always be my favourite way to connect and share my work. I am so grateful for the artists I met all through the year (some of which became really good friends) and overall such an inspiring, supportive and loving bunch! 💕

Next year I am planning to go further, taking my booth across the whole island! See you next season ⚓️💙

12/21/2025

Last rope sourcing trip of the year. 🪢
Took the ferry to the big city to visit one of the major shipyards on the coast and came home with just over 100 pounds of discarded marine rope, which officially puts me over 500 pounds collected this year. 🙌♻️🪢

Trips like this remind me how much progress I’ve made this year, and how much more impact I hope to have! Still learning the ropes of running an small upcycling brand, one haul at a time!

And of course, the highlight of every trip: Ollie 🐾 the rigger's shop first mate!

Exciting news on the horizon..stay tuned for the announcement of my new rope recycling partnership, which will expand my reach and deepen my impact. 💙♻️

From Waste to Waggs 💚🐾Our No-Waste Doggy Bags Cases turn retired wetsuits into eye-catching walk essentials for a bright...
10/13/2025

From Waste to Waggs 💚🐾

Our No-Waste Doggy Bags Cases turn retired wetsuits into eye-catching walk essentials for a brighter future 🐾 ♻️

Each bag helps divert wetsuit waste from landfills while encouraging small actions that make a big impact!
Add your favorite biodegradable p**p bags for a perfect eco combo 💚

You can find them locally at the Blue Barrel, the ReSurf Surfrider Canada's facility in Ucluelet 🌊 This project supports our joined mission to protect our ocean, coastlines, and waves — one walk at a time. 🐾

Make Waves 💙🌊 Not Waste Meet our No-Waste Doggy Bag Cases, handmade from upcycled wetsuits.Each bag helps divert wetsuit...
10/13/2025

Make Waves 💙🌊 Not Waste
Meet our No-Waste Doggy Bag Cases, handmade from upcycled wetsuits.

Each bag helps divert wetsuit waste from landfills while encouraging small actions that make a big impact!

You can find them locally at the Blue Barrel, the ReSurf Surfrider Canada's facility in Ucluelet 🌊 This project supports our joined mission to protect our ocean, coastlines, and waves — one walk at a time. 🐾🌊

⚓️ Built tough for little pups with big energy! 🌀Don't let her size fool you, this little island princess may be small, ...
09/20/2025

⚓️ Built tough for little pups with big energy! 🌀

Don't let her size fool you, this little island princess may be small, but we can't say the same about her personality! Somehow she sat pretty just long enough for the shot, but she is usually seen bouncing everywhere. 🌀 Big props to her mama with her mad skills behind the lense (and patience..!)

Our small upcycled boat rope collars
⚓️ Made with a smaller 3/4" heavy-duty marine nylon buckle, and stainless steel hardware.
🌀 Size widely adjustable 11"-18" or custom sizes available.

Salty Dog ⚓️ Brianna
Shots by 🌀 .grid.on.the.coast

💪🏼⚓️ Tough as nails Built from reclaimed high performance boat rope offcuts, fitted with marine-grade stainless steel ha...
09/15/2025

💪🏼⚓️ Tough as nails
Built from reclaimed high performance boat rope offcuts, fitted with marine-grade stainless steel hardware and heavy-duty buckles — our gear is made to last.

Our Kevlar rope line is next-level tough. Practically un-chewable. 💥

🌊💙 Durable, sustainable, and adventure-ready. Made to weather stormy seas, rough trails, and everything in between.

Salty Dog ⚓️🐾 Ember
Owner & Photographs by

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Ucluelet, BC

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