Posted on September 29 2020
For nearly 70 years, most fly lines have been made from PVC – a material historically known to be incredibly toxic and one that even today, remains environmentally problematic. Here’s why:
PVC is naturally rigid. So, PVC line manufacturers must use plasticizers to make their lines supple enough to be cast. Unfortunately, these plasticizers contain chemicals that are known environmental toxins. And from the moment the line is produced, these plasticizers begin to leach into the environment – contaminating you and the waters you fish. Once the line has shed enough of these plasticizers, it becomes stiff and prone to cracking, even failure. What’s more, PVC is known to release lethal, bio-accumulating toxins called Dioxin as it breaks down – rendering PVC lines impossible to safely recycle or even dispose of.
We’ve never used PVC to produce our fly lines. And we never will. You see, since 1984, Airflo lines have been made from Polyurethane. PU is far less harmful to the environment, is chemically inert, is naturally supple, and doesn’t require the use any plasticizers whatsoever. And because PU is a true thermo plastic, it can be safely reheated and reused / recycled multiple times.
Airflo lines enjoy some of the most sophisticated, best casting tapers in the business. Our welded loops are the strongest in the industry. And thanks to the unique qualities of PU, we can infinitely vary both the density and suppleness of a line across its entire length – allowing us to produce lines with an incredibly wide range of performance characteristics.
With all of these benefits, and none of the environmental drawbacks of PVC, isn’t it time you switch to Airflo? They’ll perform better for you and the environment.
Click on the links below to learn more.
