BoardThing — Grind Your Weed Sustainably

Skaters and weed lovers have been united ever since Bill Richards invented the first skateboard in 1958 by attaching rollerblade wheels to a wooden board, giving surfers a way to take their sport to the streets. Unfortunately, skateboards have a much shorter life cycle than surfboards, with millions of used decks ending up on waste tips every year.

Luckily, brands like BoardThing are not only helping to bring skating and weed culture even closer together, but simultaneously reducing the environmental impact of skateboarding by finding new uses for old, broken decks. Scroll down to learn more about BoardThing, a unique European brand making sleek smoking gear and accessories out of tired old skateboards.

BoardThing — Now's the time to care for our home

Every month, an estimated 100,000 new professional skateboard decks hit the shelves, according to the International Association of Skateboard Companies. Depending on how, and how often, they skate, most skaters will run through a deck in roughly two weeks to six months. Peter and Sebastian, the founders of Polish brand BoardThing, made it their mission to stop these used decks, which are made from prime Canadian maple, from ending up at the tip.

"Not many people outside of the culture of skateboarding realize that the life of a skateboard deck in professional use is quite short", share the founders of BoardThing. But maple is a high-quality wood, prized for its hardness, consistent grain, and spectacular appearance. "We're a group of friends bonded by art, recycling, and skate culture. We are inspired by the potential of processing raw materials commonly regarded as waste".

BoardThing collects used skateboard decks that would otherwise end up in landfills around Europe and upcycles them into beautiful handmade accessories that highlight maple's natural features. The idea was partly inspired by Haroshi, a Japanese artist who produces sculptures from old decks, accentuating their unique coloured ply aesthetic. Right now, the BoardThing catalogue consists of three unique products: rings, key rings, and, our personal favourite, wooden herb grinders.

But besides their beautiful products (which we'll highlight in more detail below), BoardThing sets itself apart from other skate brands with its strong ecological mission:

"Today is the best day to take responsibility for the condition of our home. Both the family one, the one in which we wake up and eat, but also, and especially, our earthly home, that we share not only with our loved ones but also with many species of plants and animals", reads the company's website.

Besides minimising wood waste from skateboarding, BoardThing has an even greater focus; to raise awareness of the huge impact of deforestation that, to this day, continues to harm the planet:

"There are currently over 7.6 billion people in the world and about 3 trillion trees, which means there are 420 trees per person. Every year there are 5 billion new trees planted—you might think that the number is pretty impressive but there are 15 billion trees destroyed at the same time!".

By rescuing thousands of used decks from the tip every day and turning them into beautiful accessories, BoardThing hopes to increase awareness of the importance of recycling and being more conscious about the impact of our buying habits and lifestyles.

BoardThing weed grinders — Light up and do your part for the environment

Available in hexagonal and circular shapes, BoardThing Herb Grinders boast a quirky yet minimalist design with the iconic coloured stripes of a skateboard deck. Each grinder is hand-made and painted, meaning no two products are exactly the same. Plus, every BoardThing grinder features reinforced wooden teeth that can tear through even the densest buds, a strong central magnet, and sturdy construction made from 100% Canadian maple.

Standard circular grinder

Like the classic look and feel of a circular grinder? BoardThing circular grinders are 100% handmade from Canadian maple skateboards and feature a unique engraved design on the grinder lid.

Hexagonal grinder

If you prefer the tighter grip of a hexagonal grinder, look no further. BoardThing’s hexagonal grinders feature a striped colour design and are also 100% handmade from upcycled skateboards.

BoardThing — Bringing weed and skateboarding closer together for the planet

If you're shopping for a new grinder, do yourself, and the environment, a favour and order your own custom herb grinder from BoardThing. Not only will it do a fine job of grinding up your buds, but every BoardThing grinder helps to keep wooden skateboards from finding their way onto piles of trash!

Steven Voser

Steven Voser is an independent cannabis journalist with over 6 years of experience writing about all things weed; how to grow it, how best to enjoy it, and the booming industry and murky legal landscape surrounding it.

Read full bio