Design Delight Studio

SEA LIFE and e3 Products Partner to Launch Sustainable Souvenirs Globally

Torquay-Based e3 Products’ Eco-Friendly Souvenirs Go Worldwide

E3 Products, a family-owned social enterprise founded on Victoria’s Surf Coast, has secured a significant global distribution deal with SEA LIFE Aquariums, the world’s largest aquarium operator. This landmark partnership will see e3 supply SEA LIFE with 28,000 sustainable souvenirs made entirely from recycled plastic, specifically from milk-bottle lids.

A Coastal Business with a Purpose

Carlo Lowdon, founder of e3 Products, expressed pride in expanding the reach of their eco-friendly souvenirs while maintaining environmental integrity. “We started as a small family business on the Great Ocean Road, creating souvenirs for people when they’re at their happiest, on holiday. Now those same memories are travelling even further, all while carrying an environmental story with them,” Lowdon said.

Each souvenir contains the equivalent plastic of four milk-bottle lids—the same quantity that can be fatal to marine life like sea turtles if ingested. These products are made with recycled PET (rPET) and are created in collaboration with schoolchildren and community volunteers through the lids4kids initiative.

Global Reach of SEA LIFE Aquariums

SEA LIFE, part of the UK-based Merlin Entertainments Group, operates around 50 aquariums worldwide, drawing more than 20 million visitors annually. In Australia, SEA LIFE manages three aquariums located in Sydney, Melbourne, and Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. This deal allows e3’s eco-conscious keyrings and bag tags to be showcased globally across SEA LIFE’s network.

Meeting Growing Consumer Demand for Sustainable Souvenirs

Naomi Manson, SEA LIFE’s Head of Commercial Sydney Cluster, highlighted how this partnership aligns with evolving visitor expectations: “Our visitors want souvenirs that mean something—products that reflect their values and their love for our oceans. E3’s recycled-plastic range is a perfect fit: it’s colourful, meaningful and directly tied to reducing waste.”

Industry Context and Sustainability Mission

The global souvenirs and novelty market was valued at US$104.9 billion in 2025, with projections reaching US$145.2 billion by 2030 (Deep Market Insights). However, there is mounting pressure to shift away from disposable plastics due to the environmental harm caused by millions of tonnes of plastic entering oceans each year—a concern underscored by SEA LIFE Trust, SEA LIFE’s charity partner.

Since 2005, e3 Products has aimed to produce useful, long-lasting souvenirs that capture holiday joy while promoting sustainability. Their product range includes certified carbon-neutral items, FSC-certified timber products, and increasing use of recycled materials such as rPET.

Carlo Lowdon emphasizes the critical role of consumer education: “When you pick up one of our keyrings, you’re choosing something that’s made from recycled materials, is recyclable, and supports conservation… If we can help even a small percentage of the global souvenir market shift to circular, carbon-neutral products, the ripple effect through tourism and retail could be enormous.”

Key Takeaways:

• E3 Products is supplying 28,000 recycled-plastic souvenirs to SEA LIFE’s global aquarium network.
• Souvenirs are crafted from recycled milk-bottle lids collected by community efforts.
• Partnership supports a transition in tourism toward meaningful, sustainable products.
• The souvenirs help connect consumers globally to Australian beaches and marine conservation.
• The initiative contributes to reducing plastic ocean pollution and supports circular economy principles.

This collaboration marks a major step for sustainable tourism merchandise, embodying the shift to environmentally responsible consumer goods in the multi-billion-dollar global souvenir market.

For more sustainable business insights and updates on eco-friendly innovations, subscribe to Business News Australia.

Design Delight Studio curates high-impact, authoritative insights into sustainable and organic product trends, helping conscious consumers and innovative brands stay ahead in a fast-evolving green economy.