Elodie, between tattooing and creative recycling: the story of Rinkin
from Nohô
On Friday 18 April 2025 at 11:17
A passionate tattoo artist, designer by training and sportswoman at heart, Élodie has launched Rinkin, an original project to upcycle kite sails into jackets and bags. Combining creativity, ecology and a love of board sports, she tells us about her background and the story of this Breton adventure (you can also find on Le Mag Nohô an interview with a host who is passionate about motorbikes and has dreams of Dakar, an interview with a host who is passionate about sailing and aims to take part in a mini transatlantic race or a host who is passionate about aerial arts directly on our blog). We asked her five questions to better understand her background and what motivates her to always go further.
Peux tu te présenter ?
I’m Élodie, and I’ve been a tattoo artist since 2019. I’m originally a product designer.
Where did you get the idea to launch Rinkin?
Rinkin means “shark” in Breton. The idea came to me when I started kitesurfing. I wondered what happened to the kites once they were no longer in use, and I discovered that most people simply stored them in their garage, without doing anything with them.
With a little research, I saw that there were some accessories made from these sails – pouches, small objects – but nothing more ambitious like clothing. At least, not in France. I saw some examples abroad, and as I am a product designer, I thought to myself: “Why not try to do something with that?”
I started making prototypes, alongside my work as a tattoo artist. The project took a long time to develop, and we made quite a few changes. Today, we have finally arrived at the final version: jackets available in two sizes, and a model of a belt bag. The aim is to start marketing them this summer.
How do you manage to organize yourself between these two activities?
As I don’t do the sewing myself, I work with a seamstress. So there is sometimes a wait of several months between two stages. During this time, I continue to tattoo, and I adapt to her rhythm. It’s a balance to be found between the two professions.
What do you consider to be your finest creation to date?
My favorite piece is the jacket they made for me, specifically the third prototype. I really took the time to choose the colors and the cutouts; everything was designed with what I wanted to wear in mind.
I love the moment when I unfold all the wings on the floor, I look at the patterns, the textures, I choose specific pieces and I cut them out… It’s a real pleasure! I put them everywhere, it’s a joyful mess (laughs).
You were telling us about a launch this summer. Can you tell us more?
Yes, for the moment, the website is mainly used as a showcase, but the social networks are a little more active. We plan to release about ten jackets and about twenty belt bags.
The rest of the project will be semi-custom: either people entrust us with their own sails, and we make them a semi-custom jacket, meaning that the model remains the same, only the colors are adaptable, or they come to the workshop to choose from the colors and pieces we already have. The goal is really to offer personalized, unique upcycling.
At the moment, I’m also working on a collaboration with Les Voiles de Mada, an association in the South that recovers kite wings to make boat sails and sends them to Madagascar. For their part, they only use part of the wings, while I use the parts that are unusable for boat sails. It’s recycling of recycling! I have already received two 15-kilo parcels, it’s great for the raw material.
Has kitesurfing become a real passion?
Originally, I was a roller derby skater and I lived in Lyon. When I arrived in Brittany in 2019, I wanted to turn to water sports. My father did a lot of windsurfing when I was little, so I started there, then a little surfing… I’m still new to surfing, but the goal is to have fun above all else! Finally, I started kitesurfing.
Today, I continue rollerblading, I also go freediving and swimming, a bit of everything.
Remember
With Rinkin, Élodie combines passion, ecological commitment and a sense of design in a project that is as original as it is personal. Inspired by the sea, materials and the freedom to create, she gives kite wings a second life with style and meaning. Between tattooing and textile recycling, she proves to us that creativity and awareness can be combined, with a good dose of fun as a bonus. “I love putting all the kites on the ground, choosing the colors, the shapes… and creating unique pieces. That’s when the magic happens.”
🏃♀️💪 A big thank you to her for agreeing to this little interview!
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from Nohô
On Friday 18 April 2025 at 11:17
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