Surfite, also known as surf stone, is one of the most unexpected and genuinely fascinating materials I work with. It is not a mineral at all but rather the hardened, multi-colored buildup of excess resin that drips or gets squeegeed off surfboards onto the floor or drip trays during the glassing process. Over time, layers of different colored resins stack up in the shaping studio, creating vibrant, striped patterns that lapidary artists like me cut, shape, and polish into unique jewelry and display pieces that carry the energy and history of surf culture within every layer.
During the glassing process, shapers pour colored liquid resin over fiberglass cloth to waterproof and finish surfboards, and the excess run-off pools and cures layer upon layer on the studio floor. This dense, colorful material is usually thrown away as shop waste, filling up shaping studio floors and local landfills. I rescue these rough resin chunks, slicing and polishing them to reveal striking, multi-layered color bands in a process very similar to how automotive fordite is repurposed from the paint drips of old car assembly lines. Every piece of Surfite is a cross-section of real boards that were actually shaped and glassed, making each cabochon a small archive of the craft.
Metaphysical & Energy Properties
- Surfite carries the energy of transformation and creative reuse, believed to remind the wearer that beauty and purpose can be found in what others discard, making it a powerful symbol of resourcefulness, originality, and the courage to see potential where others see waste.
- It is associated with flow, freedom, and the spirit of the ocean, thought to carry the kinetic, liberating energy of surf culture and support the wearer in moving through life with adaptability, joy, and an open sense of possibility.
- Many practitioners and collectors are drawn to Surfite for its deeply human origin story, viewing it as a material that holds the intention and creative energy of the makers who worked with it, layered and preserved in every band of color.
