Image credit: Photo by @afuafex
The place that changed everything
Medewi is located on the west coast of Bali, far away from the tourist hustle and bustle of Kuta or Seminyak. There are no infinity pools, no beach clubs, no Instagram spots here. What there is: one of Indonesia's best left-hand point breaks, friendly Balinese people – and fresh plastic waste on the beach every morning.
This is where Oceanmata originated. And this is where our team still works today – every single day.
Dominik and the local who collected alone
When Dominik first came to Medewi in 2020, he only wanted to learn to surf. The former Airbus engineer had quit his secure job in Germany – with a vague idea, but no plan yet. What he found in Medewi was not a plan. It was a shock.
Plastic. Everywhere. On the beach, in the water, between the rocks. And then he saw him: a local man, all alone, collecting plastic from the beach with his bare hands. No organization, no association. Just a person who couldn't stand it anymore.
This moment changed everything. Dominik knew: If one person is working hard here every day, then he can too. But not alone – but with a system that really makes a difference.
Why the west coast in particular?
The answer lies in the monsoon. Every year between November and March, westerly winds push huge amounts of plastic from the open ocean directly onto Bali's west coast. 30 to 60 tons of waste daily are washed ashore during this time. The east coast remains largely untouched – but here, in Medewi and the surrounding villages, people are fighting a plastic flood that they did not cause.
Bali produces a total of 3,436 tons of waste per day. Much of it ends up in rivers, which carry it directly into the sea. The west coast then catches it again – a tragic cycle. That's why we're here: Because the problem is biggest here.
Image credit: Photo by @mai.roper
What our team does every day
Our 11-member team in Medewi is not an NGO with an office and coffee machine. They are people from the region who get up every morning and get to work:
- Beach Clean-ups – daily, in sun and rain. Especially during monsoon season, we work at our limit.
- River barriers – they catch plastic before it reaches the sea. Prevention instead of just cleaning up.
- School lessons – in local schools, we explain to children why waste doesn't belong in the water. So that the next generation does better.
- On-site recycling – with Precious Plastic machines, we sort, shred, and pelletize the collected plastic. Waste becomes raw material.
- Free trash cans – we provide them to locals. Sounds simple, but it makes a huge difference.
Over 300,000 kg – and it doesn't stop
To date, Oceanmata has collected over 300,000 kg of ocean plastic. That's an impressive number – and still just a drop in the ocean. Because the plastic keeps coming every day. It doesn't stop. That's why we don't stop either.
"I can't deal with so many things that need my help. When you buy something from you, it's so easy. It costs a bit more, but I have a completely different feeling when it arrives." – Oceanmata customer
Over 165,000 ocean heroes already support our mission. Every Oceanmata product collects 1 kg of plastic from the ocean. Every ocean plastic bracelet is a piece of saved sea. And every marine animal sponsorship protects the animals that have to live in this plastic.
Because our philosophy is clear: Don't see plastic as waste, but as a valuable raw material. And: A phone case alone won't save the world. But thousands of people taking small steps together – that can.
Become part of the Medewi mission 🌊
Every purchase at Oceanmata directly supports our team in Medewi – for cleaner beaches, less plastic in the ocean, and a better future for Bali.
Also read why Bali's plastic problem is worse than most people think – and learn more about what exactly happens to the collected plastic.
