The design process at needessentials

As we start feeling cool mornings and offshore breezes excitement builds for another autumn/winter wave season. Today we catch up with needessentials designer and founder Ryan Scanlon and assistant designer Laurie Towner to hear about recent developments that further improve the form, fit and function of needessentials wetsuits in 2023.

needessentials founder Ryan Scanlon guiding a 7'6 single fin into an Autumn Victorian wall.

Laurie finding an Arctic gem

Laurie Towner testing wetsuits in the Southern Ocean

How do you approach the design process?

Ryan: We have always had one focus in the design process – to ethically make the best possible wetsuit at the most accessible price. We only use the highest-grade materials and workmanship and continually make ongoing improvements to ensure our wetsuits are always evolving and are the best they can be. A surfer’s needs can vary, and each surfer might have different ideas of what makes the perfect wetsuit. While we can’t perfectly cater for everyone, we always focus on building a wetsuit that you can trust is made as well as it can be, is designed to keep you warm, comfortable and will last longer than traditional wetsuits.

Laurie and Torren off to catch dinner

Ryan hiking into a northern fjord in the arctic on one of needessentials annual extreme cold water product testing trips.

A moment from the film Return to the Coral Sea

How do you decide what wetsuit is right for you?

Ryan: We have three basic designs in our wetsuit offering and they all focus on slightly different needs and environments.

Our Liquid Taped Thermal series is designed for really cold water: Winter in Victoria, Tassie, South OZ, South Coast and NZ. The suit is made from the highest grade of limestone neoprene and is 80% internally lined with polypropylene thermal that adds significant warmth. All seams are designed to last using a four-stage process of gluing, blind stitching and 100% internally taping and 100% external liquid-sealing. This Liquid Taped Thermal series of wetsuits are designed for serious cold to freezing water surfing and come in a Hooded 6/4/3, Hooded 4/3, 4/3 and 3/2. The Liquid Taped Thermal series is the best-built wetsuit on the market and is designed for a serious cold-water surfer that wants to be warm and comfortable and needs a suit that is built to last longer. This is the suit I would take to Tassie, South Island NZ or the points in Vicco where you will be sitting for longer times in-between sets in cold winds and weather but you need it to perform once you're on a wave.

Our Thermal series is designed to be more flexible. These wetsuits do not feature external liquid-sealed seams and have 60% as opposed to 80% internal thermal coverage to increase flexibility and reduce weight. We design these suits for a hardcore everyday surfer that requires warmth but wants to retain the highest level of flexibility. These Thermal series wetsuits are designed for colder water ranging from winter in Vicco, NSW, WA, SA, and NZ. They come in everything from a hooded 5/4, 5/4, 4/3, 3/2, 2/2, Short Arm and Long Arm Spring. Constructed using recycled materials and non-toxic lamination glues the thermal series are the best-built wetsuit on the market and are designed for a cool to cold water surfer that wants to be warm and comfortable and needs a suit that is built to last longer. I use this suit anywhere from around Northern NSW to Vicco in winter when you need to be warm but want to remain light and as flexible as possible.

Our Yulex® Natural Rubber series of wetsuits are designed to be the most highly functional but environmentally considered wetsuit on the market. Using Forest Stewardship Council® certified neoprene-free Yulex® natural rubber made with recycled outer materials in a Fair Trade Certified™ Factory. All our natural rubber wetsuits feature non-toxic glues and non-single-use plastics and are designed for serious cold water surfers. They come in two options: a cold water liquid-sealed thermal lined easy-entry chestzip designed for colder water and a zipperless option that is made with the highest level of flexibility in mind. Wetsuits made from natural rubber and recycled materials are the future and ours are examples of how we continuously strive for more responsible methods of manufacturing.

Laurie enjoying the fun aspects of the design process

Laurie at the end of a long day in the North Atlantic

Laurie testing the hooded 6/4/3 Liquid Tape hooded suit while filming Nordurland

Are there any other projects that you guys are working on other than design?

Laurie: I’m helping edit a couple of film projects we are working on. Torren (Martyn) has been on a yearlong sailing trip and he’s now working on the next Lost Track with Ishka (Folkwell). It’ll become another feature film that will be produced by needessentials and we’ll be sharing it this year. We are also working with a lifelong friend of mine Bryce Young on another film that we will also share soon. It’s been so fun to be involved and Bryce’s surfing has always blown my mind so I’m really looking forward to seeing his film come together.

Torren on a 6'6 Morning of the Earth Fiji from Lost Track Atlantic episode 4

Torren and film make Ishka Folkwell

Designing wetsuits and helping make films sounds like you’re multi-tasking?

Laurie: Not really. Design, pattern making and materials are Ryan and my main focus and we are working constantly on product design. Ishka Folkwell is the filmmaking genius but we all have a passion for it. Product design and creating these films is what we get excited to do each day.

Torren and Ryan packing for a long trek to the coast in the Arctic

Aiyana Powell gliding

Torren laid back into a South Coast peeler

Have you got any travel plans for this year?

Laurie: We normally go on a really cold water trip somewhere each year to test wetsuits. So planning that and otherwise, like everyone, just doing the work / life balance, juggling kids and looking forward to some winter waves at home.

Ryan on a 7'6 single fin

Minus 15 and offshore

What are the future plans for needessentials?

Ryan: Just keep trying to make the best possible wetsuits - that’s our focus, we just want to be great at that. There are no big plans other than focus on designing and having fun making a few surf films. Other than that, like everyone we just try and find a nice balance between working, being with family and getting plenty of time in the ocean. We are just grateful for everyone that has purchased a needessentials wetsuit and helped create an independent surf company - without your trust, we would not exist.

Torren helping test new materials and designs

Thank you to all our loyal need essentials customers for the ongoing support