The history behind Matunas surf wax started in 1999, with the concept of making a surf wax that contained organic ingredients that were from local areas in California, since we were based out of Santa Cruz, California. I wanted to use materials that were biodegradable and non-toxic, as well as using a label that utilized recycled materials and soy based inks. With a background in the environmental field, from UC Santa Cruz, I was able to make a surf wax by trial and error, and gathering research from local candle makers.

The operation was first based out of the kitchen of the house I was renting at the time in Santa Cruz, California. I would buy the ingredients in bulk and start cooking them on the stove. At the time, I was using old tuna cans as the mold and would coat the bottom with vegetable oil. This is how the name Matunas was born, by combining my last name Mattoon, and the tuna cans I was using for packaging. I would then get plastic type of Pringles lids and pop them on the top of the tuna cans. Finally I would place a sticker on them, and the product was complete.

I would pass them out to local surf shops, let my friends test out the wax in the water, and eventually Matunas evolved into a larger operation. We have discontinued the tuna can, due to more waste, and use a recycled paper with soybean ink to wrap around the wax, where our wax is now a square bar. The bars are two triangles that come together to form a square. I wanted something that had clean edges and would be easy to break off for a surf session. Most of the ingredients we use are still the same: beeswax, tree sap, jasmine plants, and riverbed clay, consistently make up Matunas Wax. Every now and then there is a different smell we have added, like pumpkin, or raspberry for example.

Overall, Matunas has taken about 8 years of research development and constant testing by both surfers and chemists. We have relocated out of Santa Cruz, California and now our operation is based out of Sunset Beach, California. We have five types of wax, basecoat, cold, cool, warm, and tropical depending on the temperature of your local break. Matunas Wax is very sticky and bumps up great while remaining tacky after surf sessions.



Support your environment and Surfwise, make your next wax purchase from the Surfwise Surf Shop.