Swimming is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the world. More than 400 million people swim recreationally around the globe, and this number continues to grow each year. As a result, sustainable swimming wear brands have seen increased demand for their products.
However, sustainable swimwear can be challenging to find because sustainable clothing companies are often small businesses with limited marketing budgets that are not always well-known among consumers.
The best way to find sustainable swimwear is by consulting online retailers or contacting the company directly if you know which brand you’re interested in purchasing from before looking elsewhere.
This article will explore some of the most sustainable brands to help sustainable swimming wear companies grow and reach a wider audience.
Let’s get started:
Can swimwear be sustainable?
Swimmers are increasingly looking for sustainable swimwear. There has been a surge in sustainable swimwear brands as people become more conscientious of their environmental impact;
They use recycled materials, such as post-consumer plastics and fishing nets, to create their swimsuits. Sustainable clothing is eco-friendly, but it also looks good and lasts long. If you’re looking for a new swimsuit this summer, check out some of these sustainable brands!
Why sustainable swimwear is important
Sustainable swimwear is important because it helps to protect the environment. The textile industry is one of the most polluting industries globally, and the production of conventional swimwear often involves the use of harmful chemicals and synthetic materials.
On the other hand, ethical swimwear brands use sustainable materials and manufacturing methods that have a minimal impact on the environment. In addition to helping to protect the environment, sustainable swimwear also helps reduce waste, and most brands use recycled materials, which means less waste is produced during the manufacturing process.
Finally, sustainable swimwear is important because it supports sustainable businesses, helps recycle ocean waste, and reduces carbon emissions.
Here are some of the best sustainable swimwear brands we could find for him and her.
Outerknown
Who says being sustainable can’t be stylish?
Outerknown is the perfect brand for anyone who wants to look good and feel good about what they’re wearing. All of their clothes are made with sustainability in mind so that you can wear them with a clear conscience.
You’ll love the fun, trendy designs from Outerknown – and you can feel good knowing that your purchase helped support ethical practices. Check out their collection today and see for yourself!
1. Outerknown
For: Men
Material: Organic, recycled, or regenerated material. 100% of the clothes are made with recycled or renewable fibers.
Labour Practices: Outerknown was the first brand to pursue Fair Labor Association accreditation before ever shipping a product.
Value: Organic, Fair Trade, Recycled Plastic
From: USA, California
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
Patagonia is one of our favorite eco swimwear brands that deals in all manner of sustainable outdoor clothing. That includes their athletic-inspired ethical swimwear for men and environmentally friendly bikinis for women, including wetsuits, trunks, bikinis, and one piece.
Toss something from their recycled nylon swimwear collection in your sustainable backpack and hit the trail to dive into some stunning lakes in the remote backcountry.
2. Patagonia
For: Men and Women
Material: Organic, recycled, or regenerated material. Some
Labour Practices: Some of Patagonia’s supply chain is certified by FLA Workplace Code of Conduct and Fair Trade USA
Value: Recycled, Give Back, Organic, B corp, 1% for the planet.
From: USA, California
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
Peninsula Swimwear
It’s a fact that the world is drowning in plastic waste. But did you know that your old swimsuit can be turned into a brand new one? That’s right! And it doesn’t just look good on you – it looks good on the environment too!
Their line of eco-friendly swim shorts is made with high-quality recycled fabrics, so they feel great to wear and won’t harm our oceans or marine life.
If you want to do something for yourself and save the planet simultaneously, check out our recycled swimwear collection today!
For: Men
Material: Recycled Polyester, Lino (biodegradable and naturally sustainable fiber).
Packaging: Organic Cotton
Value: Organic, Recycled Polyester, Works with WWF and Marevivo.
From: Italy
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
Vitamin A
Amahlia worked on a design project with Patagonia founder and environmentalist Yvon Chouinard, whose company’s use of recycled plastic bottles in their technical textiles sparked her desire to do the same in the swimwear market.
However, she was informed by fabric producers that there was “no market” for ethical bikini brands composed of recycled fibers, so she decided to develop the cloth herself. Working with the finest mills in Italy, Canada and California to produce EcoLuxTM — the first premium swim fabric created from recycled nylon fibers and a socially responsible eco-friendly sustainable swimwear brand was born.
Since then, the firm has added additional eco-friendly textiles including organic cotton, linen, recycled cotton, and Tencel® to its list of sustainable high-performance fabrics. All materials have been examined and certified to Oeko-Tex International’s global standard for safe textiles.
For: Women
Material: Uses a variety of new eco-materials made from recycled nylon to plant-based fibers.
Value: Organic Cotton, OEKO-TEX® Certified, Biodegradable
From: USA, California
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
About: Incredible skincare products.
Ingredients: 100% vegan and cruelty-free ingredients
Packaging: Refillable glass containers and pouches.
Value: Donates 5% of their revenue to environmental advocacy.
From: California, US
Shipping: worldwide
Available at: Activist, Earthhero, Zerowastestore
Loop Swimwear
Loop swimwear is a sustainable swimwear brand created with the mission to help protect the environment.
The company uses recycled materials such as recycled fishing nets and manufacturing methods that have a minimal impact on the environment.
Loop Swim is made with a high percentage of recycled materials, implementing wastewater reduction initiatives to minimize packaging. Its use of eco-friendly materials limits the number of chemicals, water, and wastewater used in production.
It certifies that the company pays a living wage at the end of production. It tracks all of its supply chains to ensure that it is free of child labor.
For: Men, Women, and Kids
Material: Made from recycled PET plastic bottles
Labour Practices: Code of Conduct that covers all of the ILO Four Fundamental Freedoms principles.
Value: Fair Trade, Recycled Plastic
From: China
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$
Charlie Mae Swimwear
Charlie Mae is an independent, small business that deeply cares for our environment and community.
Charlie Mae Swimwear is a sustainable swimwear company that creates sustainable and ethical bikinis, one-pieces, and wetsuits. They use sustainable materials in their garments, such as recycled plastics and sustainable artificial fibers.
The company’s goal is to help fight against the pollution of our oceans by using sustainable materials like recycled plastics or sustainable artificial fiber. The company also donates 1% of all proceeds to various global nonprofits that protect the environment!
For: Women
Material: Recycled and sustainable fabrics from fishing nets and nylon waste and even carpet fluff
Value: Organic, Fair Trade, Recycled Plastic
From: Australia
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$
Miga Swimwear
In a world where sustainable products are becoming more and more popular, it’s no surprise that sustainable swimwear is one of the fastest-growing industries.
Miga Swimwear offers an incredible selection of sustainable swimwear made with post-consumer polyamide yarns and regenerated waste fabric, like fishing nets and carpets.
Made in Los Angeles and sent to you in sustainable packaging. Miga comes with so many different styles to choose from; you’ll be sure to find the perfect swimsuit for you!
For: Women and Plus-Sizes
Material: Organic, recycled, or regenerated material. 100% of the clothes are made with recycled or renewable fibers.
Value: Organic, Fair Trade, Recycled Plastic Bottles
From: USA, California
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
Natasha Tonic
Natasha tonic creates swimwear out of natural fibers like hemp and organic cotton. This eco-friendly swimwear line is made with sustainable practices in mind.
Creating swimwear from hemp fiber not only helps the environment but also helps to support sustainable agriculture. They use only nontoxic dyes and manufacture locally to reduce carbon emissions.
Natasha Tonics factory is in Los Angeles, and it started as a family-owned business. They create in small batches, and some designs even need to be preordered.
The bathing suit is made from a blend of hemp, certified organic cotton, and 4% Lycra. The fabric is fair trade and pays a living wage to its workers in China.
For: Women
Material: Organic, recycled, or regenerated material. 100% of the clothes are made with recycled or renewable fibers.
Labour Practices: Final production is undertaken in the USA = a low risk of labor abuse.
Value: Organic, Fair Wear Foundation,
From: Los Angeles
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
Londre
Londre uses a minimum of 6 recycled plastic bottles in each of their bathing suits.
This sustainable swimwear line is made from recycled fiber, which takes less energy and water to produce.
Londre’s sustainable swimsuits are also produced in a way that produces little to no waste.
They have a recycling program for all their suits and a repair program that you can use in the first year of purchase.
For: Women and plus size
Material: recycled, or regenerated material. 100% of the clothes are made with recycled or renewable fibers.
Labour Practices: All made in Vancouver BC, with sewers paid above a living wage.
Value: OEKO tex 100 certified, Recycled Plastic Bottles
From: Canada
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
Kampos
Is a Swiss-based clothing company with high sustainable ethics. They focus on making all their swimwear out of 100% recycled plastic. The company produces sustainable bathing suits and shorts in Italy. It has a Code of Conduct that covers all of the ILO Four Fundamental Freedoms principles.
This sustainable brand doesn’t use any virgin plastic in its manufacturing line and makes some stylish-looking bathing suits from recycled nylon.
For: Men, Women, Infants and Plus size
Material: Organic, recycled nylon or regenerated material. 100% of the clothes are made with recycled or renewable fibers.
Labour Practices: Code of Conduct covered all four fundamentals.
Value: Organic, Fair Trade, Recycled
From: Switzerland
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
Marda Swimwear
MARDA is a Danish company that designs high-quality, long-lasting swimwear from ocean plastic – committed to creating a better world by employing the finest Japanese fabric technology to create durable surf shorts.
Their goal is to discover the balance between design and plastic to produce environmentally responsible swim trunks with the most advanced Japanese textiles.
For: Men
Material: 100% recycled material from ocean plastic.
Labour Practices:
Value: Recycled Nylon
From: Denmark
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $$$
Discount Code: 30% off with code MARDA30
Here is a list of a couple of brands that aren’t doing enough to be on this list.
prana, wolven, sian swimwear (its a start)
avoid lively,
everyone, summer salt (not good enough)
What Fabrics are used for sustainable swimsuits?
There are a few key things to look for when determining if a swimsuit is sustainable. The most important thing to consider is the fabric used to make the garment, and some eco-friendly fabrics include organic cotton, recycled polyester, and Tencel.
Econyl regenerated nylon is the perfect fabric for your next swimsuit. It’s made from ocean waste, mainly discarded fishing nets and discarded clothing, but also old carpets. That is then turned back into nylon called econyl. So you can feel good about wearing it! And not only that, but this fabric has some great benefits too. For example, it dries quickly and doesn’t absorb water or chlorine. So you won’t have to worry about feeling wet all day long!
However, Econyl ( recycled polyester) is still plastic, releasing microfibers if washed in a machine. To make sure your clothes last as long as possible, wash your swimsuits only by hand and in cold water.
Another factor to consider is how the swimsuit was manufactured. Ethical swimwear brands often use sustainable methods such as dyeing and printing with natural dyes, low-impact production processes, and sourcing recycled materials.
Repreve is created from recycled plastic bottles that have been gathered in areas where there’s a likelihood of them ending up in the sea. That means they’re collected in nations with bad recycling technology/facilities.
The company behind Repreve is Unifi. They have been creating recycled fabric from plastic bottles for quite some time now and have collected over 30 million plastic bottles.
This might be hard to believe Hemp, but hemp is one of the most eco-friendly fabrics. Brands are utilizing this material to make sustainable swimsuits. Hemp fabric is strong and durable, absorbs moisture well, resists wrinkles, and has a naturally cool feel.
Additionally, hemp grows without pesticides and herbicides and is sustainable in that it can be harvested multiple times per year.
Yulex is the neoprene alternative, and it’s created from plant-based sources.
Yulex is sustainable because it reduces the need for neoprene harvested from petroleum, which has a large carbon footprint associated with its manufacture.
The only downside to Yulex is that it can have a slight greenish tinge, so you’ll have to be careful when choosing colors for your sustainable bathers.
Amni® Soul Eco Amni® Soul Eco is the world’s first biodegradable yarn. It has an enhanced polyamide 6.6 formula that allows clothes made with this material to quickly decompose after being properly discarded by you or your family members – keeping both their durability in mind while still offering them all of those comfort benefits like easy care and ship!
Carvico’s VitapLT by VitaPL is our high-performance, long-lasting technological fabric composed of polyester. It is ideal for transferring printing since it is 100% recycled polyester from pre and post-consumer waste.
The high colorfastness values of Vita PL make it ideal for the production of swimwear that is resistant to chlorine, suntan lotions and oils, and long-lasting sports clothing.
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