If you are aware of the negative impact that the fashion industry has on the environment then it’s likely you are somebody who tries to shop sustainably.
As with any type of clothing, when shopping for swimwear, you have the choice to purchase ethically or unethically.
You should be aware of which swimwear brands are most ethical and which materials your bikini or swimsuit should be made from.
In this post, we’ll take you through our favourite eco-friendly swimwear suppliers and show you which sustainable materials you need to look out for when shopping for your next swimsuit.
We’ll also provide answers to common questions and misconceptions relating to ethical swimwear and certain ethical swimwear brands.
Sustainable Swimwear Explained
The factors below explain how and why we have chosen the brands you’ll find in this post.
If you’d like to see our list of eco-friendly swimwear brands, just scroll down to see our choices.
Firstly, however, we feel it is only right to explain what actually makes a swimwear product ‘sustainable’ and ‘eco-safe.’
Materials
Eco-safe swimwear products should be made by companies that use recycled, often post-consumer products.
These can include (but are not limited to) plastic fishing nets and recycled plastic bottles, which help to make clothing and textiles.
Workers Conditions
Furthermore, an ethical bath suit should be produced at responsible factories. That it to say, factories which minimise pollution from production and pay workers adequately.
Maintainance
Most swimsuit brands should offer advice about how to wash the products.
For example, a number of ethical companies will sell a special soap or recommend a mild detergent for use with most eco-friendly swimsuits.
Ethical Swimwear Brands
Zoggs – A lifetime warranty
Zoggs is an ethical swimwear supplier which provides a lifetime guarantee that’s available at all high street retailers.
Its products are made from post-consumer plastics in ethical factories, which they claim to have minimal impact the surrounding environment.
Its ethical swimwear range, Zoggs Organics Swim Shop, is manufactured from mainly organic materials and ensures ethical manufacturing through labour-practice certification.
Its ethical swimwear range also benefits women in developing countries by providing them with a sustainable income and empowering them to become self-sufficient.
Boden
Boden is a high-end ethical clothing company. The company offers ethical swimwear in both bikinis and one-piece suits.
Boden ethical swimwear is unique in the fact that it’s designed to be reversible, allowing for more than two different looks with each suit.
Boden also offers suit separates, so consumers can mix and match patterns and styles if desired.
The swimsuits are made from ECONYLE® fabrics as well as a collection of empty fishing bags salvaged from the water.
Boden is based in London, England, perfect you local U.K readers!
Patagonia
For the past five years, Patagonia has committed about half of its revenues to conservation of the environment.
A brand devoted to fitness and ethical fashion, Patagonia provides bikinis and sustainable swimsuits all year round.
Patagonia products are made from recycled polyester, organic cotton, and in some cases a recycled polyester/cotton blend.
The swimsuits that Patagonia makes do not contain any toxic or unnecessary chemicals like chlorine or formaldehyde, which can be found in many conventional swimsuits.
Patagonia’s ethical fashion is made with mostly natural fabric, without using any slave labor.
The company guarantees that they work closely with their organic cotton suppliers to ensure that ethical farming practices are followed.
They also ensure that there is enough money for the ethical farmers to live well and treat their workers fairly.
To be more ethical, Patagonia encourages the recycling of its products.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A swimwear is themed around the glamorous beach atmosphere of the 1970s.
The clothing is manufactured in the USA. The materials used include recycled nylon and organic cotton.
Vitamin A does not use any animal products in the manufacturing process, which makes their swimwear ethical.
The brand also donates one percent of its annual profits to schools in need across America.
We like the fact that Vitamin A partakes in water-saving techniques when manufacturing.
You’ll also receive any orders in packaging that is completely recyclable or biodegradable.
We would recommend Vitamin A ethical swimwear to those who are looking for vibrant, affordable ethical swimsuits.
Deakin & Blue
Deakin & Blue is another brand that offers feel-good, ethical swimwear for women in a range of sizes.
As specified in their sustainability pledge, their swimwear is made of a 100% regenerated nylon fibre made from post-sonsumer waste such as old fishing nets and industrial plastic.
Deakin & Blue also uses environmental dyes and prints that are AZO-free and low-impact.
All of its swimwear is marketed by a limited London production facility and supplied by Oekotex certified suppliers.
They ensure all items that come from the package are recycled and totally reusable.
Jessica Rey Swimwear
Jessica Rey Swimwear is feminine but playful.
Made in the USA, the company uses recyclable products that are environmentally friendly, as well as sustainable fabrics such as bamboo and cotton.
Bamboo is a highly sustainable fabric because it grows quickly and does not require fertilizers or pesticides.
Cotton is also environmentally friendly because it is a natural fiber and can be recycled.
The Jessica Rey Swimwear line features high-quality, stylish swimsuits that are perfect for your summer holidays.
Merchandise and accessories include children’s swim clothes, swimsuits and tankinis.
Furthermore, the brand’s swimwear is manufactured from luxurious Italian cotton with 100% recycled textile products — including fishnets.
Youswim
Youswim is…you guessed it – another online sustainable clothing company.
The company’s products are eco friendly, sustainable, and made from recycled materials.
Youswim also has a sustainable shoe line called Youshooves!
Its swimwear line is made of ECONYL, a regenerated nylon fiber made from post-consumer waste like old fishing nets and other discarded materials.
We like Youswim because their swimwear is stylish and sustainable.
Is Youswim sustainable?
Yes, Youswim is sustainable. They use fabrics that are made from recycled materials such as old fishing nets and other discarded materials.
They also plant a tree for every item of swimwear sold. This ensures the longevity of the planet while simultaneously saving trees and preserving our forests – an absolute win/win situation!
RubyMoon – The Best to Go Swimming
RubyMoon is committed to sustainability in all aspects of their business.
All of their fabrics are made from sustainable materials that are sourced and manufactured in an environmentally friendly way.
They also use recycled and recyclable packaging.
Since the brand only uses sustainable materials, they also ensure that their production is sustainable.
They provide assistance to day-laborers and poor rural communities by giving work opportunities through sustainable development projects.
This ensures that you can feel good about your purchase knowing that it has helped these people who are in need of sustainable employment.
The swimwear available at RubyMoon includes bikinis, tankinis, one-pieces, and cover-ups.
Batoko – A more affordable option
Batoko is a sustainable swimwear brand that creates pieces from sustainable materials.
They make bikinis, one pieces, and swimsuits in a sustainable manner for an eco-friendly world of fashion.
Their swimwear is made from sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, and recycled polyamide.
Batoko has a ‘no plastic, no PVC’ rule for their production, rejecting any toxic chemical materials that are hazardous to the environment.
Furthermore, Batoko offers a repair service to help extend the life of your swimwear.
Outerknown
Outerknown is a sustainable fashion brand that creates clothes made from recycled plastic and a range of sustainable materials.
The company has a transparency policy, which means that they disclose the factories where their clothes are made.
Some of the brand’s most popular wearers include athletes such as Michael Phelps and Serena Williams.
Outerknown caters for all sizes, from S-XL.
You can be sure that when you buy Outerknown swimwear, you’re supporting sustainable fashion and responsible practices.
Girlfriend Collective
Girlfriend Collective is a sustainable fashion brand that offers ethical swimwear to conscious shoppers.
The brand uses recycled materials to create its swimwear. In addition, Girlfriend Collective plants a tree for every garment that it sells.
In order to reduce its carbon footprint, Girlfriend Collective uses sustainable materials including recycled polyester, sustainable water-based dyes, and sustainable packaging.
The style at Girlfriend Collective is contemporary and minimalist. The swimsuits are designed to fit a range of body types. The brand also offers a wide range of colors and patterns.
Summersalt
Summersalt is another eco-friendly brand we’d like to discuss.
Its swimsuits and bikinis are manufactured out of recycled materials which (according to the brand) offer more strength than any other swimwear material.
The fabric is also a four-way stretch which will keep you comfortable whether you’re hitting the beach or the pool.
How sustainable is Summersalt?
What’s more, a portion of every Summersalt purchase goes to supporting clean water initiatives around the world.
The fabrics used by Summersalt come from reclaimed spandex and recycled polyester.
These materials are a direct result of a partnership with a company that invests in sustainable manufacturing methods.
What’s more, every item purchased at Summersalt contributes to their Clean Water Initiative.
This helps to provide sustainable sanitation, safe drinking water, best agricultural practices and optimal living conditions internationally.
The brand has a transparent and sustainable supply chain which you can read more about on their website.
Reformation
Traditionally, Reformation swimwear was produced through the use of recycled materials, namely polyester fabrics and ECONYL.
ECONYL is a sustainable material created using regenerated fishing nets and other nylon plastic waste.
In 2015, Reformation introduced its sustainable swimwear line, which forgoes the use of ECONYL, in favour of BIONIC.
BIONIC is made from recycled bottles and requires less energy to produce than cotton-based fabrics.
Reformation also has a policy that ensures that they do not work with manufacturers who use child labour in overseas factories (which is often how sustainable fashion brands end up doing harm).
The brand states on its site: ‘We will never place profit over people or the environment again’.
This ethos behind Reformation’s sustainable clothing lines makes them an excellent choice when shopping sustainable fashion.
Adidas – Perfect if you like classics
As is obvious, Adidas is not necessarily an eco-friendly brand.
However, they are one of several major companies have taken steps towards sustainability, recognising the importance of doing so.
Some of the steps Adidas has taken towards sustainability include the use of sustainable materials, such as recycled cotton and recycled nylon, in their swimwear products.
They have also created a reusable swim and beach dress collection.
The company now offers a varied selection of environmentally conscious bikinis. The three stripes collection is one of the main classics for their eco-friendly swimwear products (mainly constructed using recycled fabrics such as recycled cotton and recycled nylon).
A variety of reusable swim and beach dresses are also available.
Londre
Londre began when its founders, two sisters, became frustrated with the lack of sustainable fashion options available to them.
They wanted to create a brand that would provide stylish and sustainable swimwear for women of all shapes and sizes.
All of Londre’s swimwear is made from sustainable materials like ECONYL yarn, which is made from recycled fishnets and other waste materials.
Sézane
Sézane is another one of our eco swimwear brands of choice, offering sustainable swimwear for women.
They only use sustainable fabrics in their designs.
The best part of choosing sustainable swimwear from Sézane is that the company donates 10% of their net profits to organisations that are also committed to sustainable practices.
This allows for customers to feel great about their purchase because they know that they helped make a difference in some way, shape, or form.
Sészane’s apparels are created by certified fabric producers in Tunisia.
The fabrics are handcrafted using sustainable practices, which ensures that the people creating them are able to make a sustainable income, as well.
Sézane also plants trees for every product they sell; sustainable fashion couldn’t get any better than this!
FAQs Relating to Sustainable Swimwear Brands & Materials
In this section, we’ll take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions relating to sustainable swim brands and the materials they use.
We’ll also provide clarity to common misconceptions relating to fair trade and the environmental impact that brands have on the environment when crafting swimwear made from recycled products.
Can swimwear be eco-friendly?
Yes, swimwear can definitely be eco-friendly.
The term “eco-friendly” is used to describe products or services that have a low impact on the environment.
This can include products made of sustainable materials, as well as products that have been designed to reduce energy consumption.
As we have seen in this article, there are a lot of sustainable swimwear brands out there that produce high-quality swimwear made of sustainable materials.
What are sustainable bathing suits made of?
Some of the most sustainable materials for swimwear include recycled polyester, tencel, and bamboo.
Many sustainable swimwear brands also use recycled plastic bottles, recycled fishing nets and other ocean waste to produce their products.
So, when shopping for your next bikini or swimming trunks, be sure to look for these materials.
These are the Eco-Friendly Swimwear Fabrics To Know
Let’s look at three.
Econyl
Econyl is a recycled, sustainable nylon fiber made from post-consumer waste, such as fishing nets and other discarded materials.
It can be used to create swimwear, activewear, and even lingerie.
Tencel
Another sustainable fabric for swimwear is tencel. Tencel is a sustainable fabric made from the cellulose of sustainably grown trees.
It’s known for being soft, strong, and moisture-wicking, making it perfect for swimwear.
Bamboo – Discover the benefits of Bamboo
Bamboo is another sustainable fabric that’s often used in swimwear. Bamboo is a sustainable grass that grows quickly and doesn’t require much water or fertilizer to grow.
What makes bamboo so great for swimwear is its natural antibacterial properties, which help keep you cool and dry.
Are ethical swimwear brands still ethical if they are not sustainable?
Some ethical swimwear brands do not use sustainable materials because it’s too expensive.
They make ethical choices by paying their employees a fair wage, only creating their product at responsible factories, and minimizing the pollution during production.
Summarising What we Know about Ethical Swimwear
We’ve covered a lot in this article. Let’s recap on the main points.
- Ethical swimwear brands are aplenty, and most of them are sustainable.
- We have shown you 15 swimwear brands from which to purchase your next swimsuit or garment.
- Materials to look for when shopping include recycled polyester, tencel, and bamboo.
- You should look for items made of sustainable materials such as recycled plastics bottles, fishing nets, and other ocean waste.
- High-quality swimwear costs more than fast fashion, but you are reducing the environmental impact that fast fashion has each year.
We hope you have found this article useful and that you now feel confident when shopping for ethical swimwear.
It would mean a lot to us if you could shre this article with friends. Well done for shopping sustainably!
