Photo: Girlfriend Collective
Eco-friendly and sustainable fashion is trending and for the right reasons. There are now more brands than ever that desire to protect the planet while wrapping us up in stylish threads.
Eco-friendly swimwear is no exception. After all, it’s very much part of our wardrobe. But whether you’re heading to the beach or lounging by a pool, your swimwear can unknowingly harm the environment due to the fabrics they’re made of.
In fact, regular swimsuits are fabricated from petroleum oil-based synthetic materials like nylon, spandex and polyester. These materials are not biodegradable and shed microplastics when washed, making their way into our oceans and infiltrating the food chain.
Recycled and eco-swimwear have become the new alternative to synthetic swimwear. These sustainable options are either made with plant-based fabrics or recycled materials. Here’s our pick of 16 eco-swimwear brands from around the world.
KYND
Did you know that the majority of plastic found in oceans comes from rivers and coastlines? To stop this from happening and prevent ocean pollution, KYND, founded by French Vegan (and abillion power member, Laure Guilbaud) has made its mission to stop plastic before it gets into our oceans by using it to create luxurious swimwear.
Plus, 10% of the profits go to Sungai Watch, whose mission is to stop the flow of plastic into the oceans by developing innovative technologies.
KYND’s sustainable and elegant swimsuits draw inspiration from French aesthetics, making each piece timeless in its design and colours. To further reduce waste, each collection is produced in low quantities.
ColieCo
From bras, to panties, to bodysuits to swimwear: ColieCo is putting on the market all kinds of sustainable products. All items are made from recycled materials and sustainable natural fibres, but that’s not all.
ColieCo works with local manufacturers in Europe to limit the transit of materials and reduce air pollution.
Do Good Swimwear
What started as a normal surfing day, ended with an ethical and sustainable business idea. While surfing, the faces behind Do Good Swimwear ended up removing pieces of plastic from their bodies.
Suddenly, the urge to create something good for our planet, us, and the animals living in it kicked in.
These colorful and long-lasting swimsuits are made from recycled plastic bottles and consumer waste found in our oceans.
Underprotection
“Ethics with aesthetics”, is Underprotection’s mission: designing beautiful swimwear and producing it ethically. This label not only uses recycled plastic but also uses banana fibers, and TENCEL LYOCEL fibers, known for their natural feel.
Underprotection is dedicated to changing the world, and thanks to its involvement and programs, it’s definitely leaving a mark. To further reduce waste the take-back program allows you to send back your worn-out products and receive a reward.
Patagonia50
Looking to buy from a brand dedicated to saving the world as much as you? Well we have the perfect match.
Patagonia50 not only produces swimwear made ethically and sustainably but it is also a true activist, with the mission to fight the climate crisis thanks to numerous campaigns.
Photo: Patagonia50
NIKIN
Sustainability is at the heart of NIKIN, which constantly works to improve and make even greener choices.
Speaking of green, Nikin is dedicated to repopulating the planet with trees. To do so, the label uses a percentage of each sale to plant trees together with dedicated organizations.
This means that with your swimsuit purchase, a tree is about to be planted in the world.
Wild About Collective
Waste is not an option for Wild About Collective, or, even better, waste will not be wasted: it will be collected from the ocean and land, and then be regenerated to create ECONYL, which is the fabric they use.
The label seeks sustainability also in the companies and partners it works with as they need to meet Wild About Collective’s ethical choices.
LONDRE
Did you know that about eight million pieces of plastic end up in oceans every day? Londre is a Canadian brand that looks to solve the plastic problem by making swimsuits from plastic collected in the streets and oceans. Their one-piece numbers are made from at least six recycled plastic bottles found in Vancouver alone.
The company has recycled over 200,000 plastic bottles since it was founded in 2017. It uses textiles that are Oeko Tex 100 certified while customers can opt to up-cycle their used garments. There’s also a Repair Program to repair any damaged pieces within the first year from purchase.
Galamaar
If you’re looking for timeless swimwear that fits like a glove and made with environmentally sound fabrics, then Los Angeles-based Galamaar is for you. The brand was founded in 2017 by designer Blakely Wickstrom and is known for using nylon from discarded fishing nets. It also utilizes recycled hang tags, regenerated mixed metal hardware, and eco-friendly packaging.
Hakea
Australia-based Hakea’s recycled swimwear releases only four collections per year to reduce the excesses of the swimwear industry. The brand is known for its pieces made using Econyl, or nylon that’s been recasted from fishing nets, discarded ocean plastics and fabric mill scraps.
Orders are packed in re-usable calico bags while packages are 100 percent biodegradable by way of compostable corn starch postage satchels and labelled with non-toxic ink. It also donates one percent of its annual sales to For The Planet, a non-profit that works towards conserving our natural spaces.
Girlfriend Collective
Girlfriend Collective may be known for its activewear but it launched a sustainable swimwear collection for women of all sizes in early 2021. The collection is made from Econyl and features eight designs printed using eco-friendly dyes. That includes everything from bikinis to a timeless one-shoulder one-piece in sizes that range from XXS to 6XL.
Bonobos
This men’s label doesn’t only have handsome suits, button-downs and polos, it also makes some of the freshest swimsuits. The Bonobos Riviera Recycled Swim Trunks range is not only stylish and vibrantly designed, it’s also eco-friendly being made entirely out of recycled polyester.
Outerknown
Photo: Outerknown
It’s hard to go wrong with Surf pro-Kelly Slater’s clothing brand Outerknown for its board shorts. But the range of Apex Trunks are also a choice pick for being made from recycled or renewable fibers. In fact, each pair of trunks is made out of 10 to 12 plastic bottles. Keep a look out for its range of trunks that include Nomadic Volleys, Tasty Scallops, and Adventure Shorts that are all made with four-way stretched recycled or renewable fibers which are certified Fair Trade.
BOLD Swim
Bold Swim is unique for using Amni Soul Eco®- a polyamide yarn that composts in five years when disposed of in landfills. Synthetics in comparison, take more than 50 years. In addition, the brand is size-inclusive going up to 3XL. There is no animal testing here and each eco-swimsuit is packaged in compostable bags.
Vitamin A
Photo: Vitamin A
