8 Best Sustainable Swimwear Brands for a Guilt-free Swim

Giada Nizzoli

8 Best Sustainable Swimwear Brands for a Guilt-free Swim

Are you after a new bathing suit to make the most of your pool, sunbathe in the garden or reconnect with the sea as soon as the lockdown is over? That’s great… except that traditional swimwear is actually terrible for the environment! Because of its water-repellent requirements, most swimwear is made of petroleum-based synthetic materials: their production has a bad environmental footprint and they either take decades to decompose in landfills or make it back to the ocean… not in a good way! 

Worry not, though: we’ve found the best sustainable swimwear brands that have come up with creative solutions to this problem. Let’s dive into this list!

8 of the very best sustainable swimwear brands

ALOHAS - On-demand swimwear

alohas

The Spanish brand Alohas started out with only shoes, but now has a full clothing collection including swimwear. They are reïnventing how the fashion industry works by producing on demand. The first people that order get an early bird discount and if you wait longer you can buy it for full retail price.

Anekdot - the upcycling solution

Anekdot - Upcycled sustainable swimwear

This German brand ensures a delightful fusion between nostalgia and modern comfort whilst helping reduce waste. Instead of producing new fabrics, they only use upcycled materials and leftovers from other brands, such as off-cuts, deadstock, ends of lines, or vintage trimmings. Basically, each piece is one of a kind!

Plus, their stylish sustainable swimwear is produced in their German factories, where fair working conditions are always guaranteed.

AURAI Swim - game-changing materials to swim in cleaner oceans

Aurai Swim - Eco-conscious swimwear

What if you could reduce waste and help the oceans at the same time? This Australian brand has found a genius way of doing so! They either use 100% biodegradable materials or innovative fabrics like ECONYL®: this nylon-made textiles derive from fishing nets and other recycled plastic that’s been collected from the sea. All of AURAI’s sustainable swimwear pieces are digitally printed in order to save water and chemicals, and delivered with reusable bags in recycled-paper boxes.

AURAI doesn’t disappoint when it comes to working conditions either: designer Natalia Bertolo is adamant in ensuring fair wages and working hours in her Brazil factories, located in her hometown.

Demalou - swimwear for the active woman

Demalou swimwear

If you want to look good in your bikini, but also move around a lot; surf, swim, and run around, not every swimwear brand might be for you. Demalou swimwear is made with the active woman in mind. The swimwear is made under fair working conditions in Portugal and they also use the sustainable material ECONYL®.

League Collective - a multifunctional piece

League Collective - Multi-functional swimwearThis London-based clothing brand values versatility and sustainability above everything else: they have a very selected range of functional clothes that can be used for different occasions or sports, such as their practical bodysuit that can be worn as a yoga or dance outfit as well as a bathing suit. 

Their items help reduce waste by using 100% recycled fabrics, and League Collective always ensures fair working conditions in their central London factory.

RubyMoon - an empowering sisterhood

RubyMoon - Ethical swimwear

This award-winning brand really cares about both people and nature! 100% of their net profit is destined to micro-loans for female entrepreneurs in developing countries to help them invest in their future and turn their vision into reality.

As for the environmental side of things, we want to send them a virtual high-five: their garments are made from ECONYL®, are 100% vegan, and OEKOTEX-certified, meaning that they don’t contain any hazardous substances. Thanks to their innovative and circular approach to production, they emit 42% less CO2 than traditional swimwear, and reward returns to reduce waste.

SixtyNinety - made for women by women

SixtyNinety - Ethical and sustainable swimwear

This brand’s sustainable swimwear is entirely produced in a Brazilian factory run by women, all guaranteed fair wages and safe working conditions. They’re also proof that ‘synthetic’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘unsustainable’ if some extra care and innovation are added to the equation! They either use recycled polyester to reduce waste or innovative Fluity CO1, a synthetic fabric that is 100% biodegradable but extremely durable and resistant.

SixtyNinety is also completely vegan, reduces water usage by using a closed-loop, prints digitally, and delivers in recycled plastic or biodegradable packaging. A small brand that makes a big difference!

Woodlike Ocean - For healthy seas

woodlike ocean

Woodlike Ocean loves the ocean, and they are showing that with their swimwear. They make swimwear from ECONYL® and in addition, for the sale of each product, they will donate to "Healthy Seas Initiative" to protect our oceans.

 

Mymarini - Love the planet swimwear

swimwear mymarini

Another beautiful swimwear brand that uses ECONYL®. The brand makes swimwear for surfing and swimming, in bright colours. The items are designed in Hamburg and sewn together in Croatia under fair working conditions.

These sustainable swimwear brands show that a sprinkle of creativity, innovation and genuine care for nature can go a long way, even when producing garments that are traditionally bad for the environment. Splashing great!


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