Sustainable swim wear

Sustainable Swimsuit Options To Dive Into In 2021

First of all, you should know that it's a lot easier to find a sustainable T-shirt or hoodie than it is a sustainable suit.

That's because our swimmers need to repel water, so they can't be made from cotton, hemp, or any other plant-based fabric that will absorb moisture (though a few small designers are now experimenting with crochet suits made from natural yarns).

Instead, swimsuits are often made from nylon (also known as polyamide) or polyester—two of the worst fabrics for the environment due to the amount of water, chemicals, and energy that goes into them and their lack of biodegradability.

These synthetic fibers also leech tiny pieces of microplastics when they are agitated or come in contact with water (so, any time we go for a swim or do laundry).

Microplastics can now be found throughout our oceans, and while their long-term effects on aquatic life are unknown, "the plastic becomes a platform for concentrated pollutants, which would otherwise be diluted in the water" marine microplastics researcher Dimitri Deheyn, Ph.D., previously told mbg of their potential risks.

Barring some major innovations, our swimsuits are going to shed plastic for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, we can at least opt for ones made from recycled materials. Synthetic, moisture-friendly fabrics can either be made from virgin (new) petroleum-based materials or ones that already exist and have been broken down and spun into yarn. Recycled yard cuts down on the need for raw materials to be extracted from the earth and, depending on where their plastic material is retrieved from, they keep plastic waste out of the landfill or ocean.

These two recycled fabrics are the most common in swimwear:

ECONYL: Made from nylon recovered from old fishing nets, fabric scraps, or other forms of industrial waste

Repreve: Made from recycled plastic materials, including plastic bottles

If sustainability is important to you, you'll also want to buy from a company that is transparent about its supply chain. Using recycled materials isn't enough: A truly environmentally friendly company will treat its garment workers fairly, pay them a living wage, and provide them safe working conditions.

Takings steps to reduce and offset carbon emissions, running operations on renewable energy, and shipping in recyclable or biodegradable packaging are added bonuses for swimwear brands.

Based on these criteria, the following companies are leading the way in earthfriendly suits this year:

Summersalt

Summersalt is a direct-to-consumer swimwear company that was founded in 2017 and has since started selling sleepwear and activewear too. Their suits are made from 78% recycled material; 22% is virgin (new) elastane. The company has found that this combo makes for a more durable and long-lasting suit; a sustainability perk in its own right.

Otherwild

Otherwild's Hirsuits are androgynous onepiece swimsuits designed for a range of bodies and gender identities. Inspired by early 20th-century swim costumes, these unlined suits are made from an 82% recycled polyester, 18% spandex blend and come in sizes ranging from XS to 4XL.

Fair Harbor

Siblings Jake and Caroline Danehy started Fair Harbor as an ode to the beach that they grew up on. Disheartened to see plastic waste watch up on its shores, the duo designed a mesh-free boardshort made from recycled plastic material, with 12 plastic bottles to a pair. They come in a variety of colors and styles depending on activity level, and the company offers a recycling program for old suits.