With summer approaching, it's time to focus on a particular type of clothing: Garments: Swimwear. Be it a bikini, swimsuit, monokini or classic swimming trunks - there are new and exciting ones every year Designs.
Every season, people wonder what swimwear to wear to the pool, lake, or beach as it mostly depends on the latest trends. This year, the trend is sustainable swimwear.
Top Swimwear Trend: Rescue the Ocean
Recently, there has been a shift towards wearing not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally sustainable swimwear. As a result, many brands are now creating fair swimwear that is durable, ecologically friendly, and just as fashionable as traditional options. This trend has moved away from the use of short-lived fast fashion pieces.
Why should Swimwear be Sustainable?
It is widely recognized that the fashion industry has negative impacts on the environment. The industry's activities, such as COXNUMX emissions , resource exploitation, waste production, and water and the wasting of energy, pose a threat to the sustainability of our planet. The production of swimwear is also no exception to these harmful effects.
Many fast fashion brands create numerous new swimwear designs each season to increase their profits. However, these designs are often based on short-lived trends and are of low quality. As a result, they typically only last for a year before being discarded and ending up in landfills where they are burned, causing harm to the environment. Given the current state of climate change, the rise of sustainable swimwear is a positive and crucial trend.
What Exactly Makes Swimwear Sustainable?
When purchasing swimwear, it's important to prioritize sustainability and avoid any negative environmental impact. This applies to swimwear for women, men, and children. If you're seeking ethical swimwear, there are three key factors to consider.
- How was The Swimwear Made?
- How many Collections and How Many Pieces are Produced Each Year?
- What Materials are the Swimwear Made of?
How was The Swimwear Made?
The production of sustainable swimwear contrasts with conventional, environmentally harmful practices in the fashion industry. For example, resources are protected by the processing of previously used materials, and material cycles are closed and the zero waste philosophy tracked.
It's important to note that usingrecycled materials can have a positive impact on the environment by reducing the need for extraction. It's also crucial that the production process prioritizes water and energy efficiency, local production, and ethical working conditions.
How many Collections and How Many Pieces are Produced Each Year?
Sustainable fashion brands typically opt for a limited number of collections per year, which consist of only a handful of pieces. The reason for this is the possibility to guarantee quality and sustainability. It is beneficial to invest more time in developing and refining details, which ultimately leads to a higher quality and durability of the pieces.
Having limited collections is an effective way to prevent the overuse of natural resources and promote environmentally friendly production. This approach can significantly reduce CO2 emissions and send a clear message against mass and overproduction in the fast fashion industry.
Therefore, the fact that craft artists work under fair conditions is a significant, positive effect. In this sense, few collections with limited pieces speak for fair fashion to the planet and people - including sustainable swimwear.
What Materials are the Swimwear Made of?
The question of which materials swimwear is made of often clearly points to its quality and thus its durability. Sustainable swimwear mostly consists of recycled and regenerated materials. This is how resources are protected.
Synthetic fibres may receive criticism, but they are quite durable and elastic, making them a great foundation for recycled swimwear. In fact, sustainable swimwear often incorporates plastic waste from the ocean. Synthetic materials do not decompose and can harm marine life, such as mussels and fish, and ultimately affect the entire food chain. Sustainable swimwear, on the other hand, is environmentally responsible, of excellent quality, and manufactured with care to counteract these negative effects.
These are the Most Commonly Used Materials for Ethical Swimwear
Upcycling Polyester
Sustainable swimwear for men and women is particularly often made from recycled polyester or polyamide. This consists of old PET bottles or plastic production residues from landfills. It is called a high-quality product from a discarded resource UpcyclingWith regard to pollution of the oceans, fishing nets are often used in a new way as fair, sustainable swimwear.
Econyl
A material which is popular among high-end luxury brands such as Prada or Burberry promises high-quality swimwear: ECONYL®. It is a sustainable and XNUMX%, a recycled nylon fiber, for the production of which an innovative cleaning and regeneration process was developed. Impressive balance: XNUMX barrels of crude oil are saved for the production of XNUMX tons of ECONYL®, which in turn avoids XNUMX tons of COXNUMX emissions.
Conventional versus Sustainable Swimwear - What are the Differences?
One of the most notable benefits of ethical, sustainable, swimwear is its sustainability. But also in terms of functionality and design, the fair swimwear can always keep up with the conventional variant. Due to their robustness and elasticity, these are made of nylon, polyester, or Lycra - in short, plastic.
Sustainable swimwear, typically crafted from recycled plastic, boasts impressive durability, water resistance, and quick-drying capabilities. Not only is this environmentally responsible, but ethical swimwear also prioritizes timeless designs of exceptional quality and aesthetic value that endure for more than a year. It's a win-win situation.
Which quality criteria should be considered?
- 100% recycled materials & zero waste
- Water and energy efficient and preferably local production (e.g. sustainable swimwear from Germany)
- Limited collections or production on request
- Transparency regarding material procurement and production processes
- Social commitments such as participation in sustainable and ethical initiatives
As the demand for sustainable fashion grows, an increasing number of brands are now producing high-quality sustainable swimwear for children, women, and men. They offer a diverse range of swimsuits, swimming trunks, bikinis, and sports bikinis to cater to every taste and occasion, all while maintaining their unwavering commitment to sustainability.
Selection tips - How to find the perfect, sustainable swimwear
There is a perfect swimwear for every figure. And also as an environmentally friendly variant. To make the right choice, just a few simple tips must be observed.
1. Comfort through Courage to the Smaller Model
This tip applies especially to sustainable swimwear for women. If you assume that the slightly wider model can be worn with a more feel-good factor, you are wrong. Since fabrics such as recycled polyester or lycra expand in the water, it is advisable to buy bikinis or bathing suits made of this material rather crunchy and tight. This prevents swimwear from flattering or slipping after a refreshing swim.
2. Choose Materials Cleverly
If a firm fit of sustainable swimwear is particularly important for wearing comfort and the feel-good factor, you should opt for a piece made from ECONYL®. This is considered to be particularly firm and stable. Despite its elasticity, it can therefore also be used to flatter the figure. For example, fitted bathing suits made of ECONYL® can conjure up a feminine figure and highlight your favorite part of the body with the right cut.
3. Become Aware of the Use
When considering purchasing a bikini or swimming trunks, it's crucial for buyers to be mindful of the specific purpose they have in mind. For sustainable swimwear targeted towards men, it's important to distinguish between more casual surfer styles and tighter-fitting options. The appropriate model depends on the intended use - whether it's a laid-back afternoon at the beach or a competitive swimming event. Choosing sustainable swimwear for children is equally significant: options with long sleeves can provide additional protection from the sun during vacations.
4. Everyone can stay true to their Style
As with everyday fashion, everyone can stay true to their style with fair swimwear, conceal problem areas and emphasize certain parts of the body. It is important to set the right accents here. For example, if you want to emphasize your legs in particular, but do not want to show a lot of stomach, you can opt for a modern swimsuit or monokini with great attention to detail. Shaping seams and sophisticated patterns look almost like shapewear.
5. Calculate for the Future
Sustainable production methods are often more expensive than conventional manufacturing processes and the fact that mass production is not used means that sustainable swimwear is often more expensive than fast fashion pieces. However, this should not be a reason to decide against it. If you think long term, you can see that fair, sustainable swimwear is more durable than conventional models due to its quality and timeless design. So it can be avoided to buy a new part from season to season - a principle that pays off in the end and even saves money.
Top brands for Sustainable Swimwear for Women
For inspiration, we show our top brands for sustainable swimsuits, pants and bikinis. Including exclusive labels for sustainable swimwear from Germany!
- MYMARINI
- OCEAN CHILD
- INASKA
- allSisters
- Narah Soleigh
- Flying love birds
- Hunza G
- Mara Hoffman
1. MYMARINI
Puristic design in a perfect fit - MYMARINI
Origin: German label, produced in Croatia
Suitable for: Women & children, leisure & sport
Material: Regenerated ECONYL® (Oeko-Tex Standard 100 & Global Recycling Standard)
Positive Commitments: Fair working conditions, sustainable production, CO2 reduction
Favorite Potential: Each part is reversible and thus has two designs, while the innovative "Mini Shape Effect" looks like conventional shapewear despite wearing comfort.
Source & Copyright by MYMARINI
2. OCEAN CHILD
Ethical, sustainable, modern: sophisticated cut-outs and attention to detail - OCEAN CHILD
Origin: German label, made in Germany
Suitable for: Women, leisure & the perfect choice for beach parties
Material: 100% recycled polamyide
Positive Commitments: sustainable and local production, donations to Save the Ocean
Favorite Potential: All bikinis are mix & match, which is why there are an infinite number of creations in which everyone feels sexy and self-confident thanks to their sophisticated cuts.
Source & Copyright by OCEAN CHILD
3. INASKA
Sustainable swimwear and sports fashion with perfect comfort - INASKA
Origin: German label, produced in Portugal
Suitable for: Women, leisure & sport
Material: 78% regenerated ECONYL®
Positive Commitments: Reduction of the greenhouse effect by 80%, low energy consumption, donations to Surfrider EU
Favorite Potential: The comfortable pieces combine functionality and aesthetics, whereby the bikinis are sustainable along the entire value chain - including shipping.
Source & Copyright by INASKA
4. allSisters
High-end swimwear and activewear for modern, responsible women - allSisters
Origin: Spanish label, produced in Barcelona
Suitable for: Women, leisure & sport
Material: Regenerated ECONYL® (Green OEKO-TEX®)
Positive Commitments: sustainable and fair production, no chemicals, in cooperation with WWF donations to 1% For The Ocean
Favorite Potential: allSisters proves that sustainable swimwear and activewear can also be high-end - uncompromisingly luxurious, aesthetic and sexy.
Source & Copyright by allSisters
5. Narah Soleigh
Slow fashion swimwear, ethical production, positive environmental balance - Narah Soleigh
Origin: German label, produced in Portugal
Suitable for: Women, leisure & sport
Material: Regenerated ECONYL®, recycled polyester, organic cotton
Positive Commitments: sustainable and fair production under the supervision of Fair Wear Foundation, Zero Waste, 100% CO2 neutral shipping, 100% environmentally friendly, recyclable packaging, official member of the nature conservation group of the Rainforest Trust
Favorite Potential: All ethical and sustainable pieces are simple, but flattering. For every body type. The modern prints are always trendy.
Source & Copyright by Narah Soleigh
6. Flying Love Birds
Ethical Green Fashion: fair & sustainable surf & yoga fashion by surfers for surfers - Flying love birds
Origin: German label, produced in southern Germany
Suitable for: Women, surf & yoga wear
Material: Raw materials from certified organic cultivation (organic cotton GOTS certified), recycled polyamide and polyester
Positive Commitments: Natural coloring based on Oekotex 100, sustainable production and supply chain, zero waste
Favorite Potential: The label's holistic approach is not only sustainable, but also ethical - towards producers and consumers and the health of people and the planet have top priority.
Source & Copyright by Flying Love Birds
7.Hunza G
Ethically produced, comfortable cut, one size approach - Hunza G
Origin: British label, made in Great Britain
Suitable for: Women, leisure & sport
Material: Raw materials from certified organic cultivation (organic cotton GOTS certified), recycled polyamide and polyester
Positive Commitments: UK local supply chain, low volume production, carbon neutral brand
Favorite Potential: Right from the start, the brand has considered everything in terms of sustainability. And that without compromising on quality. This is why Hunza G also offers a 6 month guarantee on all products. In order to cause as few emissions as possible, the brand focuses on small productions and sustainable packaging.
Source & Copyright by Hunza G
7.Mara Hoffman
Closed fashion cycle, vegan and recycled materials - Mara Hoffman
Origin: American label, produced in the USA, India, Peru and China
Suitable for: Women, leisure & sport
Material: Natural and vegan organic products, recycled nylon and polyester, regenerated ECONYL® and Repreve®, natural coloring based on Oekotex 100
Positive Commitments: Sustainable production comes first, Blue Business Council Member,
Favorite Potential: Social and ecological sustainability is in Mara Hoffman's DNA. Every material and supplier has been thoroughly checked and selected. So the brand knows what every item of clothing is made of. Online there are additional tips on how to properly clean fashion for a long life.
Source & Copyright by Mara Hoffman
