It’s not that easy to find a good sustainable swimsuit second-hand. There, I said it. That is one of the piece of clothing alongside loungewear, pjs, jeans and underwear, that I usually buy new from a store. This being said, staying away from fast fashion is always at the top of the agenda no matter what I’m shopping for.
Material composition is probably front of mind when you are swimsuit shopping if you’re environmentally-conscious like me. The fabric my bikini or one-piece was cut in is an essential element in my decision making besides comfort, style and fit.
In this article, I’m sharing the best sustainable swimsuit materials to look out for to help you with the difficult task of shopping responsibly ahead of summer 2022. However, choosing eco-conscious materials and supporting slow fashion brands with your wallet is only one piece of the puzzle.
The better you care for your swim, the longer it will last in your wardrobe and the lower your environmental impact will be. That’s why I’m also sharing my best tips and hacks to keep your swimming costumes in pristine condition.
The downsides of conventional swimwear
Microplastics and textile waste pollution
Most swimsuits available in the world today are made of polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, a mix of these or another synthetic, non biodegradable, fabric derived from human-made polymers. In other words, plastic. Synthetic materials are very durable, waterproof, and generally on the cheaper end, which is why most brands favour them to make one-piece, two-pieces and other swimsuits.
On the flip side, their durability means they take ages or never fully decompose in landfill. Polyester, acrylic and nylon can remain in our environment as plastic pollution for decades, or even centuries. Given their short lifespan in our wardrobes and the never ending cycle of trends, several tons of them are discarded every year.
This textile waste also contributes to the ever increasing environmental problem of plastic pollution in another, less obvious, way. Synthetic fabrics like polyester release microplastics. These microplastics are very thin fibre filaments, almost invisible to the eye.
They escape our washing machine’s filtering system, pass through sewage, and are flushed out into our waterways. Once they enter our rivers and then our seas, they contaminate and confuse marine ecosystems. Fishes and other sea life ingest this microplastic thinking its yummy food for them. We – humans – eat said fish in the form of like… fresh sushis, and consume all this microplastic as a side of our fancy dinner.
It’s difficult to quantity how much microplastic enters our seas, oceans and bodies. According to the Guardian, a team at Plymouth university found that acrylic was the worst offender, releasing nearly 730,000 tiny synthetic particles per wash.
Selected sustainable swimsuit alternatives
What is regenerated nylon or Econyl?
One of the most interesting eco-friendly innovation in recent years in called Econyl. This recycled nylon material, which is highly durable and of good quality was created by Italian firm Aquafil. The company recycles industrial plastic, waste fabric and, most importantly, discarded fishing nets left at the bottom of seas to fashion this new “regenerated” nylon. One the plus side Econyl is infinitely recyclable, which means the loop is closed.
However, like synthetic-based fabrics Econyl releases microplastics into our waterways. If you choose to buy an Econyl swimsuit make sure to follow the care guidance I share below. The bikini I’m wearing in these pics is actually made of Econyl. I bought it a few years ago from slow fashion brand Bower. This fabric is comfortable and feels similar to conventional nylon. The swimsuit kept its shape and the colour is still intact. However, I’m not wearing it regularly since I live in London.
Is hemp sustainable swimsuit fabric sexy?
With linen, hemp is one of the most sustainable swimsuit fabrics on the market today because it requires less water to be grown than cotton for example. It’s also biodegradable so it decomposes quicker in landfill than its synthetic counterparts. However, it has the bad reputation of being shapeless and just not very sexy.
I am yet to try a hemp swimsuit myself but I have my eye on a very sexy hemp swimsuit collection. The brand Natasha Tonic was caught by my slow fashion radar last summer. I really like the yin yang collection, which is dyed following a low impact process. This brand also implemented a made-to-order business model, which is great because it avoids over-production and all the waste that is associated with this kind of practise. I’ll definitely share more about this in future newsletters 😉
Yulex, a rubber wetsuit fabric for surfing and outdoor sports
Outdoor brands like Patagonia and Finisterre are using Yulex in their wetsuit collections to replace neoprene (also called polychloroprene), which is a nonrenewable material that requires a lot of natural resources to be produced. Yulex is a plant-based alternative, derived from rubber tapped from hevea trees, originally created in partnership with Patagonia.
However, there are negative social and environmental consequences linked to rubber-based materials. The harvest is taken care of by farmers in the Global South in Thailand, Indonesia, China and West Africa. Prices are maintained artificially low, which forces farmers to over-tap their trees to obtain more rubber.
The demand is also very high from many industries, which is encouraging deforestation to create rubber plantations. This BBC Future features explains the issue in more detail, if you want to dive deeper into the topic.
One of the ways brands source rubber ethically and sustainably is through the Forest Stewardship Council® certification. FSC certified means rubber was sourced only from hevea tree plantations that preserve biodiversity and ecological integrity. You can usually spot their logo on certified products. However, never hesitate to reach out to a brand directly to ask more information about their sourcing and production methods.
How to care for your swimwear properly
How to wash a bathing suit
Swimwear needs to be rinsed with fresh water, promptly after every wear. This is particularly important because the fabric may have been in contact with sweat, sea water, chemicals in pools and sunscreen, which are all very damaging.
I would avoid the washing machine as much as possible. Hand washing your swimming costumes is the best way to keep them looking fresh for longer, and to avoid contributing to the microplastic pollution mentioned above. Cold water and environmentally-friendly hand washing detergent for activewear and swimwear is the best combo in my opinion. Alternatively, you can bring it with you during your post-swim shower and rinse it there to save time and water.
If there are visible traces or marks, you can leave it to soak with detergent in order to remove all chemicals, salt, sand, and body oil from the fabric. Never squeeze or twist your swimwear to remove excess water because it will have an impact on its shape over time. Swimwear is designed to dry quickly anyway so it doesn’t need to be.
You can leave it laying flat on a towel. Or you can also hang it up on a line outside. However, make sure it’s in the shade because UV rays from the sun can both fade the colour and break down the fibres of your bathing suit.
How to store a swimming costume
Only store perfectly dry bathing suit. Anything slightly wet may create mildew, especially if you’re storing them for a long period of time. I use individual cloth bags to store each. If you don’t have any bags available at home, you can fashion sheer pockets using old, clean and moderately ripped, tights. This tutorial requires absolutely zero sewing skills.
Fold your tights in half and lie them flat on one side ,making sure the legs are perfectly aligned on top of each other.
- Cut above the ankle to create two long socks. That’s two pockets. You can tie a knot at the top to close them.
- Cut at the knee and at top of the thigh. You should have 4 long tubes, which you can now use as pockets by tying knots on each end.
- You should be left with a pair of shorts. Cut a straight line from the crotch to the waist band to create two more pockets. They can also be closed with a knot on each end.
- If you don’t like tying knots, you can use thin elastic bands instead.
