A Dip into Swimwear
The windows are open to let in the breeze and the sleeves are finally stopping at my elbows which means that summer is soon to come. As I was taking stock of my wardrobe, I realized that I no longer owned a swimsuit. I purchased one maybe 6 or 7 years ago that just wasn’t working anymore and it seemed high time to buy another one.
Now, swimsuits are tricky when it comes to sustainability because, by and large, swimsuits are made from synthetic textiles for their quick-drying, elastic qualities. As a rule, I avoid synthetic fibers when I’m shopping for new or vintage clothes because the microplastic crisis is a serious issue. (If you’re wondering at this point who should be responsible for the thousands of plastic garments that already exist, I believe the answer is fossil fuel companies and the brands who made the garments in the first place but that’s a discussion for another time.) There are some products on the market that help capture the plastic microfibers when they’re shed in the wash but that’s not a sustainable solution to an unsustainable production of plastic garments.
From what I’ve found, the sustainable swimsuit space is working towards sustainability by manufacturing their pieces using recycled synthetics, mainly ECONYL (recycled nylon) or recycled polyester, typically made from PET aka plastic water bottles. I don’t personally believe that any recycled synthetic fiber is the solution to the plastic crisis. While ECONYL and recycled polyester do not use virgin materials , these garments will still take hundreds of years to decompose and will shed plastic microfibers throughout their time in your wardrobe.
We’re still at the fledgling stage of developing a fashion industry that, ideally, will go beyond ending environmental destruction to a state of regeneration. I reminded myself that none of us can be perfect and bought the swimsuit in the style I wanted that is made from recycled plastics. I’m excited to see how we can innovate new textiles to eliminate the need for synthetics and I understand why we continue to use them in swimsuits for the time being. So, as always, I will do my best to care for it by washing it in cold water and hang drying it. I’ll also buy another one so I can give them a rest between wears.
I spent a very healthy session of internet scouring finding these pieces so I wanted to share some wonderful brands I discovered along the way. This list is in no way exhaustive but rather showcases brands whose design approach or textile innovation spoke to me. I hope one of them offers something that makes you feel at home in your body this summer.
Sean & Val
Sean & Val is a queer-owned brand based in NYC. They have curated a focused line of swim briefs in 4 colors and they donate a percentage of their profits to the Hetrick-Martin Institute to support homeless queer youth. This is the swimsuit I landed on for myself this summer and I couldn’t be happier with it. The fit is comfortable (I bought size M) and the fabric, while stretchy, is quite thick. This leads me to think it will retain its shape very well and I’ll check in about this at the end of the summer. As I mentioned above, I’ll be buying this same suit in a different color to help reduce the stress on the garment. Recycled plastics aside, my only critique of the brand is that their size range stops at XXL.
Image via Sean and Val
Deta Knits
Deta Knits is another NYC-based brand creating sustainable swimwear. Offering a range of one or two-piece knit swimsuits, the label boasts extreme comfort, mobility, versatility, and durability from this unique knitted design. Their manufacturing eliminates textile waste because their knitting process does not require any cutting in order to construct the garments. The colors are a lovely smattering of pastels and summer hues that would go perfectly well with any wardrobe. I was tempted to buy the bottoms for myself but, after considering the fabric, felt that the fabric would be too thin. Plus, the size range stops at L and, based on the imagery I assume this is a women’s L which would not fit me anyways. Major points off for sizing…
Image via Deta Knits
Belle The Label
I stumbled upon Belle the Label through this search and while the styles are not something I would be interested in, I couldn’t leave them out. The color palette they’ve selected for their swimwear is gorgeous — I firmly believe you can never go wrong with browns, creams, and greens when you’re buying anything these days. They’ve also shared a robust commitment to sustainability with thorough information about their design ethos (points off on carrying a limited size range). Again, recycled nylon aside, its moments like these where the fashion industry shift is visible and I can’t help but feel my heart flutter every time. If I was to purchase anything for myself, I’m partial to the new checkered loungewear capsule they released this week.
Outerknown
Outerknown is a brand that’s flitted along the periphery of my attention for quite sometime but the design aesthetic is a bit too menswear for my personal taste. However, they’re a brand I did not hesitate to include when I discovered their small offering of merino wool swimwear called Woolaroo. While there are some concerns about merino wool (mainly it’s impact on indigenous Australian flora & fauna), wool continues to rise in popularity for performance-wear. It’s natural properties make it moisture-wicking, odor-resistant, and biodegradable which essentially makes it a more ocean friendly product over synthetic textiles. I’d be interested to see if they launch another project like this since the remaining size would not fit me nor am I massive fan of this iteration’s design. I’m remaining cautiously optimistic that this is trajectory more swimwear brands can take.
Em & May
Em & May, similar to Deta Knits, was a brand I considered buying bottoms from but, after some review, felt I would run into the same issue of everything being hyper-visible with that fabric. They’re included on this list because, in addition to their sustainable accolades, they carry up to a 4XL in their swimwear. As a sustainable fashion space, we cannot continue to ask folks to care about where clothing is made and what it’s made with if we’re not making clothing that fits all bodies. True sustainability has to consider everyone. I sincerely hope that every other brand on this list works diligently to make that a reality for their own designs.
