9 Best Sustainable Swimwear Brands For Summer
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Are you looking for an ethical and sustainable swimsuit brand? Well, you are lucky because there is a sea of options to choose from!
So before you hit the beach or pool deck, read on to discover some of the best brands making a splash!
Our top picks for the best sustainable swimwear
Dive into these sustainable swimwear brands
Like with all things sustainable living, finding the right eco one can be a painful experience. What fabrics should you be looking for? How do you know if the brand is truly green? To help you answer these questions we've put together some guides at the end of this post on: Why consider a sustainable swimsuit? What is eco swimwear made from? PLUS What to be on the lookout for when shopping for sustainable swimwear.
1. Do Good Swimwear
Sizes: Small to XL
Price: $48 and up
Do Good Swimwear was born from the idea that there are creative ways to recycle, regenerate, and repurpose ocean waste/ plastics into beautiful pieces for active, ocean-loving humans everywhere?
The vision is to see more people being thoughtful with how they shop and helping future generations of women by purchasing with intent and purpose.
When you hit the "shop" tab on their website, you will find a colorful collection of bikinis, one-pieces, high-waist, low-waist, onesies, and even cheeky bottoms. Right now, they offer sizes small to XL and keep your eyes peeled because they are expanding their size range.
Do Good's — fabrics and materials
Their affordable, sustainable swimwear is made from regenerated ocean waste like fishing nets, plastic bottles, and even old nylons. The result is a beautifully soft, durable, comfortable material built to last!
Do Good's — ethical sourcing
The fabric they use is called Econyl. It's ethically made in Italy and sourced in Oregon and New York.
Do Good's — corporate responsibility
A portion of all profits donates to ocean conservation efforts, tree planting, and empowering women in need by working with nonprofits that help girls and women stay in school, get vocational training, or even help microfinance their own small businesses so that they can thrive.
2. Kitty and Vibe
Sizes: Sizes: XS-3XL
Price: $52 and up
Kitty and Vibe had us at Kitty. These sustainable bathing suits can be summed up in one word: KIND! 💃🏻 In their own words their vibe is simple:
"We believe the ability to feel self-love is within everyone and a great fitting swimsuit can manifest that feeling."
Before you check out their gorgeous selection, you must take the Kitty Size Quiz, it's all about making a "bikini bottom based on your butt size!"
UM, HELLO! YES PLEASE! They offer two butt size options for every hip size, which means the fabric will always fit and won't be too baggy or tight (but crack looking at you!) The quiz is 15 seconds, take it! Get $15 off too!
Let's talk selection, you will dive right in and find every style you can think of like: string tops, scoop tops, underwire, front tie, plunge, you name it! The same goes for the bottoms: string, ruffle, midrise, etc. So many colors to choose from.
You can Shop by Vibe, and choose from The Marble Collection which is all about Jade and Marina, or the Carolina Vibe, which is what you see in the photo above. All so cute!
Kitty's — fabrics and materials
Over half their collection is made from 82% recycled polyester.
Kitty's — ethical sourcing
They ensure ethical labor in all of their small family-owned businesses. They also have an ISO 14001 certification which states"complying with legal requirements and mitigating the environmental impacts of our activity."
Kitty's — corporate responsibility
All their eco-friendly packaging material is made from biodegradable bags.
3. Boden
Sizes: Sizes: 2-20/22
Price: $42 and up
Boden has you covered if you are looking for ethical swimwear for the whole family. Choose from 500+ pieces that have all been heavily tested by the team to ensure durability, not only that the lineup is pretty impressive with bold, fun colors and patterns in both one and two pieces which by the way you can mix and match!
Boden has made shopping so easy with their simple filter where you can pick the size, color, fit pattern, and price!
Boden's — fabrics and materials
Boden's sustainable swimsuits are made from recycled materials and some of the items are lined with recycled plastic bottles.
Boden's — ethical sourcing
These gorgeous eco-friendly bathing suits are made ethically in China where the factories are SMETA audited and adhere to a Responsible Sourcing Commitment based on ILO and Ethical Trading Initiative standards.
Boden's — corporate responsibility
Boden is working towards making their entire line of cotton be either organic, fair trade, or BCI-certified. They ship everything in 80% recycled packages and they support HERproject, an organization that helps terminally-ill children.
They also support parents of terminally-ill children through New Life, and low-income women via HERproject.
4. Bermies
Sizes: Sizes: XS to XL
Price: $49.99 and up
Looking for ethical men’s swimwear and trunks? Bermies has a huge selection of classic and short swim trunks for dudes and kids. They come in various fun colors and patterns. Think pineapple vibes and tribal turtles, and more!
So cute, you might claim them for your own! They do also carry bikinis and one-pieces for the ladies!
Bermies' — fabrics and materials
Recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets make up 90% of their eco swimwear with the other 10% coming from virgin lycra and spandex. Recycled plastic is collected, chopped, and melted into chips. Those ships are then extruded into recycled fibers. Those fibers are then made into their stylish suits!
Bermies' — ethical sourcing
They are all about people and the planet. Everything is made and shipped from their Florida warehouse.
Bermies' — corporate responsibility
In partnership with PlantArg, for every order placed at Bermies, you are helping to plant and protect trees! And when your bathing suit arrives, expect it in a compostable mailer.
5. Patagonia
Sizes: Sizes: XS-XL
Price: $59 and up
Patagonia has everything you need for ethical swimwear for women and men. They've got trunks, bikinis, one-pieces, and even wet suits - Surfs up, dude! They are all about fit, function, and style. They have some cute patterns and solid colors that will basically go with anything!
Patagonia's — fabrics and materials
Most of their sustainable swimwear is made from soft, stretchy, and durable 83% recycled nylon/17% spandex (solids) or 83% recycled polyester/17% spandex (prints). Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.
Patagonia's — ethical sourcing
There is much to talk about here, too much for one post. So head over to their website and look at The Footprint Chronicles, a super transparent account of every stage of their manufacturing steps. It's super impressive and gives a real account of their sustainable measures.
You can read more about their sustainable practices in our posts on ethical winter hats, fair-trade clothing brands, must-have sweaters, and recycled/upcycled clothing.
Patagonia's — corporate responsibility
As members of 1% For The Planet, they take extra steps to ensure that clothes stay out of landfills with their Worm Wear program where you can trade in your old Patagonia clothing for other second-hand duds. Win-win!
6. Saturday Swimwear
Sizes: XS-XXL
Price: $60 and up
Designer Emily Laplume brings her recycled swimwear to life by hand! Each piece is sewn in her Oregon home, and the attention to detail is evident in her minimalist collection.
Saturday Swimwear's — fabrics and materials
Each piece is made from regenerated nylon derived from used and discarded fishing nets, fabric scraps, and carpets. This regenerated nylon reduces the impact of nylon production by 80% compared to virgin nylon production. This material is blended with XTRA Life Lycra to achieve superior durability and 50+ UPF sun protection.
Saturday Swimwear's — ethical sourcing
Hand-made and sourced in the USA!
Saturday Swimwear's — corporate responsibility
They use recycled and curbside recyclable paper mailers and recycled paper hang tags with soy-based inks.
7. Bold Swim
Sizes: S-XXL
Price: $69 and up
BOLD Swim is a women-owned BIPOC business that creates size-inclusive, sustainable swimwear in various gorgeous styles and colors. They not only create high-quality swimwear but also promote eco-friendly practices and support sustainable communities.
BOLD — Fabrics and Materials
BOOLD uses biodegradable nylon fabric manufactured in Brazil. The Amni Soul Eco® Thread/CO2 Light Fabric used in their swimwear is both eco-friendly and soft to the touch. The fabric is dyed exclusively with non-toxic dyes, making it light and breathable while ensuring a great fit and unique style.
It's also Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certified. In the production process, minimal water is used, and the fabric is intentionally designed to degrade in landfill conditions. Additionally, local artisans in Brazil use excess deadstock fabric waste to create upcycled rugs and mats.
BOLD — Ethical Sourcing
BOLD Swim sources its Amni Soul Eco® material from Brazil, which is also manufactured with a focus on ethical practices. By partnering with a few entities, BOLD Swim can maintain close relationships with its partners and ensure that ethical standards are upheld.
Regular visits to their partners enable BOLD Swim to oversee and maintain ethical practices throughout the entire production process, from sourcing to manufacturing.
BOLD — Corporate Responsibility
BOLD Swim partners with The Better Packaging Company, which uses 100% compostable bags, liners, and labels. In addition, they offset shipping emissions by planting trees through eco-drive and also work with Made Trade to offer carbon-offset shipping.
8. Sensi Graves
Sizes: XS - 2XL
Price: $54 and up
Another phenomenal brand to choose from! Sensi Graves offers recycled swimsuits that make you want to get up and move. The styles and cuts are so versatile and fun for anybody who wants to move around and knows nothing will fall out, if you get my drift!
The brand was founded by Sensi Graves, s professional skateboarder, so that makes sense. There is a range of bikini tops and bottoms to choose from in designs that are as fresh as ever! And tested for high-performance
Sensi Graves's — fabrics and materials
Made with Econyl or Repreve recycled fabrics. Econyl and Repreve are recycled/regenerated nylon fabrics made from plastic water bottles or plastic waste found in the ocean, including fishing nets.
Sensi Graves's — ethical sourcing
All pieces are made in the USA by accomplished seamstresses earning living wages. Sensi Graves is a women-owned business with a mission to empower women in sports.
Sensi Graves's — corporate responsibility
Members of 1% For The Planet! And, no plastic mailers here!
9. Summerssalt
Sizes: Every size!
Price: $160
Looking for affordable and sustainable swimwear? Check out Summersalt's selection of stylish and colorful swimsuits, all priced under $100.
With over 1.5 million body measurements taken from over 10,000 women, Summersalt ensures that every woman can find the right fit. They even offer maternity and kids' suits. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, SummerSalt also sells ethical cover-ups for your day at the beach.
Summersalt — Fabrics and Materials
Summersalt's sustainable bathing suits are made from a blend of 78% recycled polyamide and Lycra, which provides four times the compression and shape-retention of regular swimwear.
The recycled polyamide is sourced from post-consumer waste and ocean waste, making these swimsuits a responsible choice for the environment.
Summersalt has conducted live wear tests in over 100 hours of chlorinated water to ensure that their swimsuits maintain shape and quality over time.
Summersalt — Ethical Sourcing
Summersalt prioritizes fair trade labor practices and environmental sustainability by maintaining long-term manufacturing relationships and regularly visiting their factories across Asia. These factories are certified by WRAP, GOTS, GRS, and/or BSCI, ensuring that ethical and sustainable standards are met throughout the manufacturing process.
Summersalt — Corporate Responsibility
When your items arrive, expect them to be in recycled packaging.
Why consider a sustainable swimsuit?
One word: plastic. You see most conventional swimwear brands are made using different types of synthetic materials (plastics) like polyester, lycra, spandex, and nylon, all of which come from the petroleum industry and are not sustainable.
And if you have ever owned one of these, who hasn't? You know they tend to stretch and fall apart very quickly. These suits are not biodegradable and can also shed tiny pieces of plastic called microfibers when you wash them!
And when you consider that an estimated 65 million tons of these plastic-based materials are generated yearly, this is not a good look.
Conscious swimwear is a conundrum because most brands (even the eco ones) use synthetic fabrics, but that's okay when done properly!
Fabrics like recycled polyester (also known as Repreve® and EcoLux™) and recycled nylon made from recycled fishing nets and called Econyl are common in the sustainable swimwear category.
There are benefits to using recycled materials (mostly spandex/elastane). In this way, we are reusing what already exists, which means fewer fossil fuels, and using recycled fishing nets keeps harmful plastic pollution from killing or harming marine life.
What is eco swimwear made from?
Anytime we invest in slow fashion, whether sandals, dresses, sneakers, or undies we want those items to last, and the same goes for sustainable swimwear brands.
As mentioned, most of the brands below offer suits made from Lycra spandex/elastane that come with certifications like Global Recycled Standard (GRS), OEKO-Tex 100, Bluesign, and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
What to be on the lookout for when shopping for sustainable swimwear
As with all the ethical fashion articles on The Eco Hub, we take the following four criteria into account:
The fabric and materials: are they sustainable? In the case of swimwear, are they coming from recycled products? Do they have third-party certifications like the ones noted above?
Ethical sourcing: where and how is the fabric sourced? Are the workers paid a fair wage and do they work in safe and fair conditions? Are the factories where they work certified by: ILO, Fair Labor Association, WRAP, Fair Trade, ISO 14001, SA8000, BSCI, SMETA, ETI, or GOTS?
Corporate responsibility: is the brand taking the extra mile with its packaging? Are they carbon-neutral, a B Crop? Do they work with charities?
Inclusivity: It's all about size inclusivity. ALL bodies deserve to look and feel fabulous.
Final thoughts on sustainable swimwear
Like anything where slow fashion is concerned, we want to invest in things that last. Sometimes, that means spending a little more money if you have it! We are not all lucky enough to be spending money on a bathing suit. We get that! But where you can opt for the more ethical choice goes a long way in protecting people and the planet's natural resources.
Do you have a fav green swimsuit line? Share in the comments below! If you found this post helpful, please help someone by sharing this article – Sharing is caring 🙂!
