Sustainable Swimwear The New Must-Have Fashion Item

Sustainability is the buzzword in a plethora of industries these days – especially amongst millennials, around 73% of whom are willing to spend more to buy sustainable items – including swimwear. The fashion industry is fulfilling this demand, with a host of brands in affordable and upmarket boutiques alike aimed at buyers with a conscience. Whether you live in sunny climes or you’re simply gearing up for the summer, you may already be looking at beach and pool fashion. How can you shop more sustainably for these items, and what are the newest trends in sustainable swimwear?

What Is Sustainable Swimwear?

Sustainable swimwear is made with environmental and social responsibility in mind. As stated by the Ethical Fashion group, environmental respect in the fashion industry is something that begins with the selection of materials that are produced with the smallest carbon footprint possible and that can easily be cared for and recycled. These clothing items should ideally be created with the ‘design for life’ concept in mind. The better the quality and the more atemporal in style, the less likely a product is to wind up in a landfill. Other important considerations include fair treatment for workers, sustainable transportation of products, and the reliance on sustainable energy during the production process.

How Do Sustainability Principles Apply To Current Swimwear Collections?

One of the biggest events in sustainable swimwear occurs every year during Miami Swim Week. At the most recent New York Fashion Week, sustainability was the buzzword, with designers like Chromat’s Becca McCharen-Tran showing the current importance of sustainability to their brand. Chromat presented a swimwear collection called Climactic. Items are made with sustainable, regenerated nylon spun from fishing nets and old plastic bottles found in oceans. The company actually helps with ocean cleaning efforts, showing that one human’s waste can most definitely be another human’s treasure when sustainability is at the helm. The brand Reformation is also making swimwear from plastic, while designer Mara Joffman is relying on 78% recycled polyester for her creations.

Sustainability Is An Attitude

Sustainability extends to more than recycling products. It is an attitude and a fundamental pillar of the ‘design for life’ principle. Instead of buying a one-piece, have you thought of how two-piece swimwear can boost sustainability? If the top half of your outfit goes bust or fades, your bikini bottom can be matched with any other bikini top you own. The key with mix-and-match styles is to use what you have for as long as it bears utility and functionality.

Sustainable Is Sexy

Designer interest in recycling and upcycling is not new; what is glaringly different is customer interest. Recent swimwear fashion weeks across the globe have shown that sustainable swimwear can be sexy, classic or cutting-edge. It all depends on the designer’s vision, just as it would with any other material. New technologies have enabled the creation of stretchy, comfortable materials in a number of finishes (shiny/matte/printed), showing off the versatility of materials like recycled plastic, polyester, nylon and blends of various recycled materials.

If one thing has marked sustainable swimwear today, it is that it is virtually indistinguishable from old-style fabrics. Bright and bold or simple and classic, new garments made with sustainable fashion are as freedom-inspiring as their conventional counterparts. Visionary designers have always created fashion with a view to sustainability, but without a doubt, customers are calling the shots when it comes to eco-friendly fashion in 2020.

By Sally Writes