Top Sustainable Swimwear Brands 2024
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It's hot girl summer and that means long days spent lounging by the pool or on the beach in your favorite eco friendly swimsuit!
Of course, the most sustainable swimwear is one that you already own. However, if your old bathing suit has stretched out or if your body’s changed, then maybe it’s time to get a new one.
Begin your search by buying secondhand. Preloved swimsuits can be an eco friendly way to save money and do good for the environment. Simply wash your secondhand purchase thoroughly (here's how to clean thrifted goods) or buy garments specifically labeled "new with tags" if you're concerned about hygiene.
But if there's nothing on the secondhand market that fits you, then here are the best sustainable and ethical swimwear brands to buy as a conscious consumer in 2024!
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Top Sustainable Swimwear Brands USA
Sustainable Swimwear UK
Sustainable Swimwear Australia
Basics of Sustainable Swimwear
Why Sustainable Swimwear? + What Makes Swimwear Sustainable?
Top Sustainable Swimwear Brands USA
Arrow and Phoenix
Best For: versatile and luxurious suits that flatter all body types, sizes, and shapes
Price Range: $78 - $150
Size Range: S - 2XL
Materials Used: ECONYL®
Arrow and Phoenix celebrates diversity and honors inclusivity with sustainable swimwear designed to flatter all body types. Their garments are created with comfort in mind and feature different styles of straps and ties that allow customers to customize pieces according to their figure and style. The company is based in Paradise Valley NV and all their swimsuits are made in the US with a recycled ECONYL fabric.
Vitamin A
Best For: mix & match bikinis in a variety of bold colors and fabrics, high-waisted bottoms
Price Range: $28 - $215
Size Range: XS - 2XL
Materials Used: EcoLux, EcoRib, EcoTex, BioSculpt
Vitamin A is a swimwear company that makes luxury bikinis, swimsuits, and beachwear locally in California. They’re one of the longest-standing brands on the market and have been making sustainable swimwear long before it was trendy. What stands out about their collection is the sheer size and range of it. From sleek one-piece black swimsuits to boldly-printed knit bikinis, you can truly find anything in the hundreds of available options!
TomboyX
Best For: fun and quirky inclusive swimsuits for all people of all sizes and genders
Price Range: $23 - $89
Size Range: XS - 6XL
Materials Used: OEKO-TEX®-certified recycled polyester made from recycled plastic bottles
TomboyX is a certified B-Corp that creates underwear for all people, regardless of size or gender. While they don’t exclusively create swimwear and their focus isn’t specifically on sustainability, the majority of their products are made with OEKO-Tex-certified cotton in regulated work environments without discriminatory hiring practices. I really love that they address all these intersectional components because sustainability is truly not just about the environment.
Summersalt
Best For: color-block one piece designs created for women with long toros
Price Range: $23 - $125
Size Range: 2 (XS) - 24 (3X)
Materials Used: 78% Recycled Polyamide / 22% Lycra, TENCEL™, TENCEL Modal, Cupro
Summersalt creates innovative swimsuits designed from data gathered from over 10,000 women across the world. They create pieces with recycled polyesters that prioritize fashion and function. The majority of their factories have WRAP certifications and they consistently perform factory visits to ensure that ethical guidelines are being met.
Ookioh
Best For: fun vintage-inspired designs
Price Range: $60 - $130
Size Range: XS - 4XL
Materials Used: 78% Recycled Nylon / 22% Spandex
Ookioh is an LA-based sustainable swimwear brand that features modern designs based in a retro aesthetic. Their swimsuits are made with regenerated materials from an Italian mill and feature universally form-flattering cuts. The company strives to be completely plastic-free in their shipping practices within the next two years and are taking concrete steps towards making that happen.
Manakai Swimwear
Best For: activity-friendly minimal designs
Price Range: $98 - $198
Size Range: S - L
Materials Used: Recycled Nylon
Manakai Swimwear is Hawaii's first sustainable and ethical swimwear brand. The company was created in 2015 and manufactures their swimsuits entirely in the US with regenerative fabrics sourced from Carvico & Jersey Lomellina in Italy. Their designs are fairly minimalistic but prioritize fit and empowerment.
Sensi Graves Swim
Best For: high quality sporty designs
Price Range: $45 - $148
Size Range: XS - XL
Materials Used: REPREVE®, ECONYL®
Sensi Graves Swim designs with the outdoors in mind. This US-based sustainable swimwear brand was created by a professional kiteboarder in hopes of addressing quality issues in conventional swimsuits. The company partners with Hope Studio, Inc in Los Angeles and KAM in Salem, Oregon for production and uses recycled REPREVE® and ECONYL® fabrics in all their swimsuits.
Jade Swim
Best For: luxurious designs with innovative silhouettes
Price Range: $80 - $240
Size Range: XS - XL
Materials Used: 78% Recycled Nylon / 22% Spandex
Jade Swim is a US-based sustainable swimwear brand that creates luxurious swimsuits with minimalist aesthetics and innovative silhouettes. Their designs are drafted in New York and produced in Los Angeles with multifunctional versatility in mind. The company uses recycled, Oeko-Tex certified fabrics and prioritize solid colored options in order to omit excessive water usage needed to print patterns.
Galamaar
Best For: trendy designs with versatile fabrics
Price Range: $50 - $276
Size Range: XS - XL
Materials Used: ECONYL®
Galamaar creates timeless sustainable swimwear for contemporary women. Their designs feature clean lines and bright colors with thoughtful consideration for quality, construction, and comfort. All their swimsuits are made in LA with ECONYL® and shipped out in eco friendly packaging materials.
Made Trade
Best For: large selection of designs from independent brands
Price Range: $45 - $130
Size Range: XS - XL
Materials Used: Amni Soul Eco® Thread / CO2 Light Fabric, Deadstock Fabrics, ECONYL®, Repreve
Made Trade is a sustainable fashion directory that houses various independent brands that meet their sustainability guidelines. If you're not committed to any specific brand, it's a great place to discover new options and find deals on styles that you might not have considered otherwise. From simple two-piece bikinis to androgynous one-piece designs, you can find it all on this marketplace!
Take 10% Off With The Code “SENSIBLEFAY10”
Sustainable Swimwear UK
YouSwim
Best For: versatile colorful knitted swimsuits
Price Range: £45 - £130
Size Range: Stretch 1 (AUS/UK 6-18) & Stretch 2 (AUS/UK 18-28)
Materials Used: ribbed EU-sourced, OEKO-TEX® certified nylon yarn and elastane
YouSwim is one of the most size-inclusive swimwear brands based in the UK. Their swimsuits are made entirely in England using a premium quality, EU-sourced, OEKO-TEX® certified nylon yarn to create a versatile and flexible fit. They ship their products with plastic-free and biodegradable packaging.
Stay Wild Swim
Best For: solid minimalistic designs
Price Range: £50 - £180
Size Range: AUS/UK 6-24
Materials Used: ECONYL®
Stay Wild Swim is a UK-based swimwear brand that uses ECONYL® for their garments. Their swimwear is beautifully designed and one thing that I appreciate about their brand is how they’ve addressed sustainability along every single step of their production chain.
Their garments are ethically produced using a small factory in London and they’ve incorporated the use of sustainable materials down to even the hang tags and hygiene liners. In recent years, they've also introduced a take-back program to encourage circularity.
Batoko
Best For: quirky (animal) print one-piece designs
Price Range: £60
Size Range: XS - 3XL
Materials Used: GRS certified 100% recycled post-consumer plastic waste
Batoko is an independent sustainable swimwear brand based in England that creates small collections of fun and quirky printed suits. Their designs use 100% recycled materials (85% polyester, 15% elastane) that often feature illustrated sea animals. They strive to make feel-good swimwear for all shapes and sizes.
Boden
Best For: printed and colorful pieces
Price Range: £32 - £80
Size Range: AUS/UK 6-22
Materials Used: LENZING™ ECOVERO™
Boden is a UK-based clothing brand that sells all sorts of apparel. Their sustainable swimwear line is created entirely with LENZING™ ECOVERO™ and shipped in 100% recyclable packaging. Their Leicester warehouse is sustainably optimized with a zero-to-landfill policy, solar panels, and rain-water operated plumbing systems.
Made Of Water
Best For: versatile and adventure-friendly swimsuits
Price Range: £30 - £145
Size Range: AUS/UK 8-14
Materials Used: ECONYL®
Made of Water is a small, independently-owned swimwear brand based out of Cornwall, UK. They design eco friendly swimwear specifically for wild swimming. Their designs range from colorful printed bikinis made from recycled nylon to sport-specific neoprene swimsuits. All of their garments are designed in the UK and handcrafted in Indonesia.
Sustainable Swimwear Australia
Charlee Swim
Best For: textured swim classics
Price Range: $99 - $230 AUD
Size Range: XS - 3XL
Materials Used: ECONYL®, REPREVE Lycra
Based in Noosa Heads, Queensland, Charlee Swim is a family-owned sustainable swimwear brand. Their company designs in small collections, only uses recycled ECONYL® and REPREVE Lycra materials, and prints textiles using a unique sublimation technique that eliminates water from the process. All their garments are made by hand at their Noosa studio and all of their packaging is sustainable.
Tasha Rui
Best For: vibrant, expressive, and supportive swimsuits
Price Range: $119 - $210 AUD
Size Range: AUS 8 - 16
Materials Used: ECONYL®, REPREVE Lycra
Tasha Rui is a Sydney-based sustainable swimwear brand inspired by the vibrant beauty of Australasian sparkling waters and tropical days. Their swimsuits are inspired by Indigenous New Zealand heritage and feature custom colorful prints on recycled ECONYL® and REPREVE Lycra materials. All garments are made ethically in small batches by local factories in Australia and they strive to close the loop by implementing a take-back program. Read my full review here.
Kekai Swimwear
Best For: brightly colored high waist bikinis
Price Range: $74 - $98 AUD
Size Range: AUS/UK 8-16
Materials Used: recycled lycra, polyester, and nylon
Kekai Swimwear is an Australian swimwear brand that seeks to empower women of all shapes and sizes. Their swimsuits are made of recycled materials and manufactured locally in the Gold Coast to reduce carbon emissions. All their printed fabrics are dye-sublimated using eco friendly, water-based digital inks.
Elle Evans Swimwear
Best For: funky colorful pieces
Price Range: $95 - $245 AUD
Size Range: XXS - 3XL
Materials Used: ECONYL®
Elle Evans Swimwear was created by two friends in 2013. The company is based out of Melbourne, Australia, where each swimsuit fairly and ethically made to order. The garments are made out of ECONYL® and the brand takes sustainability to the next level by donating 1% back to the Healthy Seas Initiative.
Peony Swimwear
Best For: delicate floral swimsuits
Price Range: $42 - $260 AUD
Size Range: XS - XL
Materials Used: ECONYL®, REPREVE®
Peony is a sustainable swimwear brand based out of Australia. They're carbon neutral-certified and do their best to use recycled textiles like ECONYL® and REPREVE®. Their textile prints are all created in-house and all their manufacturing partners hold internationally recognized certifications (BSCI, S8000, and Oekotex). They've recently implemented a take-back program to promote circularity and that shows further commitment towards environmental wellbeing.
Hakea Swim
Best For: sleek neutrals in interesting silhouettes
Price Range: $88 - $240 AUD
Size Range: AUS/UK 8-16
Materials Used: ECONYL®
Inspired by Australia’s arid coastlines and desert landscapes, Hakea Swim creates timeless designs in a neutral palette. Their collections are made with ECONYL® fabric and produced in limited quantities. The company manufactures both in Australia and Bali and has visited their overseas factories to ensure clean, safe, and ethical working conditions.
Diverging from the typical ‘four collections per year’ model, Hakea reduces waste by releasing small collections on an inspiration-only basis, or evolving and expanding according to our customer feedback.
Why Sustainable Swimwear?
To say yes to sustainable swimwear is to say no to fast fashion. By now, you probably know that fast fashion is extremely harmful to the environment. By choosing to support small, independently owned, sustainable businesses, you can use your money to back up your values. Eco friendly and ethical swimwear helps us preserve natural resources, reduce plastic pollution, and fight for fair wages and working conditions.
What Makes Swimwear Sustainable?
It’s important to note how challenging it is to design swimwear sustainably.
Because garments are meant to conform to the body, they typically require a good amount of stretch which can only be created with petroleum-based synthetic fibers like nylon, polyester, or spandex.
These synthetic fibers are unsustainable by definition and take hundreds to thousands of years to degrade.
However, because of the functional requirements of swimwear, it’s basically impossible (or unwise) to eliminate them completely and create a garment with only natural fibers. That's why so many brands have chosen to go with the next-best option of using a recycled alternative in their production.
You may have noticed the persistent presence of ECONYL®, REPREVE®, and other regenerated synthetics within the materials.
So, what exactly are they?
They're essentially recycled nylon, polyester, elastane, or lycra textiles made from plastic waste. Innovative companies have learned to regenerate discarded fishing nets, fabric scraps, industrial plastic, or plastic bottles, into synthetic fabric textiles that can be given a second life through swimwear.
Although these garments are made with recycled fibers, they are still plastic-based and it’s important to remember that they will still contribute to microplastic pollution. Be mindful of how you are washing them and if you can, use a guppy bag to filter out the microfiber runoff.
Whether you're adding them to your summer travel capsule wardrobe or are simply revamping your existing collection, I hope that you found this list of sustainable swimwear brands helpful! For more on sustainable shopping and slow living swaps, check out my review of Hara The Label or Aisle Period Underwear. Remember, we don't need one person doing sustainability perfectly, we need thousands doing it imperfectly. So wherever you are on your green living journey is just perfect.
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