Sustainable Swimwear Fabrics

Confused when it comes to choosing eco-swimwear, and trying to tell your recycled polyester from your ECONYL? The world of sustainable swimwear can be a  confusing one, which is why we’ve put together this ultimate guide to sustainable swimwear fabrics to help you make more environmentally friendly choices this summer.

Most swimwear is made from polyester or nylon, which are synthetic fibres that struggle to break down, meaning lingering in landfill for hundreds of years after we finish with them, and leaving behind harmful microplastics that damage the environment.

It’s easy to see why these fabrics are chosen - they have long been favoured for performing well under water - they keep their shape and dry quickly, don’t change colour or functionality when faced with the harshness of salty seawater or the chlorine of swimming pools.

So what environmentally friendly alternatives do we have for sustainable swimwear fabrics?

In this article we’ll explore various options, from traditional to cutting edge to help you make eco-friendly choices for your summer adventures.

Sustainable Swimwear Fabrics 101

When it comes to which fabric is the most sustainable, there’s a lot of different factors that come into play.

It’s a little bit tricky to choose just one fabric that trumps them all, because there are actually a lot of great alternatives to using brand new polyester or nylon, and they all have different qualities that make them unique.

Our List of the Top Sustainable Swim Fabrics

Let’s start by looking at some of the best sustainable swimwear fabrics that are available today. These innovative materials offer excellent alternatives to traditional synthetic swimwear.

Econyl is a regenerated nylon fabric that is made out of recycled nylon waste. This comes from landfill and the ocean - recycling things like old fishing nets and used plastic bottles, and uses regeneration to create a new fabric from the old that performs in the exact same way as raw nylon would.That means that when you buy econyl swimwear, it looks and feels exactly like new fabric would, but without using raw materials like crude oil.

Vita PL is another sustainable swimwear fabric that we love. It’s made from recycled polyester, which comes from post-consumer plastic bottles. Designers and brands that choose Vita PL reduce the need for virgin materials, and combat plastic waste in the process.

Repreve is another fabric that is often used in sustainable swimwear. It’s made from recycled PET, which stands for polyethylene terephthalate. By turning old plastic bottles into swimwear, it contributes to a circular economy and reduces environmental impact.

Amni Soul Eco® Thread is made from unique polyamide 6.6 yarn that can actually biodegrade in landfill within just three years. It is high performance, just like non-biodegradable fabrics, but doesn’t cause any waste or pollution at the end of its life, making it a great eco-friendly option.

Recycled Materials

A lot of the more sustainable options for swimwear include recycled materials, which are a more circular option than new materials.

New synthetic materials require huge amounts of energy and petroleum to produce, and create new non-biodegradable waste during the process, whereas recycled materials are not creating any new waste.

On top of that, they’re able to harness the resources that would otherwise have gone to landfill.

Natural Fibres - Is Organic Cotton a Good Material for Swimwear?

Synthetic fabrics are naturally a great fit for swimwear because of their performance features, but natural fibres also have a place in the sustainable swimwear world. These are some of the most common:

Natural rubber is sourced from rubber trees, and offers the elasticity and comfort that plastic-based neoprene also boasts, with the added bonus of being biodegradable. Our brand partners Finisterre use Yulex, which is flexible and durable - perfect for hitting the waves.

Cotton, hemp and bamboo can all be used to make eco-friendly swimwear. They break down naturally, unlike synthetic fabrics.

If you can, choose organic versions of these fabrics means less water is used when making them, plus less pesticides and harmful chemicals.

How to tell what your swimwear is made of?

Check the recycled content in your swimwear by looking at the label or product description.

Brands that prioritise sustainability will often provide detailed information about their fabric choices, and one’s that don’t use sustainable fabrics tend to give minimal information, so you can usually tell.

Look for swimwear with high recycled content, or brands that share extra information about how their fabrics break down. 

Features to Look for in Sustainable Swimwear Fabric

When you’re choosing what sustainable swimwear to buy, there are some essential features it’s important to consider.

Chlorine Resistance is crucial to ensure the longevity of your swimsuit, allowing you to enjoy it for multiple seasons.

Suncream / Tanning Oil Resistance is another factor to look out for. Sometimes natural fabrics will stain when oil or cream touch them, which makes them less than ideal for protecting yourself from the rays on sunny afternoons.

Saltwater Resistance should also be considered, especially if you’ll be wearing your swimsuit into the sea. Some fabrics will fade quickly because of the salt, but others will keep their colour over much longer periods of time.

Check reviews on any brands you’re buying from, and read the small print on site to make sure you have as much information as possible to avoid any surprises.

If you’re buying in store, don’t be scared to ask the shop assistants to tell you about the sustainability of their swimwear. They’ll be happy to give you the low down on why a fabric will work or not work when it’s in the water.

Brands Using These Sustainable Fibres

It can be challenging to find brands that use eco friendly and sustainable swimwear fabrics.

Fortunately there are several amazing brands leading the way in sustainable swimwear. We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite companies that prioritise the planet when it comes to choosing how they make their clothes.

Finisterre

Our brand partner Finisterre are sustainability focussed, and create their wetsuits from yulex, which is a natural rubber. Combining the natural material with their pioneering technology, there is no compromise on performance, but the wetsuits produce 80% less C02 in production.

The rest of their swimwear is made from ECONYL®, and is highly resistant to chlorine, salt water and sun tan cream, meaning they make a great choice for your summer swimwear.

TALA

Made from a mix of 85% recycled nylon and 15% elastane, these flattering styles are fit for every body shape.

The fabric blend is made for extra durability, so you can keep your swimsuits for longer, and they have tons of fun pieces that can be styled in different ways, meaning you can buy one swimsuit and have multiple looks, instead of having to buy lots of swimsuits.

Sweaty Betty

Sweaty Betty use Xtra Life Lycra which is made from recycled plastic, which holds its shape for 5x longer than elastane. The supportive fabric and comfortable fit of their styles mean they’ll look great and last for a long time, perfect for summer beach days. The fabric is resistant to chlorine and bright sunshine, so the colour doesn’t fade.

Tips for Caring for Sustainable Swimwear Fabric

Once you’ve bought your new sustainable swimwear, it’s important to take good care of it. Following a care routine means you can keep it looking new for the longest time possible, and reduces the amount of microplastics released when you wash it.

These are our top tips:

• Hand wash in cold soapy water. This reduces the amount of microplastics that would be released in a washing machine, and preserves the colour for longer. Washing machines can be a bit rough with your clothes, meaning the fabric ages a lot more quickly.
• Use a microplastic-catching laundry bag. If you’re a dedicated washing machine user, investing in a microplastic catcher for your washing machine means that you’ll be reducing the amount of microplastics that make their way from your clothes into the water. Even recycled swimwear is still plastic, so this is an important way you can minimise your impact.
• Avoid Tumble Drying and Ironing. Using unnecessary heat on your swimwear will cause it to fade more quickly. Swimwear dries quickly and rarely crumples, so you should have no need to do either of these, but just in case you’re thinking about it - don’t. 
• Dry away from direct sunlight and heat. Yes, we know it’s only natural to leave your swimsuit hanging over a balcony or chair in the sunshine to dry off, but unnecessary sunlight is going to mean fading, and your swimwear is going to look older more quickly. Dry it in the shade, and it might take a little longer, but it’ll be worth it over time.

The Future of Sustainable Swimwear Fabric

There’s more and more research into sustainable fabrics happening every day, so the future is looking pretty promising when it comes to scientific advancements.

Chemical recycling processes are being developed to transform discarded garments into regenerated nylon and other usable materials. Check out our blog on responsible recycling to find out how Reskinned is involved.

Closed-loop regeneration processes have the potential to significantly reduce non-biodegradable waste going into landfill, which promotes a circular economy, meaning swimwear that’s made can be remade again and again.

The aim is to get to a point where swimwear can be infinitely recycled when we’re finished with it, so our grandkids’ grandkids could be wearing swimwear made out of the swimwear we wear today.

Choosing sustainable swimwear fabrics is crucial for reducing the environmental impact of our summer holidays, but the good news is that there are a lot of great affordable options out there to make it a little bit easier to do the right thing.

In terms of which fabric is best for swimsuits, it’s really up to you and what you need from your swimwear.

Why not check out our pre-loved summer styles or read about how to detox your wardrobe?