ETHICAL SWIMWEAR BRANDS FOR SUMMER: The Ultimate Guide

It’s summer! Time to head to the nearest waterbodies and chill. But, wearing what? Here are some stunning ethical swimwear brands for summer. These aren’t your regular swimwear brands; these are brands that use eco-friendly + sustainable materials and transparent supply chains and business practices.

But, wait. What is wrong with the “regular” swimwear brands? 

First of all, the fashion industry is one of the biggest industrial polluters in the world, so we should look into the details of every fashion item we purchase (of which swimwear is one) before we buy. Secondly, until quite recently all swimwear items were made of nylon and polyester, both of which are non-biodegradable synthetic materials made from petrochemicals. Looking for swimwear companies that do better is important – more important than finding the best bikinis!

And, last but not least, approximately 1.4 BILLION pounds of trash goes into the ocean each year. Our fashion choices are poisoning our oceans and food supplies, and it’s only right that when we go to the seaside, we do all we can to minimize our negative impact on the seas.

Ethical Swimwear?

Do these “ethical” swimwear brands actually manufacture their products responsibly? From what I could make out, these bathing suit companies either source natural materials or repurposed plastics (a lot of which is from fishing nets). In fact, many of these brands use ocean plastics as one of their starting materials! Econyl, for example, is a material that’s made from ocean plastics that have been sorted and broken down, and melted into soft threads. This thread is used in brands such as Speedo’s H2O Active, Outerknown and many others. 

While the material these brands use may not be perfectly sustainable, what we should look for is that they do the most that is possible to make their businesses and products sustainable and ethical, treating both workers and the environment as much more vital than simply turning a profit every quarter. In this ultra-capitalistic world of ours, this is what we can do as individual consumers. We do need swimsuits – unless there’s a nudist beach close to where you live – and the best thing we can do is to buy swimwear as infrequently as is humanly possible, and buy from businesses that follow at least some of the values that we ideally ought to be looking for in all businesses.

Besides, these brands also focus on making swimwear that lasts. A relief from the fast-fashion strategy of use and throw.

Finally: one extra reason to check out these ethical swimwear brands? They look gorgeous!

The Ultimate List of Ethical Swimwear Brands

Let’s get started. This is a list of ethical swimwear brands in alphabetical order.

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Aquadiva  | Australia

Auria  | United Kingdom

Azura Bay  | USA

Batoko | United Kingdom 

Beach Access | Indonesia 

Bombshell Bay | Australia 

Camp Cove Swim | Australia

Cecile Swim | Australia & Indonesia

Davy J  | United Kingdom

Deakin and Blue | United Kingdom

Elle Evans | Australia

Faherty | USA

Finisterre | United Kingdom

Galamaar | USA

Good Studios  | Australia

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Jessica Rey Swimwear | USA

JETS Swimwear | Australia

Koru Swimwear | New Zealand

Kowtow | USA

Liar the Label | Australia

Loop Swim | China

Mara Hoffman | USA

Mona California | USA

MYMARINI | Germany

Nettle’s Tale | Canada

Novah Swimwear | Bermuda 

Ocean ZEN | Australia

Outdoor Voices | USA

Patagonia | USA

Reformation | USA

Ruby Moon | United Kingdom

Saltsuit | New Zealand

Shapes in the Sand | Australia

Stidston Swimwear | United Kingdom

Summersalt | USA

Swoon Swimwear | USA

Tropic of C | USA

Undersea Bikini | Hungary

Vitamin A | USA

Zulu and Zephyr | Australia

THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.

What About Secondhand Swimwear?

Trying on secondhand swimwear items may sound weird, but it’s not that horrifying if you shop on Depop, Poshmark, or ThredUp, where they have options for swimwear items that have never been worn. If you’re looking for more affordable swimwear, secondhand is your best bet.

You can also check out Etsy for more like these amazing ethical, handmade swimsuits made with recycled materials (including this pretty bikini made from “sustainable scuba jersey fabric reclaimed from the fast fashion industry”).

Of course, if you aren’t icky about pre-owned swimwear items, there are thrifted options galore.

Minimize Micro-plastic Waste

As much as buying ethical and eco-friendly is important, it’s also important to take good care of them. After your swim, rinse your swimsuit gently in warm water and allow it to air dry (you can handwash it at home with a non-toxic detergent). This will not only lengthen its life, but will also limit the number of micro and nano plastic particles that eventually end up in the ocean. Read more detailed instructions here.

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Read More

The Environmental Impact of Fashion

Sustainable Outdoor Gear for the Eco-Adventurous

Ethical Fashion: Organic cotton brands that are changing the industry

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NOTE: All brand photographs belong to the respective brands/businesses.

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THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.