Last Updated on May 17, 2023
Is there anything better than lying on the beach in swimwear? Yes — lying on a beach in sustainable swimwear.
As we’ve grown more aware of the damage fashion is doing to our environment, it’s become harder and harder to ignore. Countless sustainable brands are popping up, while many high-street stores are working on becoming more eco-friendly too by using sustainably made materials and keeping a closer eye on their supply chains.
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So it’s unsurprising that the market for conscious swimwear is rising. According to Lyst, consumers are now looking for eco-friendly swimsuits more than ever before, with searches for sustainability-related keywords increasing 101% over the month of May this year. The word ‘recycled’ relating to swimwear also saw an increase in searches by 211%.
However, it’s not always easy to separate those that are truly kind to our environment through the use of eco-friendly and recycled materials from those that are simply greenwashing customers. And to be honest, since these are all still quite new concepts, they can be a bit confusing. That’s where we come in.
We’ve made it our mission not only to find pieces that will help you feel confident at the beach but those that do so with the added bonus of helping the planet too.
So without further ado, here are some of our favourite sustainable swimwear brands to get to know now.
Peony
On a mission to create swimwear that are as sustainable as they are beautiful, Peony make all of their luxurious swim/resortwear using recycled materials – no exceptions.
To add to their sustainability credentials, Peony’s factories are Social Accountability International – SA8000 certified and as a company they are Carbon-Neutral certified.
So yes, they really are sustainable as they are beautiful.
Floral-print Organic Cotton and ECOVERO-blend Cover-up, Net-a-Porter, £265 – buy now
Junk LDN
Created by Celia Harper, Junk LDN is a sustainable swimwear brand based in Brighton. The pieces, however, are made in an ethical factory in Bali, Indonesia.
Junk LDN produces bright, fun swimsuits that are made with eco-friendly fabrics like Italian ECONYL and REPREVE. (More environment-friendly fabrics here.)
Lily Underwire Top – Love Heart, £55 – buy now
Rose Brief – Love Heart, £50 – buy now
Stay Wild Swim
Stay Wild Swim founders Natalie Glaze and Zanna Van Dijk grew up spending a lot of time by the water and so they’ve developed a passion for its preservation.
The brand aims to be as sustainable as possible, from production to shipping. Aside from using eco-friendly fabrics, it also uses recycled and recyclable packaging.
The Gaia Onepiece, £110 – buy now
Paper London
‘Look Good, Do Good, Feel Good’ is Paper London’s mantra. The award-winning brand created by Philippa Thackeray and Kelly Townsend focuses on ‘the transformative power of colourful clothing.’
The brand’s pieces are made with responsibly sourced and environment-friendly materials. With each purchase, Paper London plants 5 mangrove trees in Madagascar, Mozambique or Kenya.
Florentine Swimsuit in Magenta, £79.50 – buy now
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Oceanus Swimwear
Fashion-forward? Check. Women-focused? Check. Sustainable? Check. These are just among the many things Oceanus Swimwear stands for.
Aside from using ECONYL and natural dyes for its products, the brand created by Hannah Attalah also reuses beading from damaged or defective items. The brand also claims to use only natural dyes in its products so they’re safe not just for the planet but for customers too.
Daphne Bikini, £225 – buy now
Fisch
Make a statement with your swimwear while helping to clean waste from the ocean — that’s Fisch’s mission.
Its products are manufactured in a factory that’s two hours away from the mill that supplies its fabrics, which helps to reduce the brand’s overall carbon footprint. Aside from that, Fisch claims to be one of the first brands to use ECONYL.
Saba Lace-up Stretch-ECONYL Swimsuit, Net-a-Porter, £200 – buy now
Hunza G
Hunza G’s take on sustainability is a bit different from others (but as effective nonetheless).
In order to counter overproduction, which can lead to more textile waste — something that fast-fashion brands are known for — Hunza G has a one-size stance (one size for all items, so there are no chances of some sizes selling poorer than others and eventually getting wasted).
Nicole Bikini, £120 – buy now
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Ayla Swim
Ayla Swim is all about swimwear that’s good for the planet. Its products are created with nothing but eco-friendly materials, including ECONYL, REPREVE, CUPRO, and TENCEL.
All the pieces are manufactured by two small boutique factories in Bali, Indonesia which allow them to be flexible with their order sizes so they can avoid wasting stock.
Classic Swimsuit Bonaire Print, £120 – buy now
Vitamin A
One of the most popular sustainable swimwear brands this year, Vitamin A isn’t just super stylish but it’s eco-friendly too.
Designer behind the brand Amahlia created a sustainable fabric with the help of top mills in Italy, Canada and California now called EcoLux™ after being told there was ‘no market’ for swimwear made from recycled fibres. Now the bikinis and one pieces are also made from earth-friendly textiles including organic cotton, linen, recycled cotton and Tencel®.
Reese Reversible One Piece, $185 – buy now
