Diary

The current trend in fashion is to produce clothes that are more ethically and more eco responsible. Swimming suits don’t escape that rule and more and more swimwear brands are choosing organic, recycled or sustainable fabrics or locally made fashion (such as Made in France), and sometimes even both of them. Let’s go for a review of what is the best in terms of environmentally friendly swimwear.

Ethical and responsible fashion: swimming suits as well!

The revolution has started! Gradually people’s mindsets are changing and consumers are examining labels more and more, willing to know how their clothes are made and in which conditions. If fast fashion brands continue to do well, offering renewed collections at low costs, the concept starts falling apart.

Some big brands are offering more transparency, revealing things they used to hide for many years. Facing those fashion giants, small brands are trying to make their way by offering alternative solutions: ecological or recycled materials, clothes produced in Europe in decent conditions, but especially clothes that are made to last and not made to be replaced at the next season. Regarding the swimming suits, possibilities have been restricted, especially because of the expected performances: a swimming suit shouldn’t be transparent once it is wet, it should allow water to evacuate, being elastic and not loose its colour when in contact with chlorine. The results were that apart from nylon, polyamide or elastane there was no alternative.

Recycled or innovative fabrics that reinvent swimwear fashion.

When an innovation actually revolutionizes our everyday life our reaction is quite often the same: We think: “Why we didn’t think about that?” Fortunately in the shadow, some people think and invent the fashion of tomorrow. They devise innovation that will be one day the standard. In the competitive maker of swimwear this revolution has two impacts. It first has an impact on fabrics.

● The Econyl ® revolution

Econyl is the fabric of the future. It has been created by the company called Aquafil, one of the world leader of polyamide producer. This fiber which is 100% recyclable is made with nylon thread coming from abandoned fishing nets found in oceans. Canopea swimwear are made from this innovative fabric. Thanks to the very tight fiber of the fabric and a revolutionary technology they also offer an UPF50+ protection.

● Recycled polyester and polyamide mixed with cotton

Some brands are making the choice of producing swimwear made with synthetic recycled fabrics. For example, they use plastic bottles mixed with cotton. This is a seducing alternative that reduces the used resources for the production and reduces the synthetic part in the finished product.

● Recyclable and scrap fabrics from big fashion house

What if instead of producing new fabrics, we used the oversupply of leftover fabrics. That’s what a few brands suggest. Those recycled fabrics have a second life and the finished product is made through a short cycle.

Many French and europeans brands commit themselves to produce their swimwear in France and Europe in workshops that provide their employees with decent work conditions. The carbon impact is lowered and the swimwear cycle is shortened between the workshop and the consumer. Some consumers want to move towards through a more ecological and durable fashion without buying products made with more innovative fabrics, for instance for cost issues. Choosing to buy a swimming suit made in France or in a European country is already a first step!

Check out our collection of sun protective swimwear for babies, girls, boys, women and men here