The BEST Sustainable Swimsuits for Adventurous Women
With summer just around the corner (it is, I promise) you’re probably starting to look for a few new pieces to brighten up your summer wardrobe. You can head to the (virtual) thrift store for some cute sundresses, maybe there’s a local artist who makes the cutest beach bags, but swimsuits? They’re one thing you want to buy new.
Swimsuits are a STRUGGLE for anyone trying to be sustainable, because they have to be made out of plastic. (unless we plan on going back to the wool suits of the 1920s which, personally, is not a sacrifice I am willing to make) Fortunately, some companies have stepped up to the plate and built brands and swimsuits that are sustainable, stylish, and functional.
Now I’m not going to mention any ‘high fashion’ brands in this post, even though there are a few that have made some pretty great sustainable options. The reason is that if you’re going to be embarking on crazy adventures, paddling, diving, snorkeling, and cliff jumping- you’re really going to want a swimsuit that actually stays on.
Every active woman has been betrayed by a flimsy swim top. You know, that annoying experience of jumping into the water in a swimsuit not particularly designed for swimming only to discover that you’ve unintentionally joined the #freethenipple movement. Not with these suits. Not on my watch.
As a traveller who spends almost as much of my time in the water as I do on land, quality swimwear is essential. As a minimalist packer, I don’t have room to mess around with half a dozen mediocre suits. Any suit that comes with me had better be comfortable, functional, and durable. So you can trust me when I say that a suit can take a beating.
With that in mind….
WHAT MAKES A SWIMSUIT SUSTAINABLE?
Let’s break this into 2 parts: the suit and the brand
A SUSTAINABLE SWIMSUIT IS:
Made with recycled materials
Manufactured with minimal environmental impact
Made by workers who are paid fairly and treated well
Durable enough to last for years
A SUSTAINABLE SWIMSUIT BRAND:
Works to minimize their impact on the environment
Is transparent with their supply chain
Provides additional services to empower their factory workers in low-income countries
Gives back to the planet
Without further ado, Here are my top sustainable swimsuit brands for adventure travel:
1. WATERLUST
Have you ever dreamed of posting a #twinning selfie with a whale shark? Well, now you can. Waterlust is a sustainable swimwear brand that creates lines of swim gear showing off different ocean creatures and causes. Their series include tiger sharks, corals, salmon, and so much more.
Waterlust absolutely takes the cake when it comes to sustainable swimwear. They are a company founded by ocean scientists who wanted to use clothing as a platform for ocean advocacy. And they’ve done a fantastic job.
All of their suits are made from recycled materials, and every piece sold gives back 10% to the cause or animal it represents- that’s right, you have an even better excuse to buy the whale shark leggings now.
Their suits are extremely comfortable. The material is stretchy, durable, and dries fast- it’s also UPF rated. Waterlust makes more than traditional swim tops and shorts, they make leggings and sunsuits too! (Great for when you want to look cute but also not get burnt) One thing to note, though, is that the tank tops won’t be the best fit for busty girls.
I personally own their whale shark warrior leggings and a few of the tank tops (the abalone one is my favorite). They’ve held up great and I can’t help but think about the ocean when I’m wearing one of their pieces, whether I’m lounging at home or already at the beach.
2. PATAGONIA
Patagonia is an outdoor brand probably known best for their iconic fleeces. But they excel in so many other areas- sustainability being a big one. They literally have an activism tab next to the shop tab on their website.
Patagonia has taken the challenge of creating sustainable activewear to the max. Almost all of their pieces are made with natural or recycled materials, and they have a take-back program to make sure their clothes don’t end up in the trash when they’ve reached the end of their long life.
Their swimsuits are made with recycled materials, both polyester and nylon, and are fair trade certified. They’ve put a lot of effort into making their swimwear practical, from including pockets in some pieces to a ‘nanogrip’ line which claims to stay in place no matter what.
Like Athleta, Patagonia pieces are size-inclusive and Patagonia stands behind their pieces with an ironclad guarantee. What’s even better is that they have a repair option in addition to the return option, so you don’t have to give up a great piece with that one tear in it.
3. ATHLETA
Athleta is a high-end athletic wear brand for women. They specialize in extremely well made pieces and have a give-it-a-workout guarantee to back them up. Their swimsuits are what attracted me and now every woman in my very active family wears their swimsuits religiously.
In the past few years, Athleta has really pushed to become a sustainable brand. Most of their clothing now includes recycled materials, and they are a certified B-corp. They have a program (PACE) to empower women working in their factories, are working to minimize packaging waste, and to manufacture more products with water saving techniques, with ambitious goals for 2020.
Their swimwear is now all made with recycled materials. The pieces aren’t cheap, but their suits can take a beating. For example, I have a swim top from Athleta that’s eight years old, been through lakes, oceans, and pools, and is still going strong.
Since they’re a women-focused brand, Athleta puts a lot of effort into making sure they make swimsuits for all body shapes. They make sporty (but still super cute) suits that will keep the girls in place all day long (I have a first person testimony from a woman with a DDD cup if you don’t believe me).
4. PRANA
Prana is a conscious yoga brand who has long been on the sustainability train. Their clothes are designed extremely thoughtfully and made with movement in mind.
Most of their swimwear is made with recycled materials and their products are fair trade certified. In fact, they were the first North American apparel brand to produce clothing with the fair-trade certification!
Prana’s swimwear is made for comfort and style as well as function. While their suits won’t disappoint if you’re catching waves, they have a more laid-back vibe. Their tops are made to support and keep you in, but they don’t have styles specifically for busty girls like Athelta does.
With Prana’s sustainability slogan of ‘clothing for positive change’, they’ve dedicated themselves to sustainability through fair trade, organically grown cotton, recycled wool, responsible down, bluesign certified, (responsible chemical use & management) and are constantly looking to improve. They acknowledge that they’re not perfect- transparency which I really respect.
That concludes my roundup of the top sustainable swimwear brands for active women taking on whatever adventures the water throws at them. I’m sure there are other brands out there, and the guide at the beginning can help you decide whether a swimsuit is truly sustainable.
Now get your suit, pack your bags, and get out there.
(as soon as we’re allowed to)