The 30 Best Eco-Friendly Swimwear Brands to Shop This Earth Day

Medina Swimwear

Medina Swimwear

Being responsible with our wardrobes is more important than ever. In a world where it is predicted that by 2050 there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish (by weight), every purchase decision we make matters. As swimsuit lovers we inherently love the ocean and therefore must nurture our planet in every way possible. Here we have rounded up 30 of our favorite eco-friendly swimwear brands that are committed to putting the environment first. From innovative materials, like ECONYL®, to repurposed fabric scraps, to recycling initiatives, these swimwear brands prove there is no longer an excuse to ignore the impact of our choices—especially when you can look this good doing it. 

1. Natasha Tonic

NATASHA TONIC

You’re most likely familiar with hemp, but are you familiar with hemp swimwear? Let us introduce you to Natasha Tonic, the female-founded swim brand that is saying goodbye to traditional polyester swimsuits altogether. Each of the brand’s swimsuits are made of a natural hemp fiber that is antimicrobial, UV resistant and a healthier option for both your skin and the ocean. Hemp can produce 250% more fiber than cotton using the same amount of land and requires 1/4 of the water it takes to grow cotton, making it an earth-friendly alternative to traditional swimsuit fabrics. Every suit by Natasha Tonic is designed, sewn, and dyed locally in Los Angeles.

2. Medina Swimwear

Medina Swimwear

Medina Swimwear is rooted in sustainability, making each and every business decision from an environmental perspective. The brand’s sustainability ethos is built upon three core principles: conscious making, circular material and a clean ocean tax. Medina’s swimsuits are characterized by signature styles that feature rubber-coated hardware and terry cloth, each of which are created consciously. The brand’s custom rubber-coated metal accessories are produced in a factory entirely run on photovoltaic energy, a clean and renewable source of energy that utilizes solar radiation to produce electricity. Medina also produces their very own terry cloth out of recycled organic cotton and SEACELL, an eco-friendly fabric that is derived from a mix of cellulose from trees and kelp.

3. Abysse

Abysse

Designed by women, for women, Abysse swimsuits are made from 100% recycled products. The brand has become known for their signature neoprene styles which are actually made out of Ecoprene, a limestone based neoprene that is less harmful to the environment than the traditional material. Ecoprene replaces petrochemicals in the neoprene with the earth-mined limestone. And, though some oil is needed to make soft rubber foam, Abysse has turned to food-grade canola oil to replace petroleum-derived oil. Using mostly renewable energy sources for this entire process, Abysse demonstrates the core of sustainability is about questioning and rewriting traditional methods.

4. Matteau

Matteau

Matteau offers eco-friendly apparel, swimwear, and accessories. The brand prioritizes responsible material sourcing, with a focus on tracing the fibers and materials back to the source. Going beyond simply utilizing sustainable materials, Matteau understands that there is “no fix-all solution” and that transparency throughout the entire supply chain is equally as important. With swimwear made from 80% recycled nylon and 20% elastane, each suit is designed to last a lifetime. Offering a range of styles from sporty to classic silhouettes, Matteau has a distinguished look that transcends seasonal trends.

5. Arrow + Phoenix Swimwear

Arrow + Phoenix Swimwear

Following a made-to-order model, Arrow + Phoenix Swimwear creates versatile swimwear made from recycled water bottles. The brand also has their very own recycling program where shoppers can receive a discount off of their next purchase by sending in any old bikinis (from Arrow + Phoenix or not). And, because there is no such thing as “doing too much” when it comes to helping Mother Nature, Arrow + Phoenix donates $5 from each swimsuit and t-shirt sale to The Coral Restoration Foundation which contributes to beach clean up efforts.

6. Love You More Swim

Love You More Swim

Toronto-based brand Love You More constructs swimsuits with two females in mind: the modern women and Mother Nature. Utilizing locally-sourced deadstock fabric, LYM is minimizes waste by making use of leftover textiles that can no longer be used for their original purpose.

7. Em & May

Em & May

Another swimwear brand giving discarded fabric a second life is Montreal-based swim and loungewear brand, Em & May. The size-inclusive brand operates on a made-to-order model, ensuring each product meets demand, without resulting in excess product. Em & May utilizes sustainably sourced fabrics from Canada ranging from recycled fibers to deadstock materials.

8.  FISCH Swim

FISCH Swim

FISCH Swim is a pioneer in the use of upcycled materials within the swimsuit industry. Since the brand’s launch in 2017, all swimsuits have been, and continue to be, made with ECONYL®, a 100% regenerated nylon fiber. Furthering their “Eco-innovative” mantra, the factories that produce the brand’s fabrics as well as swimsuits are within just a two hour drive from one another, working towards decreasing their carbon footprint as much as possible.

9. Vitamin A 

Vitamin A

Before beginning the journey of Vitamin A swimwear, founder Amahalia worked on a design project with Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard. Here, Amahlia became inspired by the company’s use of recycled materials in their fabrics. Since then, Amahalia has not only introduced the first premium swimwear fabric made from recycled nylon fibers to the market (despite the nay-sayers encountered along the way), but Vitamin A has also incorporated several other sustainable materials into their suits. Vitamin A is committed to sustainability in every aspect of operations and through the brand's practices have successfully saved 1,181,529 gallons of water, 87,108 pounds of waste, and avoided 896,068 pounds in emissions. In total, 1,280,944 kWh of energy has been saved so far thanks to Vitamin A.

10. Mara Hoffman

Mara Hoffman

Beautiful designs begin with responsibly sourced materials, according to Mara Hoffman. Utilizing a newly developed swimwear fabric, PYRATEX Power 3, traditional nylon and polyester are replaced with a cellulosic fiber made from dissolved wood pulp. This, in combination with recycled nylon and recycled polyester, result in the brand’s entire swimwear line being made from recycled materials. In an effort to move away from traditional poly bags (which sit in landfills for hundreds of years before they are broken down), the brand has also launched their own packaging solution--glassine bags by Vela. These bags are made of paper and are fully recyclable while resisting air, water, and grease.

11. Johanna Ortiz

Johanna Ortiz

Johanna Ortiz founded her namesake lifestyle brand out of a deep admiration for the richness of nature in her home, Colombia. Johanna Ortiz was initially focused on swimwear, but has now evolved into a global lifestyle brand that generates change through both social inclusion as well as eco-friendly practices. 90% of Johanna Ortiz pieces are made in house, ensuring all products are ethically and locally made to be held completely accountable for the production practices.

12. Peony Swimwear

Peony Swimwear

Peony's standard is recycled content-- no exceptions. Every swimwear fabric created by the brand has been made using recycled content, down to the smallest stitch. Compostable and biodegradable packaging is utilized throughout the brand’s entire supply chain with traditional synthetic materials being replaced by plant-based materials such as cornstarch and wheat. Even the swimwear hygiene liners are compostable and biodegradable!

13. Londre Bodywear

Londre Bodywear

If you are wondering what the future of the swimsuit industry looks like, we hope it is something like Londre Bodywear. The brand introduced an initiative to provide the option of adding coral planting to any order. Each swimsuit by Londre is created with a minimum of 6 recycled plastic bottles. This has amounted to over 1 million plastic bottles being removed from beaches and cities to be repurposed. The brand’s small production model also allows for all water used in the production process to be reused.

14. OOKIOH

OOKIOH

OOKIOH swimsuits are made out of 100% regenerated materials. Using ocean waste, such as sunken fishing nets, and pre-consumer waste, such as textile production waste, OOKIOH creates swimsuits that are meant to bring out the best in you. The brand also aims to completely eliminate plastics from their footprint within the next two years.

15. Arloe

Arloe

Arloe is an eco-conscious swimwear brand with a desire to restore nature. Each swimsuit is 100% bio-based using the fully renewable fabric, EVO. Not only does this fabric have an edge on other fabrics in regard to our planet, but it is also lighter and faster drying than other swimwear fabrics, showing that feeling good and doing good are one in the same.

16. Acacia Swimwear

ACACIA Swimwear

In terms of both design and production, ACACIA aproaches swimwear and resort wear with earth as its muse. Using a the recycled swim fabric, REPREVE, in addition to a variety of green textiles, such as TENCEL (made from sustainably harvested trees) Cotton Crupo (made from regenerated cellulose fibers from recycled cotton linter) and OEKO-TEX certified organic linen, the brand is continuously reevaluating how to utilize sustainable materials. With products  ethically manufactured in the same factory in Bali for over 12 years, every swimsuit is made to order and packaged in compostable materials. The collective of Hawai'i based women behind ACACIA are also committed to giving back to environmental and social justice, donating a percentage of every purchase made to a non-profit of choice.

Nomads is a woman-founded swimwear brand that offers size-inclusive, sustainable swimwear and resort wear. The brand is a stand out in our book because inclusion in the fashion industry, and more specifically the swimsuit industry, is often overlooked. Nomads has dedicated itself to educating the fashion industry on the importance of size inclusion and size diversity. The Atlanta based brand has coupled this mission with the goal of reducing environmental impact throughout their entire production process. The brand’s latest release, The Phoenix Collection, is their most eco-friendly launch yet with each piece made from biodegradable Amni Soul Eco® fabric and luxurious Italian ECONYL Carvico®.

18. Galamaar

Galamaar

Galamaar raises an important question that is often forgotten: swimsuits are created to experience nature, so why is there so much undue harm to the environment throughout industry practices? It’s backwards. Taking this reasoning into account, Galamaar has pledged to challenge this convention. Every detail of the operation has sustainability at its forefront: hardware made from mixed-metals, pads made locally in Los Angeles, carbon-neutral shipping, eco-packaging materials, nylon fabric made from discarded fishing nets– you name it, Galamaar has it.

19.  Angelys Balek

Angelys Balek

Environmental issues are very close to home for Angelys Balek, founder of her namesake swimwear brand. Living in Thailand, Balek could quite literally see the plastic waste polluting the country and its beaches. In 2018 Angelys Balek implemented sustainably sourced eco-fabric and reevaluated their entire operations process from start to finish. Today, the brand is on a continual hunt to find groundbreaking sustainable fabrics to source from, while maintaining a close relationship with the mills and factories that produce their swimwear.

20. Jade Swim

Jade Swim

Wherever possible JADE Swim implements recycled and regenerated materials. Offering only solid colored fabrics, excess water usage that is needed for traditional pattern printing is eliminated. The brand also offers a limited number of collections through small production batches that are all produced in the United States. Upcycling fabric scraps and cutting all styles in house to reduce CO2 emissions, JADE swim is a swimwear brand that will make you your best inside and out.

21. Faithfull the Brand

With the dreamiest vintage inspired styles, Faithfull the Brand prioritizes both how and who makes each product offered. Each style is handmade in Indonesia, where the brand was founded. Going beyond just swimwear, Faithfull the Brand also offers ready-to-wear pieces that will transport you to a vacation state of mind, wherever you are. As a certified B Corporation the brand meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance and public transparency.

22.  Araks

Araks

Araks believes in reducing, reusing, and recycling wherever and whenever possible. Saving every extra scrap of fabric, the brand ensures that all excess materials can be reused in future collections. This circular production method also encourages consumers to mix and match pieces bought across different seasons and collections.

23. Bain de Minuit

Bain de Minuit

Each swimsuit purchased from Bain de Minuit uses approximately 10 recycled plastic bottles. In addition to using REPREVE and ECONYL fabrics for the brand’s full range of suits, the swimsuit label is fully transparent in regards to their sustainability journey, ensuring no corners are cut along the production process. REPREVE is the only eco-performance fiber that has a U TRUST® verification to certify recycled content claims. Their technology allows them to test finished products to verify if the product is 100% recycled.

24. Bromelia Swimwear

Bromelia Swimwear

Bromelia Swimwear is also a brand that leads by example in supply chain and manufacturing transparency. With all swimsuits made in Los Angeles, California, Bromelia is dedicated to a supply chain that has dignity embedded in each step of their process. The female-founded company understands what it is like to conquer obstacles, and therefore values each and every single contributor to the brand, blending sustainable practices with fair wages and craftsmanship.

The brand shares “We do not like to label our brand standards as ethical, because that means production practices are generally “un” ethical. But this one word succinctly sums up that our intention is about respect and it brings awareness to the consumer that their purchase is a conscious one.”

25. RUTT Australia

RUTT Australia

Offering Luxury crochet swimwear, RUTT Australia is built upon the belief that gentleness and care must be knitted into every aspect of the knitwear brand. Through craftsmanship that reduces and repurposes waste, the brand employs high quality recycled, deadstock, and local yarns in each swimsuit.

26. Now_Then

Now_Then

With every swimsuit produced, Now_Then upcylces 300g of ocean debris and other nylon waste through an eco production process. Fueled by the desire to protect what swimsuit enthusiasts everywhere love most, the ocean and nature, Now_Then draws attention to fashion as a force for good.

27. B Ā M B A Swimwear

B Ā M B A Swimwear

B Ā M B A Swimwear (pronounced BUM-BA) is an Australian swimwear label designed by a small team who grew up along the coast of Western Australia. With an ethos that is committed to making quality swimsuits that are designed to last, B Ā M B A has partnered with REPREVE and HIGHJET, to produce a swimwear range made of the highest quality regenerated and recycled materials.

28. Anna Kosturova

Anna Kosturova

Having earned a Masters of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in textile technology, Anna Kosturova creates some of the highest-quality, sustainably-made crochet swimwear on the market. All pieces are handmade by generational artisan families. Considering the handmade nature of the pieces, the brand’s designs take time, opposed to fast and disposable fashion.

29. Vanessa Sposi

Vanessa Sposi

Designed in Paris, woven in Italy, and made in Portugal, swimsuits by Vanessa Sposi are made of an admirable blend of eco-conscious textiles. Made with OEKO-TEX® certified fabrics,  free from harmful substances, and mainly utilizing ECONYL® the brand's suits make taking a dip in the ocean something to be proud of. Each style also includes lining with natural antioxidants, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, perfect for nourishing skin during a day spent soaked in the sun.

30. Hunza G

Hunza G

UK based brand Hunza G highlights an overlooked aspect of sustainability. Each of the brand’s swimsuits follow a one-size-fits all model, helping to minimize over-purchasing due to incorrect sizing, while also maintaining size inclusivity. All of the brands suits are shipped in plastic free, environmentally firendly mailers and Hunza G Ltd is also a carbon neutral company!