Sustainable Fabric and your Bikini

At Sun Patrol Swimwear we manufacture sustainable swimsuits that are environmentally friendly and manufactured ethically. But have you ever wondered what exactly makes a sustainable bikini, and what the difference is between the standard bikini and an eco-friendly one?

To answer some of these questions, lets take a look at what goes in to making a bikini.

Most swimwear is made from virgin polyester or nylon. This kind of material not only sheds micro-plastics into the water with each wash, but it’s also a waste of natural resources.

Thankfully, there are several innovative, sustainable swim fabrics out there that swimsuit companies can use in their swimwear.

One of the best eco-friendly materials is ECONYL – it’s regenerated nylon from pre and post-consumer products.

To make ECONYL, waste like fishing nets, fabric scraps and carpet flooring are used in a regeneration and purification process. Then, the nylon is processed and turned into new swimwear products.

There are other types of recycled swimwear fabrics, such as REPREVE, which is made from recycled plastic bottles. Yet another material is EcoLux, which is just another term for recycled nylon fibers. Sun Patrol has swimwear made from both REPREVE and ECOLUX manufactured in an ethical Columbian factory.

Most sustainable and ethical swimwear brands will limit the collections they release each year to ensure the quality of their pieces. Not to mention, less collections also means less materials and resources needed to make the swimwear, keeping it sustainable.

Ideally, swimwear production should be energy efficient, value water, contain recyclable fabrics, and support ethical working conditions. We should all me mindful to do our part to care for the environment and support business who take care of and treat their workers and staff in a humane and kind way. You can do that by shopping for ethically sourced clothing, shoes, household items, and products when given the opportunity. :)