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Looking for the best sustainable swimwear brands of 2023? We curated a list of ethical swimwear designed to support and enhance all your curves when lounging on sandy shores, diving into pools, surfing, or simply feeling the ocean breeze on your face.
Also, don’t forget to check our latest guide of the 15 best plus-size swimwear made with eco-friendly materials.
Best Sustainable Swimwear Brands For Ethical Bathing Suits.
No one could deny our affinity for basking in the afternoon sun, dressed in our most comfortable eco-friendly bathing suits with a cold cup of something-something in hand. Chances are that you love gorgeous beach outfits as much as we do.
This means that you are also laser-focused on finding the best ethical swimwear brands.
Long gone are the days when chemical-laden, synthetic swimsuits were the only readily option. In 2023, there’s a plethora of affordable recycled swimwear, sustainable modest swimwear, sultry plus-size bathing suits, and many more styles made of good-for-the-planet materials.
We’re talking must-have one-pieces, two-pieces, tankinis, and monokinis in virtually every shape and size. Truth is that the swim sphere has come a very long way.
Some of the best sustainable swimwear brands even took it upon themselves to create multicolored and noir-hued surfing swimsuits ideal for adventurers. The latter was notoriously hard to find till recently. There’s an array of eco-friendly bathing suits equipped with SPF 50+ sun protection.
Let’s not forget the slew of skirt suits and full coverage numbers that are available online!
We’ve laid out all the best straight-size and plus-size eco-friendly bathing suit brands for you’ll want to have on during all your sunshine-season shenanigans.
What is sustainable swimwear?
Sustainable swimwear is swimwear made using environmentally friendly materials and production methods, with a focus on reducing the negative impact of traditional swimwear manufacturing on the planet.
This can include using recycled materials such as recycled polyester, and Recycled Nylon, as well as minimizing the use of harmful chemicals, dyes, and water during production.
In addition, ethical swimwear may be designed to last longer than traditional swimwear, reducing the need for frequent replacement and ultimately reducing waste. Last, but not least, eco-friendly bathing suit brands prioritize ethical labor practices, ensuring that the workers who make the swimwear are paid fairly and work in safe conditions.
How does swimwear impact the environment?
Traditional swimwear is often made from virgin (non-recycled) nylon, polyester, and spandex, which are synthetic fibers derived from fossil fuels. The production of these materials can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution.
In addition, swimwear production often involves the use of harsh chemicals and dyes, which can be harmful to both the environment and human health. These substances can enter waterways and contribute to water pollution.
On top of that, swimwear manufacturing requires water for various stages, such as dyeing, washing, and finishing. This can lead to water depletion and water pollution, as well as the release of untreated wastewater. Let’s not forget microfiber pollution. Synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon release microfibers when washed, which can end up in waterways and harm aquatic life.
What is the most sustainable material for swimwear?
The most sustainable materials for swimwear are those that have a minimal impact on the environment, are recyclable or biodegradable, and can be produced in an eco-friendly manner. Recycled Polyester, Tencel, and Econyl are all great options.
Why is sustainable swimwear expensive?
Granted, sustainable swimwear can be more expensive than traditional options. Especially if you are used to paying 10$ per set – hello, fast fashion. Ethical swimwear is expensive, firstly, due to the use of eco-friendly materials, such as recycled nylon or polyester. These materials can be more expensive to produce and source than non-sustainable materials, which can drive up the cost.
Then, you have to consider that many sustainable swimwear brands prioritize ethical labor practices, such as fair wages and safe working conditions for their workers. The money has to come from somewhere, right? Plus, eco-friendly bathing suit brands often produce in smaller quantities than mass-market swimwear brands. This is because they are committed to reducing waste and overproduction, which can result in higher production costs per item.
Lastly, ethical companies focus on producing high-quality, durable products that will last longer than traditional swimwear. This means that, in the long run, your favorite eco-friendly pieces will actually save you money from constantly buying new styles.
How can I help my swimwear last longer?
- Rinse your swimwear in cold water after each use to remove any chlorine, salt, sand, or other debris that can damage the fabric.
- Hand wash or use a delicate cycle: Machine washing and drying can be harsh on swimwear, so it’s best to hand wash your swimwear or use a delicate cycle with mild eco-friendly laundry detergent.
- Hot water and bleach can weaken the fibers of your swimwear and cause the color to fade. Stick to cold water!
- Avoid sitting on rough surfaces like concrete or rough rocks, which can damage the fabric.
- Wringing or twisting your swimwear can stretch out the fabric and damage the shape. Instead, gently squeeze out excess water and lay it flat to dry.
- Store your swimwear flat or rolled up, rather than folded, to avoid creases or wrinkles that can be difficult to remove. Don’t store wet swimwear in a plastic bag, as this can cause mildew or odors.
This post is about the best sustainable swimsuits!
Best Sustainable Swimwear Brands In 2023
1. Farm Rio
Farm Rio’s eco-friendly bathing suits are responsibly designed to be vibrant, fun, colorful, and, most importantly, sustainable. Founded by a group of creatives from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who believe in the existence of happiness, with over 25 years of history, this company certainly knows a thing or two about exotic, toes-in-the-sand spirits.
The brand offers an array of offers a range of ethical swimwear styles, including bikinis, one-pieces, and cover-ups made under safe and healthy working conditions.
If you want to really stand out from the beach crowd, you’ll absolutely love their tropical prints!
Price: From $75
Size Range: XS-XL
Material / Ethics: Sustainable and recycled materials, ethical manufacturing, POC-Owned , plants trees
Location/Shipping: NY, worldwide shipping available
Sustainable Swimsuits From Farm Rio:
2. Summersalt
Summersalt swimwear certainly has a cult following – and for good reason!
All eco-friendly bathing suits are ethically made from post-consumer materials such as recycled polyamide and Lycra and offer UPF 50+ protection.
Plus, you can find an array of bold, unapologetic prints and colors that pair perfectly with your adventure-ready mood. For gals with a long torso, there’s a dedicated line of one-piece options you’ll want to line in all summer long.
Price: From $45
Size Range: XS-2XL
Material / Ethics: Sustainable and recycled materials, manufacturing partners with WRAP certification, GOTS and GRS certified
Location/Shipping: Europe, worldwide shipping available
Ethical Swimwear from Summersalt:
3. Cosabella:
From sustainable lingerie to ultra-feminine ethical swimwear, Cosabella knows exactly how to make women feel beautiful and empowered.
Every luxurious ethical swimwear style is handmade by local artisans who utilize Renaissance-era techniques since 1983!
Crafted with recycled materials and color-tested for durability, you can score some amazing bandeau tops, curve-enhancing bottoms, and one-piece suits!
What’s more, the collections are divided by body type – petite, curvy, super curve– just to make our search a tinny bit easier.
Price: From $90
Size Range: S-3XL
Material / Ethics: Eco-Friendy Materials, Natural Dyes, Handmade In Italy, Fair Labor
Location/Shipping: Italy, worldwide shipping available
Curvy Approved Sustainable Swimsuits:
4. Parade
Known as one of the top plus-size sustainable clothing brands of 2023, Parade’s sustainable swimwear line boasts soft, breathable, and good-for-your-body tops, bottoms, coverups, and one-piece suits drenched in color.
The activity-forward ethical swimwear is made with sustainable EcoSplash. It’s a double-layered, recycled plastic fabric with a soft, smoothing effect.
Plus, you can easily mix and match to make your own recycled swimwear look, if sets aren’t really your thing.
Price: From $36
Size Range: XS – 3XL
Material / Ethics: Recycled fabrics, recycling program, donations
Location/Shipping: USA
Recycled Swimwear from Parade:
5. Kitty and Vibe
Kitty and Vibe’s sustainable plus-size friendly swimwear is equal parts stylish, size-inclusive, and inherently cool.
All ethical swimwear is manufactured with recycled materials that offer SPF 50+ sun protection. Plus, you’ll certainly fall in love with their dopamine-boosting prints!
In addition to being ISO 14001, the company was also the first to make bikini bottoms based on our butt size! Lastly, all products are made ethically by their own woman-run factory in Bogota, Colombia.
Price: From $46
Size Range: S – 5XL
Material / Ethics: Sustainable and recycled materials, ISO 14001 certified, size-inclusive
Location/Shipping: USA
SPF 50+ Swimwear from Kitty & Vibe:
6. Alohas
Alohas might be known for their amazing lineup of ethical shoes, but they also offer sustainable swimwear based on their zero-waste, on-demand production model.
We absolutely love their high-wasted bottom styles that are designed to flatter your figure with a belted detail that cinches in your waist like a dream! You can also find minimalist, square-cut shape tops as well as one-piece eco-friendly bathing suits in an array of colors.
Additionally, every second-skin style is made ethically in Portugal with recycled materials.
Price: From $55
Size Range: XS-L
Material / Ethics: On-Demand Production, Made In The Coastal Region Of Alicante, Spain, Toxic Free Dyes, Fair Wages, Eco Packaging
Location/Shipping: Spain, worldwide shipping available
Zero Waste Swimwear by Alohas:
7. CUUP
From affordable sustainable bras in over 40 different bra sizes, to ethical swimwear with modern and classic silhouettes, CUUP has all our needs covered.
The lineup of bikini tops is enhanced with the Customized CUUP Slide & Set™ back closure system that offers a better fit with band adjustability.
While they have something special for everyone, their sustainable swimwear is mostly geared towards gals with more bottom-heavy boob shapes who are in need of some extra support with a barely-there feel.
As for their briefs, the Stretchy and smoothing regenerated nylon ensures that they are incredibly soft, keeps their shape, and don’t dig.
Price: From $78
Size Range: XS–XL, up to size H
Material / Ethics: recycled materials, Supply Chain-Integrated, Ethically Made
Location/Shipping: USA
Best Sustainable Swimwear For Large Breasts:
8. Dazey LA
Seems like the best sustainable swimwear brands have one thing in common: vivid personalities!
Dazey LA chooses organic/deadstock fabric enhanced with intricate, hand-drawn graphics to instantly uplift your mood. Fit-friendly and supportive, all ethical swimwear is responsibly made in small batches to eliminate waste.
On their virtual shelves, you can find sustainable modest swimwear adorned with cutesy prints as well as bikini tops and bottoms. So if you are an unapologetic maximalist who loves recycled swimwear that “scream” your personality without making a single sound, this brand is for you.
Price: From $82
Size Range: XS – 2XL
Material / Ethics: Recycled and sustainable materials, made in small batches in LA, hand-drawn prints
Location/Shipping: USA
Maximalist Sustainable Swimwear:
9. Vitamin A
Drawing inspiration from the glitz and glamour of the 70s, Vitamin A is one of our favorite sustainable swimsuit brands for minimalistic separates.
All of their bikinis and bodysuits are sustainably made in California, from plant-based and recycled materials. Most tops have a discrete center u-ring cutout and shirring for custom coverage.
The bottoms are also extremely adjustable which is not something we see very often. And in case you have a thing for shimmer, there’s a new metallic swim line in an array of colors.
Price: $125
Size Range: 4 –14
Material / Ethics: Ethically made in the US, sustainable and recycled materials, plants trees
Location/Shipping: USA
Best Sustainable Swimwear for Minimalists:
10. Wolven
Wolven swimwear aims to “make sustainability sexy” and thus, their reversible sustainable swimwear line is bold, universally-flattering, and oh-so-chic.
All eco-friendly swimsuits are made ethically with recycled bottles. The result? Ultra-soft, breathable, quick-drying, and good for the planet.
Also, Wolven has one of the most diverse swimwear ranges we’ve seen so far, boasting 54+ swimwear styles. So rest assured that you’ll find your new beachmate.
Price: $56
Size Range: XS-XL
Material / Ethics: Sustainable and recycled materials, recycled packaging, OEKO-Tex Certified
Location/Shipping: USA
Reversible Swimwear from Wolven:
11. Outerknown
Outerknown might be the ultimate destination for organic cotton sweatpants and sustainable jeans, but did you know that they also carry ethical swimwear?
Their eco-friendly bathing suits are mostly geared towards female-powered, ocean-loving communities who want to Paddle out and rise up with ease.
No excess fabric to get in the way of your aquatic pursuits! Just recycled poly equipped with UPF 30+ to 50+ protection! Their collection is sewn in sunny California. To top it all off, you can repair and recycle your sustainable swimwear.
Price: From $99
Size Range: XS-XL
Material / Ethics: Organic & Recycled Materials, Renewable Energy, Fair Trade factories
Location/Shipping: USA
Surf-Friendly Ethical Swimwear:
12. Boden
Boden is not only one of the best sustainable swimwear brands from the UK but also a vivid reminder that responsibly-made designs and elegance can go hand-in-hand.
Their motto? Buy better. Buy less. Wear more.
The company uses ECONYL® derived from fishing nets that were formerly dumped in the ocean to create all-over-printed styles designed to hold, smooth, and accentuate.
Their assortment includes one-piece and bikini options with adjustable shoulder straps to keep everything in place. Also, you can also opt for neoprene sleeve swimsuits with maximum sun protection. There’s something for absolutely everyone!
Price: From $38
Size Range: XS-XL
Material / Ethics: Recycled Materials, Donations, Fair Wages
Location/Shipping: UK, worldwide shipping available
ECONYL® Swimsuits from Boden:
13. Jessica Ray
Finding sustainable modest swimwear that is both chic and premium quality is no easy feat. Luckily, Jessica Ray’s lineup of full coverage, ethical swimwear can easily check all our boxes.
Think beautiful swim dresses, tops, bottoms, and one-piece suits with extra support for ultimate comfort.
Every design is made in the US from luxe Italian fabrics crafted from 100% plastic waste. Plus, their wide range of prints is downright amazing!
Price: $31
Size Range: XS–XL
Material / Ethics: Ethically made in the US, sustainable and recycled materials
Location/Shipping: USA
14. Youswim
YouSwim is certainly not your average sustainable swimwear brand. On the contrary, their amazing figure-flattering styles adapt enough to perfectly fit seven sizes in one.
You heard that right! Big boobs? No problem! Small bum? Petite figure? Yes and yes!
These ethical swimsuits promise to look good on every frame – even if you gain or lose weight at some point. Plus, they are available in 12+ colors!
What’s more, their eco-friendly materials are sourced from Europe and every style is made in London.
Price: From £160
Size Range: 2–14
Material / Ethics: Eco-friendly packaging, ethically sourced and made in the UK
Location/Shipping: UK, worldwide shipping available
15. Londre
Londre is one of those sustainable swimwear brands that put ethics and transparency above everything else.
Ultra comfy, size-inclusive, and practical, all eco-friendly bathing suits are lovingly crafted from plastic waste in an OEKO-TEX-certified factory.
Think cutest ruffle tops that effortlessly flatter every preppy gal to classic and minimalistic sports scoop tops for ideal for all your favorite water sports.
The best part? Every eco-friendly bathing suit is made of 6 recycled plastic bottles which means that the brand has already diverted over 750,000 plastic bottles from the beaches.
Price: From $49
Size Range: XS–5XL
Material / Ethics: Sustainable and recycled materials, biodegradable packaging, OEKO-TEX certified factory
Location/Shipping: Canada, worldwide shipping available
Sustainable Swimwear From Canada:
16. September
SEPTEMBER offers crisply tailored one-pieces and eco-friendly bikinis, all made from recycled nylon from Italy.
In other words, you just “met” your new favorite, elegant, and timeless surf-approved swimsuits with a flattering, modern fit.
You can also find gender-free board shorts as well as sun protection clothing for all your future seaside adventures.
To top it all off, the company works directly with a factory based in Bali where skilled seamstresses consciously make and sew each SEPTEMBER suit by hand.
Price: From $88
Size Range: XS-2XL
Material / Ethics: Recycled materials, fair wages, made in Bali, donations
Location/Shipping: Founded between NYC and Bali, worldwide shipping available
17. Mara Hoffman
The American-made clothing brand Mara Hoffman designs curve-loving one-piece and two-piece swimsuits for modern women.
The premium sustainable company uses digital printing to reduce water and fabric waste created by women and small producers in their Tier 1 factories.
What’s more, every reculed swimwear style is made with recycled nylon & recycled polyester with UPF 50+ protection. What we love most about Mara Hoffman
Is their gorgeously-designed prints and bright colors that will look dazzling against your sand-kissed skin.
Price: From $185
Size Range: XS-XL
Material / Ethics: Recycled materials, Climate Neutral certified, transparency, compostable, and recycled packaging
Location/Shipping: USA
18. Organic Basics
From organic baby clothes and Maternity Clothes to organic cotton underwear and sustainable swimwear, Organic Basics certainly deserves a spot in our top swimsuit category.
Aside from partnering with fair-trade factories to timeless, ethical swimwear for every taste, each style also comes with an “Impact Index”.
Made with recycled plastic from oceans and landfills, the suits Provide UPF 50+ sun protection and is sun lotion and chlorine resistant. In fact, as of now, 2.43 tonnes of waste was saved from entering landfills due to their ethical business practices.
Price: From $29
Size Range: 2XS-2XL
Material / Ethics: Sustainable fabrics and Fair wages, sustainable fabrics, regenerative organic cotton pilot project
Location/Shipping: Denmark, international shipping available
Sustainable Swimwear from Organic Basics:
19. Anekdot EU
Here’s yet another addition to your best sustainable swimwear brands checklist: Anekdot.
The eco-friendly lingerie and swim company is located at the heart of Berlin all while working with small woman-owned factories in nearby Poland to create gorgeous two-piece bikinis.
Equipped with sleek, internal seams that comfortably follow your natural curve, all ethical swimwear is made of ECONYL® Recycled Nylon and Elastane for extra stretch.
Ultimately, the brand wants to be considered as a fusion between exquisite nostalgia and sleek comfort for a modern lifestyle. And in our opinion, they are exactly that!
Price: From €79
Size Range: XS-XL
Material / Ethics: Recycled fabrics, made in Poland, fair wages, zero-waste manufacturing
Location/Shipping: Germany, worldwide shipping available
Recycled Swimsuits From Anekdot:
20. Nikin EU
The Swiss sustainable fashion label Nikin uses premium–quality recycled fabrics to create classic bathing suits fairly and responsibly in Portugal.
In addition to planting one tree for every purchase, they also strive to minimize the waste of resources in their daily operations and make sure that their packaging process is as sustainable as possible. How cool is that?
Price: From €34,90
Size Range: XS-XL
Material / Ethics: Sustainable and recycled materials, plants a tree for every order, ethically made in Portugal, resource-saving manufacturing
Location/Shipping: Switzerland, worldwide shipping available
21. ColieCo
Last, but not least, ColieCo – a sustainable swimwear brand that uses eco-friendly materials to create bold and vibrant bathing suits ethically in Portugal.
All fabric and elastics are OEKO-TEX certified and handmade to order in order to minimize waste as much as possible.
On top of that, the silhouettes are pretty simple yet incredibly comfortable, which means that you can sport them for years and years.
Price: From €23.
Size Range: XS-XL
Material / Ethics: Recycled materials, carbon-free shipping, ethically made in Portugal
Location/Shipping: Portugal, worldwide shipping available
The Best Sustainable Swimwear Brands in 2023.
There you have it, a full list of ethical swimwear brands for virtually every taste. From chic and stylish sustainable modest swimwear to itsy-bitsy recycled swimwear, the options are truly endless.
Just don’t forget your trusted non-toxic sunscreen!
If you enjoyed this article on Ethical Swimwear, check out these other articles below!
- 11 Best Sustainable Swimwear Brands For Kids & Babies In 2023
- 21 Affordable Sustainable Swimwear From Ethical Brands
- 5 Best Beach Umbrellas For Ultimate Sun Protection
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