Sustainable and Ethically Made Swimwear Guide

Last updated May 5, 2021. Originally posted July 14, 2019.

When I first made my commitment to buy ethically made and/or sustainable clothing, swimwear wasn’t something I was worried about. I already had plenty of swimsuits and wasn’t in need of new ones. However, as time has passed and some of the suits no longer fit or have gotten worn out, I have had to purchase some new suits.

Below is a list of the sustainable and ethically made swimwear brands I have discovered, including the ones I have personally purchased!

Abysse

[Women’s]
Abysse’s swimsuits and wet suits are made in California out of ECONYL regenerated nylon, made from 100% nylon waste from oceans.

Albion Fit

[Women’s, Men’s, and Kids’]
I have purchased two suits from Albion Fit and love them! Their suits are made in a fair labor factory in Guatemala that uses earth-friendly materials and recycles plant waste. I have also experienced firsthand that their suits are ultra-flattering and tend to be more on the full-coverage side, which makes them great for being active while out in the water!

Aquadiva

[Women’s]
Aquadiva proudly touts themselves as a “slow fashion” company, using high quality materials to make suits that last and won’t need to be replaced for a long time. They recycle all waste products in their Australia-based manufacturing facility, and the facility is completely solar-powered. Very environmentally conscious!

Athleta

[Women’s, Kids’]
Athleta is a Certified B Corp, and 60% of their materials are made with sustainable fibers. They also plan to fully offset the power consumption of their stores and headquarters in 2020. Another big perk of Athleta is that they have over 160 stores brick-and-mortar stores, which makes it easy to go try on their swimwear in person!

Batoko

[Women’s]
Batoko’s bright and fun suits are made from 100% recycled plastic waste in ethical manufacturing facilities! They also support the Marine Conservation Society.

Bombshell Bay Swimwear

[Women’s]
Sustainability-focused Bombshell Bay creates custom-made swimwear (including wetsuits and rash guards) to ensure there is no unnecessary waste or extra stock. Their suits are made with ECONYL recycled nylon.

Deakin & Blue

[Women’s]
Deakin & Blue’s suits are made from ECONYL regenerated nylon and are built to last. In addition to using 100% reusable and recyclable packaging, the company also uses Oeko-Tex® certified suppliers and environmentally and socially responsible manufacturers. Outside of ethics and sustainability, these suits are also constructed to create a “sculpted” effect!

Elle Evans

[Women’s & Kids’]
Elle Evans makes swimsuits to order rather than mass producing, which reduces waste. All products are made from ECONYL regenerated nylon, made from 100% nylon waste from oceans and landfills. The fabrics are also printed with water-based, non-toxic inks.

Finisterre

[Women’s & Men’s]
Finisterre makes eco-friendly wetsuits, swim leggings, and swimsuits from materials like natural rubber, recycled polyester, and ECONYL recycled nylon.

Galamaar

[Women’s]
Galamaar’s suits are made from nylon from recycled fishing nets. They also take sustainability seriously when it comes to the little details: recycled hang tags, regenerated mixed metal hardware, and eco-packaging materials.

Good Studios

[Women’s]
Good Studios makes their swimwear in Adelaide from upcycled nylon. They also plant a tree for every online sale and offer free worldwide shipping!

Greenlee Swim

[Women’s]
Greenlee Swim uses recycled, sustainable, and/or biodegradable fabrics for their minimal suits. They also support eco-conscious organizations such as Global Green USA, Heal the Bay, and The Rainforest Partnership.

Jessica Rey

[Women’s & Kids’]
Jessica Rey makes full-coverage swimsuits and swim dresses in sweatshop-free factories in Los Angeles. All swimsuit fabrics are made from 100% regenerated pre- and post-consumer waste.

JETS Swimwear

[Women’s]
JETS is an Australian-based company that works with local mills to sustainably manufacture premium swimwear. Their suits are made from ECONYL recycled nylon. Their suits utilize cup sizes to make it easy to find a top that fits!

Jolyn

[Women’s]
Jolyn swimsuits are ethically made in the USA from Italian fabrics. Their suits are made for athletes and are great for competitive swimmers, volleyball players, etc.

Kitty and Vibe

[Women’s]
Kitty and Vibe’s adorable suits are ethically made in small batches, and the company is committed to increasing steps toward sustainability, recently launching suits made from recycled materials and using more eco-friendly shipping materials. The company has an innovative sizing system for swim bottoms and is size inclusive.

Koru Swimwear

[Women’s]
Koru makes all of their swimwear from recycled nylon and donates a portion of their proceeds to environmental nonprofits. They also offer a clothing recycling program for customers and will recycle and/or resell used Koru clothing.

Loop Swim

[Women’s, Men’s, and Kids’]
Loop Swim makes their swimwear from recycled PET plastic bottles.

Mara Hoffman

[Women’s]
Mara Hoffman ethically produces their suits in fair wage factories. Many of their products are made in the USA! They also digitally print their patterns to reduce water and fabric waste. And, they have extended sizes!

Marine Layer

[Women’s, Men’s]
Marine Layer’s swimsuits are made in ethical and sustainable factories. The company uses sustainable fabrics (upcycled cotton, recycled plastic, etc.) in most of their products.

MYMARINI

[Women’s]
MYMARINI produces ethically made swimwear in Croatia and sources materials from surrounding countries to reduce their carbon footprint. All of their fabrics are free from toxins and are produced sustainably.

Outerknown

[Men’s]
Outerknown offers Fair Trade Certified swim trunks made from recycled polyester! They also have a variety of other fair trade/sustainable clothing options for both men and women.

Patagonia

[Women’s, Men’s, & Kids’]
My husband recently purchased a pair of Patagonia board shorts for a vacation to the Florida Keys. We are super impressed with the quality and fit! Most of Patagonia’s swimsuits are Fair Trade Certified, and they are the first company in the world to offer Fair Trade wetsuits. They also use environmentally friendly and sustainable fabrics and have taken action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Prana

[Women’s]
Prana is a socially and environmentally responsible company with several different clothing initiatives, including a Fair Trade Certified line and a sustainably minded line. Many of their swimsuits are made with ECONYL recycled nylon, organic cotton, and/or recycled polyester.

Riz Boardshorts

[Men’s]
Riz is a Certified B Corporation that prides themselves on creating long-lasting boardshorts from 100% recycled and recyclable materials. Their prints are bright and fun!

RubyMoon

[Women’s]
All of RubyMoon’s swimsuits are made from ECONYL recycled nylon and use 42% less carbon emissions in the production process compared to similar garments on the market.

Summerlove Swimwear

[Women’s]
Summerlove makes their suits from ECONYL regenerated nylon, made from 100% nylon waste. They are manufactured in the USA and even use recycled materials for the advertising mailers!

Summersalt

[Women’s]
Sustainable swimwear brand Summersalt uses recycled materials to create all of their swimsuit fabrics (as well as their packaging materials). The suits are created from 78% recycled polyamide, which is made from recycled plastics, post-consumer materials, and nylon waste (such as old fishing nets).

Swoon

[Women’s]
Swoon ethically manufactures in the USA. Their reversible bikinis are manufactured by workers making fair wages and working in safe conditions.

Tara Grinna

[Women’s]
This luxury line of swimwear is ethically manufactured in the USA using fabric made by Italian artisans.

United by Blue

[Women’s, Men’s, & Kids’]
For every product sold, United by Blue removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways, with over 1.7 million pounds of trash removed at the time of this publication. They also use responsible clothing materials like recycled polyester and are a certified B-Corp, meaning they must meet rigorous standards for social and environmental accountability and transparency.

Vitamin A

[Women’s]
Vitamin A didn’t start out as a sustainable swimwear brand, but as it has grown, the company has taken action to reduce their eco-footprint. Some of their swimwear is made with EcoLux, a fabric made from recycled nylon. They also use recycled and organic packaging materials and choose local, energy-efficient factories. Finally, Vitamin A partners with environmental organizations like One Planted Tree to do good for the environment.

Friends, I hope this is a helpful guide to get you started as you search for sustainable or ethically made swimwear. If you’ve tried out any of these brands, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Or, if you know of any other ethical swimwear brands, please let me know, and I’ll add them to the list with a shoutout to you!

For more ethical/sustainable fashion guides, click here.

xoxo Laura

P.S. – This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase a product using a link from this post. Read more here about my disclaimers/disclosures.