Sustainable Swimwear

As promised, here is my list of eco-friendly swimwear just in time for summer. At this point, so many brands are either eco-friendly all over or coming out with eco-lines (I’m seeing this even more with swimwear for some reason) that there’s no reason not to buy a suit that makes you feel amazing on beach days and makes the earth feel amazing every day.

Before I get into my list I want to note that I’ve been talking to friends and people in the industry about products made from recycled plastic, and while I’m still learning a lot, I know that when you wash it, the microfibers released into our water are no bueno for the environment. So I bought a Guppyfriend bag to wash these suits in. It reduces fiber shedding and also protects your clothes. It’s also great for washing your Dudley Stephens fleeces (also made from recycled bottles). They sell them at Patagonia and Reformation too which is very cool.

Ok, that said, here are my picks for eco-friendly suits that also look and feel amazing.

J.Crew suit above (gifted)

J.Crew Eco Swim: When I heard last week that my all-time favorite brand started making eco-friendly swimsuits I basically died of happiness. I’ve been wearing J.Crew swimsuits since high school, and I am so grateful that they sent me the eco-line to test and report back on. My favorite three pieces were this suit (which, admittedly, will give you crazy tan lines), this rash guard top, and this sporty suit which I didn’t think I’d like but I did.

Summersalt: I’ve talked about this before but the Summersalt Sidestroke suit was the only one that I felt brave enough to wear post-partum. It was flattering and sucked everything in perfectly. I learned later that the entire brand is eco-friendly and their swimwear (and packaging) is made from recycled materials. This is the next one on my list. I know they’re kind of over the top, but I also love the mommy and me ruffle suit that Amalia and I wore here.

I’m also really excited about a collab they’re doing right now with Boll & Branch, an organic cotton bedding and towel company that I love. I use their sheets on our bed at home and they’re super soft and wonderful. The partnership is on this limited edition towel (pictured below) which comes in the Summersalt yellow and black colors. I thought it would look cute with this swimsuit but have to be honest that out of all the Summersalt suits I’ve tried on, this striped one has been my least favorite. I think it might just be too low cut for my taste though. I want to love it!

Vitamin A: I have yet to try one of these suits in person but I talked to two friends who have and they both highly recommended the brand. I really really love this short-sleeved botanical situation, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I saw it a few weeks ago. I also think this one is really pretty and obviously, this striped one-piece is on my birthday wishlist. If you’re more into bikinis, I think this sky-blue ribbed one is super chic.

Paper London: I am having a hard time figuring out if all of their swimwear is sustainable or just some of it but this amazing rainbow bikini is definitely made from recycled materials and I’m here for it. I also really love this side-tie one piece which is also made from sustainable materials.

Faherty: I walked by the Faherty store in Nantucket yesterday and saw this blue and white striped bikini which is simple and so cute. That and this floral one-piece are the only suits that were my style on the site, but they are both great and made from eco-friendly fabric.

Nordstrom: This isn’t one brand but I want to give props to Nordstrom for adding a ‘sustainable style’ section to their website that includes a bunch of cute swimsuits.

Dudley Stephens: While they don’t make swimsuits, they make a few cover-ups out of fleece made from recycled plastic bottles. Their thinner summer fleece is perfect for beach days. I have this dress and love it as a cover-up, but they also make this cover-up that can be worn over jeans too.

What are your favorite eco-friendly swim brands?