That’s because our swimmers need to repel water, so they can’t be made from cotton, hemp, or any other plant-based fabric that will absorb moisture (though a few small designers are now experimenting with crochet suits made from natural yarns). Instead, swimsuits are often made from nylon (also known as polyamide) or polyester—two of the worst fabrics for the environment due to the amount of water, chemicals, and energy that goes into them and the amount of time they take to biodegrade. These synthetic fibers also leech tiny pieces of microplastics when they are agitated or come in contact with water (so, any time we go for a swim or do laundry). Microplastics can now be found throughout our oceans, and while their long-term effects on aquatic life are unknown, “the plastic becomes a platform for concentrated pollutants, which would otherwise be diluted in the water” marine microplastics researcher Dimitri Deheyn, Ph.D., previously told mbg of their potential risks. Barring some major innovations, our swimsuits are going to shed plastic for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, we can at least opt for ones made from recycled materials. Synthetic, moisture-friendly fabrics can either be made from virgin (new) petroleum-based materials or ones that already exist and have been broken down and spun into yarn. Recycled yard cuts down on the need for raw materials to be extracted from the earth and, depending on where their plastic material is retrieved from, they keep plastic waste out of the landfill or ocean. These two recycled fabrics are the most common in swimwear: Takings steps to reduce and offset carbon emissions, running operations on renewable energy, and shipping in recyclable or biodegradable packaging are added bonuses for swimwear brands. Based on these criteria, the following 14 companies are leading the way in earth-friendly swimwear this year, and our favorite suit from each: Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials, repurpose fabric scraps, shipping bags are compostable in an industrial facility Other perks: Affordable, come in many color options, made in the USA Price point: $40 to $50 per top & bottom, $70 to $80 per one-piece Shop this suit: dippindaisys.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials Other perks: Affordable, come in many color and style options Price point: $40 to $65 per top & bottom, $95 per one-piece Shop this suit: summersalt.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials Other perks: Affordable, comfortable fit Price point: $40 to $50 per top & bottom ($80 for set), $65 per one-piece Shop this suit: lively.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials Other perks: Sizes up to 24, made in the USA Price point: $95 per top, $75 per bottom Shop this suit: dia&co.com, wildisles.com Sustainability perks: Biodegradable fabric, carbon-neutral shipping, compostable packaging Other perks: Sizes up to XXXL Price point: $130 to $180 per two-piece set, $160 to $190 per one-piece Shop this suit: boldswim.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials Other perks: Sizes up to XXXL, come in many color and style options, made in the USA Price point: $120 to $175 per top & bottom, $250 to $300 per one-piece Shop this suit: marahoffman.com Sustainability perks: Plastic negative, long-lasting Other perks: Designed to flatter many sizes Price point: $139/ one-piece and two-piece Shop this suit: youswim.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials Other perks: Sizes up to XXXXL, made for all gender identities Price point: $88 per suit Shop this suit: fredsegal.com, otherwild.com Sustainability perks: Low-waste manufacturing process Other perks: Made in the USA Price point: $120 to $125 per top & bottom, $230 per one-piece Shop this suit: garmentory.com, detaknit.com Sustainability perks: Made from recycled nylon Other perks: Made in the USA Price point: $160 per one-piece Shop this suit: revvswim.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials Other perks: Made in Canada Price point: $110 to $135 per top & bottom, $250 to $260 per one-piece Shop this suit: bethrichards.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials (some are fully recycled) Other perks: Fair-trade certified Price point: $68 to $145 per pair Shop this suit: outerknown.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials, have a swimsuit recycling program Other perks: Comfortable, mesh-free design Price point: $64 to $88 per pair Shop this suit: fairharbor.com Sustainability perks: Made from partially recycled materials Other perks: Fair-trade certified Price point: $69 to $119 per pair Shop this suit: dickssportinggoods.com, patagonia.com Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
