Sustainable bikinis: Swiss brands innovate with recycled materials

Summer embodies the swimwear season! People who wish to buy a new bikini are increasingly faced with terms such as “sustainable”, “produced fairly” or “made from recycled materials”. But what exactly does that mean? Can swimwear really be durable?

“Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to fully manufacture swimsuits from sustainable materials,” said the Zurich brand Pura Clothing. The fabrics based on wood fibers, like Tencel, would certainly be more ecological, but too sensitive to the sun, salt and chlorine. Rather, this brand is betting on recycled polyamide or biosourced synthetic fibers based on castor oil, which represent “currently the best options in sustainability”.

For most of its models, the Palmar Swimwear brand uses a fabric made from old fishing nets and carpets. Delaia Tschannen, its founder, still bears her first Bikinis, who date from 2019. “They are very resistant and, well maintained, can last several summers,” she explains.

The mother-daughter duo Mira and Ivon Blazevic, of the brand Volans Swimwear, opted for a material from northern Italy, which is particularly stable, environmentally friendly and dry quickly. “This fabric is even PEF certified, a guarantee of quality and sustainability,” note the founders. It is ideal for swimwear that is pleasant to wear and durable. It also offers UV protection. “

The three brands have their collections in Europe manufacture, under fair conditions and within small businesses. Volans produces for example in a family manufacture in Croatia, while Pura works only with partners present in “risk -free countries”. Subcontractors or wages of misery? Out of the question! At Volans Swimwear, Mira, the mother, makes each model by hand, which are more than 40 years of experience in this area.

Sara Zbinden, founder of Pura, pays particular attention to sustainability during planning: “Thanks to pre -orders, we know exactly how much we must produce, and, in the end, there is therefore practically nothing.”

To be durable, a bikini must have a long lifespan. This parameter is therefore essential for these three brands. Sara Zbinden, from Pura, says: “Our bikinis can be worn four to five years, or even more, if they are well maintained”. And if a seam is undone, it is repaired.

The founders of Volans bet on particularly durable materials. Small repairs are carried out directly in the workshop of Mira, in Zurich, in order to extend the lifespan of the parts. Delaia Tschannen, the founder of Palmar Swimwear, also underlines that “the neat finish guarantees pieces that resist many seasons”.

But all of this has a price. The founders of the different brands agree on this point: “The durable swimsuits are generally more expensive.” This is explained by equitable wages, better quality tissues and lower quantities. For the mother-daughter duo, one thing is clear: “Those who buy permanently buy less, but better.”

Sara Zbinden does not want to produce mass items either: “We remain away from promotions and misplains on quality rather than quantity.”