8 Eco-Friendly Swimsuit Brands for All Shapes and Sizes

Those trying to live a sustainable lifestyle may be stressed by the prospect of swimsuit shopping. In addition to feeling good about how the suit fits your body, you may be concerned with the materials and manufacturing that went into the garment. Luckily, there are plenty of eco-friendly and sustainable swimsuit brands on the market. To help get you ready for summer, Green Matters has rounded up a list of 8 companies that make eco-conscious swimsuits — for people of all genders, shapes, and sizes.

Most of us seek out clothing made from all-natural, compostable materials that won't release microfibers in the washing machine, though that rule doesn't quite apply to swimwear.

So since bathing suits made from synthetic materials are the only functional options in 2024, there are a few other things you can look out for to keep your swimwear eco-friendly. Some companies make swimsuits out of recycled plastic, for example, while certain factories maintain strong ethical standards. But, with that in mind, keep reading for our favorite 2024 swimwear ~lewks~.

Fair Harbor makes men's swim trunks out of recycled plastic bottles, recycled polyester, and a little bit of spandex.

Additionally, Fair Harbor has a bathing suit recycling program known as the Roundtrip Initiative. Fair Harbor will email you a free shipping label, which you can use to mail in your old swim trunks in exchange for a $5 credit for each suit, with up to $25 off your next purchase. Then, Fair Harbor sends old suits to 2ReWear, which uses the old suits as material for rugs.

Trunks run between $68 and $72.

Women's sportswear brand Athleta makes its AquaRib (a ribbed bathing suit fabric) out of Econyl fabric, which is nylon made from discarded fishing nets. The company also uses H2Eco Swim Fabric, which is made from recycled nylon.

Athleta is a certified B Corp, meaning it has met the non-profit B Lab’s standards of "social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose."

Athleta swimsuits range from $49 for a pair of swim bottoms to $119 for a full-coverage rash guard.

Summersalt makes bathing suits for women of all shapes and sizes (from 2 to 22). The company's swimwear is made from 78 percent recycled polyamide, derived from recycled plastics, post-consumer materials, and recovered fishing nets.

The brand had a collaboration with L.L. Bean and went viral in 2023 for its Sidestroke collection, which features one piece swimsuits in an iconic one-shoulder style.

Summersalt suits range from $50 for single piece to $95 for a one piece.

Patagonia makes women's, men's, and children's bathing suits and wetsuits. Most of the company's swim items are all made from recycled polyester or nylon, some of which also feature spandex, natural rubber, and a few virgin synthetic materials.

Patagonia is Fair Trade Certified, and you can read all about the company's Corporate Responsibility, including its factories, on its website. The website also has a program called Worn Wear, where customers can send in Patagonia clothes they don't want anymore and shop for secondhand Patagonia gear. Plus, Patagonia stores are accessible in a lot of malls and shopping centers.

Patagonia's swimwear ranges from $75 to $129 per piece.

Certified B Corp and Australian brand Bondi Born is dedicated to eco-friendliness. In the company's sustainability statement, it details using OEKO TEX-CERTIFIED swim fabrics and having a Environmental Product Declaration certification. Bondi Born also has a "Xero Waste Policy" to donate items that are returned or still wearable and in good condition, recycle warehouse materials, and give away excess fabric to charity and sewing schools.

Bondi Born swimwear ranges from $140 per piece to $325 for a one piece.

Australian brand Peony's sustainability statement says that the company has been using recycled fabrics since 2019. The swimwear uses fabrics such as REPREVE®, which is made entirely from recycled plastic bottles, printed swimwear made from ECONYL® regenerated yarn, and 83 percent ECONYL® linings on all suits.

Peony swimwear ranges from $90 per piece to $240 per one piece.

Not only does Araks make swimwear, but the company is responsible for beautiful jewel-toned lingerie seen on the celebrities like Gigi Hadid. In its sustainability statement, Araks explains that it saves all excess materials to recycle for future seasons, and materials that cannot be recycled are donated.

Speaking of materials, Araks has full transparency about its fabrics, which include organic cotton, RECONYL, and ECONYL fabric for 50 percent of its swim collection.

Araks swimwear runs from $140 per piece to $375 one piece swimsuits.

If you're a surfer, you'll love Seea's array of brightly colored swimwear designed for getting active at the beach. On its "Meet Our Makers" page, the company boasts that 80 percent of its collection is made from recycled fabric, while also using deadstock and Yulex in wetsuits instead of harmful neoprene. Yulex is a material made from rubber trees.

Seea's products range from a sale price of $33.99 for a piece to $295 for a full wetsuit.

Sometimes, secondhand shops are loaded with brand spanking new bathing suits. I'm talking swimsuits that still have the original tags and the crotch sticker, people.

If you don't mind buying a bathing suit secondhand, the thrift store (as well as apps like Poshmark and Depop) not only helps save something from the waste stream, but will also save you money. But if you'd rather not take the risk, all of the brands above have great options worth investing in.

This article, originally published on May 20, 2019, has been updated.