Your Ultimate Guide to Stunning and Sustainable Bathing Suits

Let’s get ready for a gorgeous and fun summer! Although we don’t resell bikinis unless they are "new with tags" at Current Boutique, we still want to help you find the most gorgeous suits you can for your summertime fun. Let’s take a look at some sustainable bathing suits that are both trendy and timeless, while also being good for your wallet, your body type, and the environment.

In this guide, we’ll go through the top timeless trends in bathing suits and some of our favorite sustainable bathing suit companies who are working hard to change the world of fashion in the water.

Why wear sustainable bathing suits

One of our top missions at Current Boutique is sustainable fashion, and bathing suits are often one of the least sustainable fashion pieces in the industry. Fast fashion is all too common in the bathing suit world, and most companies purposefully don’t make swimwear built to last. They want you to keep buying new suits every season or every time you go on vacation. You throw out the old ones (because they usually can’t be resold or donated), so those materials end up right in a landfill.

To make matters worse, bathing suits are usually made of synthetic materials like polyester and spandex in order to get that tight, waterproof, athletic look and feel. But these materials are particularly bad for the environment, and they can take up to 200 years to decompose in landfills. Furthermore, these decomposing clothes release methane as they decay, which is a harmful greenhouse gas that gets trapped in our environment.

That means that just one discarded bathing suit can have a surprisingly large negative impact on the environment. Learn more about why bathing suits are bad for the environment here.

These low-quality suits are bad for the environment, bad for your health, and bad for your wallet. Most consumers don’t even realize this is a problem, though, because they assume swimwear just “can’t last.” They accept that their suit is done after one season because of the anticipated wear and tear in the sun, sand, and water.

But there are sustainable, eco-friendly bathing suit alternatives that are truly built to last for several seasons. You can find gorgeous suits that are made with quality materials and produced through eco-friendly processes that will do a lot less harm to the environment.

In the following sections, we’ll focus on the two key areas of sustainability: timeless trends (so the pieces you buy will always be “in fashion”) and eco-friendly makers of high-end suits.

Timeless trends

Let’s take a look at the kinds of bathing suits that are always trendy and gorgeous, so you’ll be able to wear your suit for years to come without feeling out of style.

Back to the basics

The basics are more than “basic.” They’re the essentials for a reason! They’re the looks that remain timeless throughout the decades. There are pretty much only two “rules” when it comes to finding a go-to bathing suit:

1. Every woman needs a black one-piece bathing suit. Black is slimming and flattering, and a black one-piece can easily transition from surfing in the ocean to lounging by the pool. Throw on some denim shorts and it even becomes a cute one-piece bodysuit! Just like the little black dress, a black one-piece is versatile for all things sun and summer.
2. The second “basic” is a suit that is made with quality materials and fits you well. You want a bathing suit that flatters your unique body type, so you’ll feel beautiful every time you put it on. Forget the trends—if it fits well and looks gorgeous, it will become your unique timeless go-to. Check out some tips and tricks to choose the right suit for your body type here.

See our Back to Basics Collection for more timeless clothing looks for summer. 

The new neutral

Neutrals are timeless and easy to mix and match, and neutral colors have actually become “trendy” because they’re so classically elegant. Beige, white, gray, black, and navy are minimalistic colors that can work in every season, every year, and every situation. If you’re looking to buy sustainable bathing suits that will always be in style, skip the trending colors and instead go for something more neutral. This will make it easy for you to mix and match your bathing suit with your clothes and cover-ups, and you’ll also be able to rock that same suit for years to come.

Don’t go for a neutral color that’s similar to your skin tone. You don’t want to look like you’re skinny dipping! Instead, choose a suit that’s one or two shades darker or lighter so you have a gorgeous contrast that accentuates your natural skin tone’s beauty.

Another pro tip… Add texture! Textured suits will bring some life to a neutral color while drawing the eye in a subtle way. Ribbed and terry cloth are particularly “trendy” right now, and we anticipate these elegant textures will be around for years to come.

Animal instincts

Wearing an animal print bathing suit will give you those spirited vacation vibes while still having an elevated and clean look.  Animal print is a “trend” that’s always in fashion. Although the “hot” print changes each season, the same few prints are always in rotation: tiger, leopard, cheetah, snake, alligator, zebra, etc.

If you love the feisty feel of animal prints, top-notch sustainable bathing suits in animal prints are never a bad investment. What we love most about animal prints is that they often come in neutral colors so they mix and match beautifully with other neutrals, but animal patterns also offer a little edginess that can kick your look up a notch. 

Start searching for animal vibe summer pieces here.

Fresh florals

Florals are forever summery. We always love a good floral print because it’s so feminine and delicate, yet it can also be bold and unique. Bathing suits with floral prints are just as everlastingly trendy as florals in dresses and shirts.

Like florals, if you’re looking for a summer print that will be timelessly trendy every summer and vacation, opt for summery fruits and flowers like pineapples, coconuts, palm trees, etc. Summer vibes are eternally cute for a bathing suit!

Sustainable bathing suits alternatives

Check out some of the following bathing suit brands that offer sustainable bathing suits. You’ll find companies that make suits made from recycled plastic reclaimed from oceans, produce with reduced water and chemical consumption, make donations to sustainability efforts, utilize higher quality sustainable materials, and provide a lot of other incredible sustainable alternatives.

Summersalt: Based in the USA, Summersalt focuses on utilizing recycled textiles and reusable packaging to create gorgeously sustainable bathing suits that fit every body type.

Vanessa Sposi: Vanessa Sposi offers modern luxury that comes straight from Paris, Italy, and Portugal, offering eco-conscious suits made to stand the test of time.

Lula-Ru: A luxury brand with an emphasis on 1950s classic styles, Lula-Ru focuses on eco-sensitive fabric that reduces waste, water, energy, and chemicals.

Reformation: Reformation is a brand we love here at Current Boutique, and we re-sell a lot of their sustainable clothing. Their bathing suits are made from ECONYL ®, a regenerated nylon material that turns reclaimed plastic into fabric, creating a bathing suit that actually helps the environment and doesn’t just minimize impact.

Boden: Boden also uses ECONYL ® fabric. They also promise that your suit will last and they offer a 365-day return policy because they truly embody the beliefs of longstanding fashion.

Girlfriend Collective: Another company using ECONYL ®, Girlfriend Collective makes stunning basics and swimwear that are made to last. They offer a more minimalistic style in key colors, making them a timeless go-to for lots of girlfriends. They also donate 1% of sales to Healthy seas, an ocean conservation organization, and their bathing suits have UV protection to keep your skin safe.

Sézane: If you’re all about that French girl style, then Sézane’s collection of ethical and sustainable bathing suits will make you feel like wandering the shores of the Riviera.

Patagonia: Patagonia is well-known for its sustainable and eco-friendly fashion, and its swimwear is no different. Their swimsuits are made for active ladies who want to look and feel good while living their lives in the water and sun. Patagonia uses fair trade recycled fabrics, and they have pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the environment.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A is inspired by 1970s California beach glamour, and we are all for it. Their unique style is edgy yet timeless, and they use high-end sustainable fabrics like EcoLux ™ and EcoRib ®, which are made from recycled nylon fibers.

TomboyX: We love that TomboyX creates gender-neutral styles for people looking to break out of the traditional bikini mold. They offer such a unique and gorgeous array of sustainable bathing suits made from responsibly harvested materials.

Even more sustainable bathing suit brands to check out:

• Hack with Design House
• Londre
• Jessica Rey Swimwear
• Galamaar
• OOKIOH
• Dippin’ Daisys
• Hakuna Wear
• RubyMoon
• Stay Wild Swim
• Kitty and Vibe

Stop buying suit after suit every time you hit the water. Buying sustainable bathing suits is better for your wallet, for the environment, and for your style! How are you incorporating sustainable bathing suits for the summer of 2021?