The Ultimate Australian Sustainable Swimwear List
Whether you grew up on Australia’s golden shores or not, spend one summer in our coastline-loving nation and you’ll quickly find yourself splashing about on the hunt for a line-up of flattering and super cute and comfortable swimwear options.
It’s hard enough wading through the sea of decisions – what’s the right cut? cheeky? Brazilian? boyleg?; one-piece or two?; the perfect swim-worthy hue? – before you even get to the question of whether your togs care about the ocean you’re about to jump into.
To help you get your beach body ready (Got a body? Going to the beach? You’re good-to-go!), we’ve rounded up a tidal wave of brands all putting sustainability and substance front and centre – alongside sand and sea.
Grab your towel, slop on your reef-safe sunscreen and dive right into our ultimate Australian sustainable swimwear list – so you just get on with the business of living your best mermaid life!
IMAGE ABOVE: BAIIA
LIANDRA SWIM
Celebrating Yolngu woman Liandra Gaykamangu’s connection with the natural world, this ethically made range features bold digital prints on recycled fabric tops and bottoms that can be mixed, matched, reversed and adjusted! Hello, versatility!
SALT GYPSY
Surfing is challenging enough (Sharks! Jellyfish! Falling off the board immediately!) without worrying about the ethics of your suit. Enter Salt Gyspy’s range of UPF50+ minimalist styles – all ethically made in Australia using regenerated nylon so you can hang ten, care-free. Surf’s up!
HAKEA
Hakea’s ethically produced swimwear lives up to its Aussie native flower namesake, known for its beauty and resilience. Designed for longevity, in a dreamy palette of earthy colourways, the range is made in small batches in Bali on an ‘inspiration only’ basis.
SPELL
We all know this Byron Bay institution as a purveyor of the floatiest of dresses, but did you know they made the sweetest ethical swimsuits too? The wistful vintage prints and shapes may have you pining for the 70s but the construction is all modern thanks to ethical production and sustainably produced Econyl. Take the day off, harried eco-consciousness – Spell got this.
BAIIA
Sustainable bathers that give four options for your swim-look? Sign us up! Super supportive and in a lush range of nature-inspired patterns, Baiia’s cult wrapsuits are reversible and made from 100% regenerated waste materials, with sizing ranging from 6-22. Hurrah!
YOUNG SQUAD
Old or young, you deserve to unleash the bathing beauty within. With sizes from 6-24 and matchy-match options for kids and men, these bold Aus-made styles feature Italian lycra and a lining made from plastic bottles – yay!
VEGE THREADS
Leafy greens, tomato reds, pumpkin yellow: Vege Thread’s sustainable swimwear collection of bikinis, rashies and one-pieces is as delicious looking as it is ethical. Produced mindfully in South Australia with ECA accreditation, the beach-appropes range is the perfect accompaniment to the brand’s cult basics.
CAMP COVE SWIM
Try saying “Camp Cove cossies” five times fast – you’ll have to practise as everyone on the beach asks you where you got your cute bathers. Designed and made on the south coast of NSW, and printed using a water-free dyeing process, we love that this brand is good in the water AND for it!
BAABY
Designed and made in Australia, Baaby’s pieces are crafted from Econyl (hello, popular kid on the eco-block) and include both skimpy and sturdier bikinis plus one-pieces in classic black, patterns (check out their gorgeous gingham printed using non-toxic, water-based dyes) and bright block colours. You’ll definitely want Baaby in your beach-going corner…
WAVERLEY WRASHIE
From our very own super talented, multihyphenate founder Kelley Sheenan, comes Waverley with a unique wrap swim top designed for days in the sun. Made ethically in Australia from recycled nylon (from discarded fishing nets and carpets) in an extensive size range from 6-24, the Wrashie has stylish, sustainable sun safety all wrapped up!
MIMI KINI
Got a body? Good! Slap on a Mimi Kini and you have a bikini body, baby! With XS-6XL sizing, cool prints and a portion of proceeds going to the Global Women’s Project, these babes bring some serious swimsuit sass.
LE BUNS
You might know them as the Melbourne brand who makes the comfiest organic bras and undies so it makes sense that Le Buns know what they’re doing when it comes to your bikinis too! Made in ethical overseas factories from regenerated nylon, some pieces can be styled in up to five ways – making them both flexible and fashionable. Le fun in le sun!
Peppermint readers can get 15% off full priced items at LÉ BUNS with code PMINT15. Shop here.
ZAZI SWIM
Zazi’s feminine swimwear is yet another Econyl dream come true, using the fabric across a range of delicate bikinis and one-pieces evoking thoughts of glamorous lounging by the pool, bottomless cocktails in hand – ladies of leisure, apply within!
BURROWS AND CO
Itsi bitsi, teeny, weeny… these polka dot bikinis from Burrows And Co are made ethically in a small production house in Bali from super-soft, recycled fabric Vita Lycra.
SHAPES IN THE SAND
As well as using our friend Econyl, Australian-made Shapes In The Sand want to apply sustainability to every area of their swimwear business – from their wood-pulp dissolvable hygiene liners to their recycled and regenerated packaging, swing tags and care labels. Their capsule collections also aim to leave the world in good shape, pairing with a different wildlife or environmental charity with each new print release.
DK ACTIVE
Proudly designed, cut and sewn in Brisbane (in a solar-powered studio, no less!), this ultra-breathable sporty range made from Econyl is part swimwear, part workout gear. Moisture wicking, quick drying and designed for exercise and fun on both land and sea – wear it to swim, stretch or even run to your heart’s content!
Take $15 off your order with welcome code DK15. Code must be entered at checkout. Minimum spend of $50, full price products only. Shop here.
GYRE
Striking the all-important balance between pretty and practical, Gyre was created in response to founder Elena’s body changing after pregnancy. Launched in 2020, Elena makes most of the range herself in her Perth studio – or when demand requires it, she partners with a small family run atelier in NSW – using the softest Econyl fabrics.
HICKEY HARDWARE
Known for bright and bold geometric patterns, Perth-based fashion label Hickey Hardware makes graphic swimmers that put the cool in ethical (ahem!). Made from hard wearing Neopoly, these pieces are given cred by being ethically manufactured in Indonesia in small batches. If it’s good enough for Kevin Parker from Tame Impala, it’s good enough for us.
UNE PIECE
Channelling all the glamour and elegance of the south of France, Une Piece’s signature “Original Sexie Rashie”, and range of separates and one-pieces have been designed to make you feel simultaneously sophisticated and supported. Made from recycled UPF50+ material in sizes 6-20, we say, oui oui!
ALULU
Want swimwear you can move in, that also stops you in your tracks with its loveliness? We’ve gone goo goo for Alulu. Designed with sustainability in mind, we love that this small family business makes all of their pretty printed and classic suits in ethical conditions with premium Italian and American regenerated nylon in sizes 8-20.
THUNDERPANTS
Maybe you’ve taken a cheeky swim in your undies before, but now it’s time to level up and swim in your Thundies! The beloved Thunderpants brand has branched out into togs, with crops, swim pants, high-waisted pants and swim dresses, all made from sustainable Econyl and designed to be “staunch” for your swimming adventures! OK, yes, we know that Thunderpants is a New Zealand brand but like pavlova and Sam Neill, and for the sake of this Australian roundup, we’re claiming them as our own!
ATMOSEA
Throwing back to all the best bits of the 80s, surf and swimwear brand Atmosea gives a modern nod to the era that unashamedly embraced aerobic wear and big hair (think a surfing Jane Fonda). Artfully combining comfort, cuteness and practicality, the fun range of colour-blocked and tie-dyed bikini crops, full suits, wetsuits and, even, swimming bike shorts are made for an active sea life, both on and off the waves. Bringing it into the future, all pieces are made from regenerated nylon and sent in compostable packaging made from cassava.
ELLE EVANS
If picturing Elle Evans measuring and sewing your made-to-order, unique swimsuit with the greatest care (to limit wastage) isn’t enough to make you add to cart, then read on. Each sustainable swimwear piece is made using a mixture of recycled and regenerated fibres and Elle donates one percent of her sales back to the Healthy Seas Initiative. Cleverly designed and constructed to flatter a wide variety of bodies, sizing ranges from XS–3XL.
OKAY PRETTY
Vintage inspired cuts, fresh prints and soft recycled material – we think Melbourne brand Okay Pretty are more than OK. Founder Izzy says the brand was designed for those with sass who are “tired of looking like another blip in the ocean”; we say the fun, boldly printed range will have you looking anything but.
THE FIREFLY COLLECTION
Celebrating your body *should* know no age limits, and that’s something The Firefly Collection embraces wholeheartedly with their range of eco-luxe swimwear. Inspire your daughters, nieces and granddaughters to love their bod’ too, with oh-so-cute mini matching versions! Made ethically in classic black, navy or cool leopard print and sizing up to 18, their small but stylish recycled nylon range can be mixed and matched to get your perfect top and bottom size.
MARVELL LANE
Busting to wear bikinis but can never get the right size on top? We love Marvell Lane’s focus on comfort for babes with boobs. They cater for sizes 8D to 16H and provide a comprehensive online sizing service that includes advice on Sister Styles (a clever way that might help you get around the dreaded ‘Sold Out’ situation). Even better, they want to fit your ethics too; their range is made with Econyl and sent in compostable packaging from The Better Packaging Co.
BONDI BORN
B Corp-certified and made in Sydney, with donations going to charity from every sale and swing tags, labels and post satchels being plastic free… consider us Bondi bound! The Sydney-made label is proud to adhere to the highest ethical and sustainable practices – producing their range of slick, sculptural and supportive one-pieces, bikinis and rashguards in simple block colours from Sculpteur fabric that they say will last 10 times longer than standard swim material.
ACTIVE TRUTH
Created with a mission to “celebrate women regardless of size, shape or stage of life by offering performance activewear across an inclusive size range”, Active Truth are walking the talk, with sizes ranging from 6-26. Known and loved for their extensive tights range, they have now taken the dive into active swimwear – all made in Australia using recycled nylon and packed in biodegradable packaging (minus any swing tags or unnecessary printed invoices).
PEONY SWIMWEAR
We think you’ll feel as fresh as a daisy and as pretty as a rose in the range of sweet pieces from Peony Swimwear. The independent, family-owned company says that every part of its swimwear, from the cute custom prints to the lining and packaging, is made from recycled content including Econyl, Repreve and plant-based materials. Flower power!
BEYOND THE SEA
Want to make your pin-up girl dreams come true? Take a peek at Sydney-based Beyond The Sea who create vintage style bathers in delightfully bold retro prints. Designed and made in Australia in sizes 10-24, we think they’ll make you feel like strutting to the sea (and beyond)!
