5 ocean-friendly swimwear brands to buy this summer
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Rule the pool, ride the waves and save our precious sea animals at the same time by wearing a wildlife-friendly swimming costume this summer
Lost and abandoned fishing gear – or ‘ghost gear’ – is one of the biggest threats to sea animals today.
Each year, a staggering 640,000 tonnes of fishing lines, nets and ropes are left in our oceans. Made mostly of plastic, they become floating death traps that kill around 100,000 whales, dolphins, seals and turtles annually. And because ghost gear takes centuries to degrade, its killing power is huge and long-lasting.
World Animal Protection is working to protect sea animals from ghost gear with a four-step approach: reduce, remove, rescue and recycle.
A number of swimwear brands have started to do their own recycling. They’re making swimming costumes out of ECONYL® – a fabric made from recycled fishing nets. So when you’re swimming in the ocean this summer, you can take comfort in the knowledge you’re taking a small action to help the animals you share it with.
1. Fourth Element
The OceanPositive swimwear range (pictured above) designed by diving specialists Fourth Element is made from ECONYL®. Every OceanPositive piece you buy supports our work to protect marine animals from ghost gear.
“The OceanPositive range is a statement of intent, to do something meaningful to benefit the environment that we love and feel compelled to protect,” said Paul Strike, co-founder of Fourth Element.
2. Tigerlily
Australian brand Tigerlily introduced ECONYL® designs in 2015. The brand has further designs in the works for 2017.
3. Volcom
Another brand testing out ECONYL®, Volcom brought out their first range in 2016. Its ocean-friendly swimwear is composed of 78% ECONYL®.
4. Ocean Zen
OceanZen says it is “saving the ocean, one bikini at a time”. OceanZen doesn’t just make swimwear from plastic bottles and fishing nets, it’s also a proudly sustainable business, founded by an ocean lover concerned about the effects humans are having on the ocean.
5. Liar the Label
Liar the Label is another eco-conscious Australian brand, with swimwear made from 100% ECONYL®.
Main Image: A recycled plastic fishing gear swimming costume from OceanPositive. © Daan Verhoeven
World Animal Protection is working to protect sea animals from ghost gear with a four-step approach: reduce, remove, rescue and recycle.