SUSTAINABLE SWIMWEAR STARTS WITH BETTER INGREDIENTS

The sustainable swimwear market is growing. Thanks to consumer demand for more eco-friendly swimwear, the market is expected to grow to $16.2 billion by 2032, up from $7.8 billion a decade earlier, according to a 2024 market trends report from Allied Market Research. That represents a huge opportunity for brands that are ready to embrace more sustainable swimwear materials, from recycled and renewable ingredients to more durable fibers and fabrics.

Now is the time. Demand is growing, new sustainable swimwear fiber options are coming to market all the time, and there’s far too much textile waste in the landfill. There’s never been a better moment to make the transition.

WHAT MAKES SWIMWEAR SUSTAINABLE?

Choosing the right fiber ingredients goes a long way to crafting more sustainable swimwear.

There are two factors to consider at the fiber level:

• What the fiber is made from

• How long the fiber will last

FIBER INPUTS

What goes into a fiber matters because swimwear is almost universally crafted with synthetic fibers, particularly nylon, spandex/elastane, and polyester. All of these fibers are traditionally made from fossil-based materials, but there are options available now with recycled and renewable inputs.

By choosing recycled and/or renewably made fibers, brands and fabric makers can reduce the overall carbon footprint of swimwear fabrics.

FIBER DURABILITY

Fiber durability matters, too. Swimwear faces a host of stressors that can degrade its fibers: UV rays, heat, chlorine, sunscreen, lotion, and more. By choosing longer-lasting fibers that are engineered to endure those conditions, swimwear can last for more than a season and stay out of the landfill.

THE CASE FOR RECYCLED AND RENEWABLE SWIMWEAR FIBERS

Choosing recycled and/or renewable swimwear materials can reduce the carbon footprint of a swimsuit, an appealing proposition for eco-conscious consumers. Today, there are sustainable versions of virtually all synthetic swimwear fibers, available globally.

Sustainable swimwear fiber options include:

• Plant-based spandex, made with renewable content 

  • Renewable LYCRA^® fiber, made with 70% plant-based content, can reduce the carbon footprint of virgin LYCRA^® fiber by up to 54%*

  • Many other beloved LYCRA^® brand fibers for swimwear are now available with 70% plant-based content, too, including renewable LYCRA XTRA LIFE^® fiber, LYCRA^® ADAPTIV fiber, and LYCRA^® BLACK fiber.

• Recycled nylon, often made with reclaimed fishing nets or pre-consumer manufacturing waste

  • When mechanically recycled, this is one of the most sustainable fibers, according to the Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibres

• Recycled polyester, typically made from recycled PET bottles or textile waste

  • LYCRA^® T400^® EcoMade fiber, made with at least 50% recycled PET and 14% renewable content, is available worldwide

  • Mechanically recycled polyester, particularly from textile waste, is also among Made-By's most sustainable fibers

^{*Comparative Life Cycle Assessment: LYCRA® fiber with Bio-derived PTMEG vs. LYCRA® fiber with Fossil-Derived PTMEG, Ramboll, 2026} 

DURABILITY: AN UNDERRATED SUSTAINABILITY FACTOR

The best fabrics for swimsuits can stand up to harsh conditions, enabling consumers to keep their swimwear longer. For both people and planet, that’s a win: Consumer research by Zalando in 2025 revealed that durability, alongside comfort, fit, and value for money, was among the top purchase drivers for shoppers, so long-lasting swimwear is a clear draw. Plus, WRAP’s research shows that extending the wear life of a garment by just nine months can reduce its carbon and water footprints by up to 20%. So durability? It counts.

All LYCRA^® fibers for swimwear are built to last, but the gold standard is LYCRA XTRA LIFE^® fiber. This durable spandex fiber resists damage from chlorine, UV rays, heat, sunscreen, lotion, and more, and our real pool and lab tests have shown it lasts up to 10 times longer than typical spandex. It ticks all the boxes for consumer purchase drivers: value for money, comfort, fit, and durability. Plus, it’s now available with 70% bio-based inputs — ask your regional commercial contact for renewable LYCRA XTRA LIFE^® fiber.

LYCRA^® T400^® EcoMade fiber is another extremely durable choice for non-spandex stretch, maintaining its fit and shape even through repeated wear and washing.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A SUSTAINABLE SWIMWEAR FABRIC OR FIBER

Most brands, buyers, and designers working in this space already know their OEKO-TEX^® from their GRS. But as consumer scrutiny intensifies and greenwashing regulations tighten — particularly in the EU — having a clear internal checklist is useful for due diligence as much as smart buying.

On the fiber sourcing side, a garment can be marketed as made from recycled fiber without any third-party verification of how much recycled content it actually contains or where it came from. GRS certification tracks recycled content through the supply chain; an unverified claim does not. Similarly, bio-based spandex/elastane varies widely by feedstock, processing method, and percentage of renewable content. Asking suppliers for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data — and understanding the methodology behind it — is increasingly the baseline expectation.

Ingredient-level transparency is where trust compounds. Consumers today are brand-literate about the fibers in their products — names like LYCRA^® brand carry recognition and trust that generic "sustainable spandex" labeling doesn't. Naming fiber partners at the product level can help demonstrate accountability throughout the supply chain, not just at the finished-goods stage.

Recyclability at end-of-life is important, too. While synthetic fibers like spandex and nylon have proven difficult to separate out and recycle in the past, introductory trials have shown promise. The LYCRA Company and others in the textile industry have been piloting spandex recycling projects and working toward effective chemical recycling for a more circular system; research is ongoing. On the polyester side, we’ve run controlled tests and successfully blended recycled LYCRA^® T400^® fiber components with standard polyester to create new polyester fibers.

For manufacturers building or refining a sustainable swimwear line, LYCRA^® brand fibers offer a practical entry point: third-party verified LCA data, recognized certifications, and performance benchmarks that hold up in chlorine, UV, and saltwater conditions — the durability requirements that make swimwear a harder sustainability problem than most apparel categories.