Fashion is all around us and everyone engages with fashion in one way or the other during the course of the day. From jumping out of bed in the morning to going into the shower and getting ready for the day, be it a workday or a causal hang-out-with-friends type of day, fashion items are used.
From the nightwear we wear to the towels we use, the underwear, clothes, shoes, jewellery, and swimwear we put on, fashion shows up. While a good majority of brands still focus more on fast fashion, some brands have decided to scale down their production and engage in sustainable practices.
Londre is a sustainable swimwear brand that creates stylish swimwear suitable for the office, a party or the beach using items like recycled plastic bottles and chitosan – a material extracted from the shell of crab or shrimp. Based in Vancouver and founded by best friends and co-Founders Ainsley Rose and Hannah Todd, Londre was dreamt up on a beach.
The brand was created out of a desire to create “the most flattering, high-quality swimwear with the lowest possible impact.” Every swimwear made by the brand contains a minimum of 6 recycled plastic bottles taken from beaches and streets.
Unlike most regular swimwear brands that make their pieces from oil, which comes from non-regenerative fossil fuels, Londre commits to creating beautiful high-quality pieces that do not harm the environment.
“We hope to drive innovation by inspiring a shift in the way people consume. Our product cycles are strongly influenced by consumers, if we can introduce high-quality garments that last five-plus years as opposed to ending up in a landfill this will be one of our greatest successes.”
The stretchy fibre the brand uses is made mainly from recycled plastic bottles and treated with ChitoSanté, a natural agent from crab and shrimp shell that helps stop unpleasant bacteria and odours from forming. These swimwears are produced at a Taiwanese textile facility with the highest eco-certification available.
All their swimwear are said to be durable, super comfortable, and extremely stylish, highlighting all the great features of the female body.
Londre, Sustainability and Giving Back
So far, Londre has recycled over 10,000 plastic bottles rescued from Taiwanese seas and streets. All water used in the production of Londre pieces is able to be reused as it is completely free from chemicals.
The packaging used by the brand is made from corn and is, therefore, compostable and recyclable. Also, since the brand focuses on slow fashion, they produce items in small quantities and, therefore, minimise waste.
The brand also supports charitable causes that focus on the environment and women’s health such as Amazon Watch and The Ocean Clean Up Project.
Implications of Running a Sustainable Swimwear Brand
Regular Vs. Sustainable Swimwear Brand
When it comes to running a regular swimwear brand, the materials, such as Polyurethane (a mixture of Lycra, Spandex or Elastane), used in making the swimwear items are synthetic and harmful to the environment. They are problematic in the sense that they are made from petroleum oil-based synthetic materials and oil is a rapidly depleting natural resource which can cause environmental pollution during extraction and fibre production. It is also not biodegradable at the end of its life.
Even just washing swimwear with synthetic material had an adverse effect on the environment. Every time you wash them, they shed small plastic pieces called microfibres which is a leading water pollutant.
“I think using recycled plastics to make fashion products is great. I will definitely use recycled plastics in my fashion brand. They help reduce waste and are sustainable – a trend that is slowly taking over the fashion industry.” – Susan Oyindamola, Creative Director of Yindie.
Now, when it comes to running a sustainable swimwear brand like Londre, the impact of the fashion industry on the environment and natural resources is reduced. Since these swimwears are made from recycled materials, they make use of materials that were already in circulation in society and would have gone to landfills upon the end of life to help reduce waste.
Their practices not only save water and energy, but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and so are kinder on the earth.
Customers And Sustainable Swimwear Brands
Fashion consumers are becoming increasingly interested in whether or not the items they use are sustainable. With this trend, sustainable fashion brands are bound to start attracting more customers.
Fashion customers tend to embrace brands like Londre that focus on durability and style in their swimwear. This is because they last longer than regular swimwear and are also very stylish – allowing them to be worn on different occasions.
