A sneak peek in your swimsuits Over time, swimsuits have gone through many changes according to the culture, style, and era but the one problem which remains is; its catastrophic impact on the environment once degraded from our closets! One thing, which every buyer overlooks is the fact that swimsuits are not biodegradable. We all are aware that swimsuits are essential in a women wardrobe, but unfortunately, they also exist in our food chain! Buy. Wear. Recycle. Although it may sound little, recycling your swimsuits can do a lot for nature! it can help conserve the environment, specifically reducing water pollution. Harmful emissions from landfills are diminished to a great extent. There is nothing to feel bad about if you got ways to recycle your old swimsuits! 90% of the swimsuits have the potential to be recycled but to disappointment, only 5% is recycled. Swimsuits can be used to make tote bags, water babies, or handed down to sewing groups, quilters, or schools that don’t have enough money to practice their projects! This way you are providing for education and a career for young children. Although many organizations usually reject old swimsuits, Bras for a cause take unwanted swimwear and hand them over to breast cancer survivors, homeless shelters and organizations which work for affected women. Amazing, right? Who knew old swimwear can be used for such a great cause! If the recycling seems like too much work, you can always reduce the number of swimsuits in your closet by making them last longer! Swimsuits require very gentle hand washing using normal hand soap instead of detergent. Avoid sitting on rough surfaces or use a towel as it damages the swimsuit! Or the easiest way not to be guilty in the damaging environment is to buy sustainable swimsuits. A little goes a long way, so pledge today to reduce waste and recycle more! Recycle now by filling up this form here. Signing off RecycleSwimsuit Singapore
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Credit: https://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/clothing-care/how-to-care-for-swimsuit
Article first appeared on Realsimple.com Make sure to wash your swimsuit after each and every wear—even if you don’t go in the water. “Sunscreens contain ingredients that can be damaging to the fabric and can lead to the eventual breakdown of the material,” says Marysia Reeves, designer of Marysia Swim (marysiaswim.com). To top it off, some SPFs are more detrimental than others, warns Lindsey J. Boyd, co-founder of the all-natural detergent line, The Laundress. Mineral-based lotions and oil formulations can cause yellowing or gradual stains over time if swimsuits are not washed properly. Another reason to be meticulous about washing your suit, particularly if you’re taking a dip in the pool? Chlorine is harsher on swimwear fabrics than fresh and salt water and can leave bright colors especially susceptible to fading. Read more. Credit; https://menestho.com/blog/203-how-to-choose-your-ethical-and-sustainable-swimwear
Article first appeared on Menestho A good place to start from is care labels. For each garment sold you will find a care instructions label at the inside seam of the garment. There you can find information about how to treat your new garment to last longer, the composition and the “Made in”. If you want to choose sustainably, look for compositions that are either recycled, can be recyclable or with minimum impact to the environment (recycled polyester, recycled cotton, organic cotton, bamboo, linen, hemp, etc.) For the “Made in”, since knowing working conditions of each company is unrealistic, look for clothing and swimwear made in your area, or in countries well known for their strict employment policies. So, if you for example leave in UK, look for things “Made in UK” or “Made in Europe”, generally speaking harsh working conditions is hard to find in developed countries. Read more. Credit: https://www.treehugger.com/how-to-recycle-an-old-swimsuit-4868047
Article first appeared on treehugger Here are a few tricks I've tried over the years: Sew it up: Trim the bottom off of a girl's or woman's swimsuit, sew up the leg holes and voilá ... a waterproof outdoor gear bag. Cut it up: Swimsuit material can be used in strips or swatches to add funky patches to old clothes or stuffing for a quilt. You can also use the strips as large elastic bands to hold together a rolled up rug or fasten a box of toys. Hand it down: Even if a swimsuit is too worn out to wear, you can still pass it down to your local quilting club or sewing circle where it is sure to come in handy as filler or patches for their latest project. But of course, all of this can be hard work so if you want to contribute and make an impact, fill up this form and donate your used swimsuits now so that we can help you with the recycling portion! Read more here Credit: https://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/sustainable-swimwear-this-summer-a4119306.html
Article first appeared on Evening Standard There are two main issues. Firstly, swimsuits are made out of synthetic materials such as Polyurethane (a mixture of Lycra, Spandex or Elastane), the creation of which has a harmful impact on dwindling natural resources. “Swimwear is usually made from petroleum oil-based synthetic materials which is problematic for several reasons, including the fact that oil is a rapidly depleting natural resource, which can cause environmental pollution during extraction and fiber production and it also does not biodegrade at the end of its life," explains Harriet Vocking, Chief Brand Officer at Eco-Age. And it's not just the way swimwear is made that has an adverse effect, even just washing or wearing a synthetic bikini can do harm. "Every time you wash synthetic clothes they shed small plastic pieces called microfibers, which is leading to plastic pollution of our waterway," explains sustainable brand Reformation on its website. Taking a dip in a sea or pool is another way to directly distribute these fibers into our waterways. As stated in Stella McCartney and Ellen MacArthur's 2018 report, A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion's future, it is predicted that by 2050, 22 trillion tones of synthetic microfibers (particles of plastic that are less than 5mm) will have been released into our oceans. Read more here Credit: https://www.fastcompany.com/90331472/your-swimsuit-is-terrible-for-the-environment
Article first appeared on Fastcompany website. THE PROBLEM WITH SWIMSUITS So why does swimwear present such a challenge when it comes to sustainability? It comes down to one thing: plastic. Synthetic fabrics–like nylon, polyester, and spandex–are perfectly suited for swimwear because they wick moisture and stretch across the body, reducing friction in the water. They are also inexpensive to make, as well as versatile, so the fashion industry relies on them heavily, not just for swimwear, but also activewear, outerwear, and cheap fast-fashion garments. An estimated 65 million tons of these plastic-based materials are generated every year. This is a problem because plastic is not biodegradable, so it never decomposes. Instead, it sits in landfills or oceans forever, adding to the estimated 8 billion tons of plastic that already exist on the planet. There’s no good way to get rid of this plastic. Some countries have resorted to burning it, which creates carbon emissions, since plastic is made from fossil fuels. In countries without good waste management systems, plastic-based fibers sometimes end up in the oceans, where sea animals can mistake them for food, causing them to choke. Talbot says that Reformation tries to avoid using synthetic fibers in its clothing. Ninety-five percent of its garments are made using natural, biodegradable fabrics, like organic cotton and viscose, which comes from tree pulp. But there isn’t currently a biodegradable material that has all the performance qualities necessary for a swimsuit. As a result, eco-friendly brands are relying on the next best alternative: recycled plastic. Read more here. |