The Best Non-Toxic, Sustainable, & Ethical Bathing Suit Brands

Image by Natasha Tonic

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Just because you have senstive skin doesn’t mean you can’t have a great summer in a cute swimsuit! Our sensitive skin testers have tried out several of the brands on our list to ensure they’re as comfortable and skin-friendly as they seem.

We do have to tell you the sad truth about modern bathing suits: even the most sustainable ones contain synthetics. Brands that use natural fibers have to use at least a small percentage of elastane for function and stretch. And if you’ve tried a cotton crocheted bikini, you know they stretch out beyond reuse when they get wet.

While you can’t avoid synthetics in your swimwear entirely, you can skip the harmful dyes and finishes for safe and comfortable swimming adventures. Before you start shopping for summer, here’s our advice on what to look for in a sustainable and non-toxic bathing suit.

Recycled & Deadstock Materials: There are a few bathing suit brands made at least partially with natural fibers like hemp, Tencel, and cotton. If that’s not a good fit, look for brands that use existing materials such as regenerated nylon made from ocean plastic or deadstock materials to avoid the creation of virgin synthetics. The most common examples of these are the Italian-made fiber Econyl, which is made from nylon waste like used fishing nets, and recycled PET plastic bottles.

Natural Dyes & Finishes:  While brightly colored swimsuits are a summer staple, they can be very bad for you if the wrong dyes are used. Azobenzene disperse dyes, which are commonly used to dye synthetics, are known skin sensitizers. Instead, look for brands that use non-toxic dyes, such as soy and water-based formulas. It’s also important to avoid quick-dry finishes, as these often contain “forever chemicals” like PFAS, which can contaminate the water and cause serious health problems. Check for certifications from Oeko-Tex or bluesign labels to be sure that the dyes and finishes used are safe for your skin and the environment.

Safe & Ethical Manufacturing: Look for brands that manufacture in the U.S. or under Europe’s REACH compliance standards. If a brand operates outside these regions, check to see if it holds its suppliers and factories to a code of conduct or frequently visits them to make sure everyone in its supply chain is treated safely and fairly.

Recyclable or Biodegradable Packaging: Since most sustainable swimwear brands are on a mission to reduce plastic waste, many use recycled and recyclable materials in their packaging. Some brands also use biodegradable and home-compostable elements for natural disposal.

1. Natasha Tonic

What we like: Natasha Tonic uses hemp and organic cotton to make classic minimalist swimsuits with modern flair. Its blend of natural fibers is breathable, antimicrobial, UV resistant, and dyed with GOTS-certified dyes. It purchases materials locally in the U.S., and uses low-impact dyes with no heavy metals. All of its products are designed, sewn, and hand-dyed in its L.A. factory. Natasha personally makse made-to-order and custom pieces to fit every body size and style, including custom colors. For every swimsuit sold from the coral city collection, the brand plant corals with the Ocean Gardener in Bali and supports coral rescue research with the Miami-based organization coral morfologic.

Our Review: This piece was “absolutely a match made in heaven” for our sensitive skin tester. It’s made out of hemp, which doesn’t irritate her skin. The inner lining is super soft and comfy, and because of the design the strings lay more comfortably for much longer than most other swimsuits she’s tried. It takes a while longer to dry than typical swimwear fabrics, but in her opinion, it’s worth it for the comfort. Overall, she loves it.

Price Range: $45-$300

2. Remnant

What we like: This L.A. brand uses regenerated nylon from ocean plastic waste to make stylish UV-protective swimsuits that are resistant to chlorine and sunscreen. Its solid and patterned pieces are dyed with non-toxic soy and water-based dyes. Remnant pays its seamstresses double the minimum wage, and uses biodegradable and home-compostable packaging.

Our Review: These bathing suits are super cute, but also tiny! Our testers would recommend Remnant for a romantic or sexy vacation, rather than a family-friendly pool party. The hardware felt super luxurious and made the piece look expensive. The zipper on the bottoms added a nice flair. Neither piece was adjustable, however, so we recommend sizing up if you’re in between sizes.

Price Range: $82-$120

3. Origami Customs

What we like: Origami Customs began its collection of made-to-order intimates with its landmark gender-affirming custom swimwear line. Its collection of upcycled mesh and Lycra bathing suits includes swim binders, as well as standard one and two pieces, in sizes up to 5XL. Everything is handmade in its private studio in Montreal. The brand offers free custom sizing and discounts for people of color and sex workers.

Our Review: Our non-binary contributor and tester, Anabelle, tried its made-to-order custom swim binder. They found it to be one of the most comfortable swim garments they have ever worn. In addition to being gender-affirming, it’s breathable, flexible, and dries quickly. It offers compression and support without being too restrictive for safe swimming, and the dark fabric enhances the flattening effect. It goes perfectly with a pair of swim trunks. All in all, it’s our top swimwear recommendation for non-binary and transmasculine folks.

Price Range:  $69 – $221

4. Do Good Swimwear

What we like: Do Good uses Econyl regenerated nylon and a recycled synthetic blends to make a wide variety of timeless cute and sporty styles. The brand produces all of its collection in small batches production and upcycles all of its fabric scrapes into matching accessories. The brand offers a repair program and will give you $5 in store credit to have your piece repaired locally. Do Good offers sizes up to 3XL, and all of its orders come in compostable packaging.

Watch out for: There is little information available about where its products are made.

Our Review: Our tester tried one of Do Good’s “sporty” and “cute” styles and found both to be supportive, breathable, and flattering. They spent all day working and swimming in the sporty one, and was pleased with how quickly it dried and how well it supported their chest.

Price Range: $34-$72

5. Vitamin A

What we like: Vitamin A manufactures the majority of its swimwear in California and uses digital printing for most of its patterns. It uses an Ecolux blend made of recycled nylon, Lycra, and polyester for its sleek and durable styles. All of its materials are Oeko-Tex-certified, and its garment bags and mailers are recyclable and biodegradable. The brand regularly visits its factories outside the U.S. to make sure all of its products are made ethically.

Watch out for: It’s unclear what dyes are used on the non-digitally printed patterns.

Our Review: EcoCult founder Alden continually goes back to this brand, as Vitamin A has always made some of the most flattering and high-quality bathing suits that last for years and years of use.

Price Range: $85-$325

6. Miga Swimwear

What we like: Miga Swimwear is a Latina-owned brand that designs swimsuits inspired by women with disabilities, disfigurements, and chronic illnesses. Its styles are made in L.A. with Oeko-Tex-certified Vita fabric (made with 78% recycled nylon and 22% elastane) that it purchases directly from the fabric mill. It reuses its dead-stock fabric in new collections, and its packaging is completely recyclable.

Our Review: Our tester tried a bright lime green set with a swim tank and skirt, and she loves it. The top was very comfortable, and fit perfectly, but doesn’t cover much if you’re bigger in the chest. The bikini bottom fit well and sits in the right place to be flattering. She liked the idea of a tank and skirt, but found herself pulling them on after her swim, as the skirt tended to float up around her abdomen and the tank felt a bit bulky for the pool. Ultimately, it’s a cute set that’s perfect for a public pool or beach setting for some extra coverage.

Price Range: $113-$341

7. Kampos

What we like: This certified B Corp designs and manufactures all of its products in Italy. It uses recycled water bottles and regenerated nylon in its swimwear, and holds all of its suppliers to its code of conduct to ensure ethical practices. In addition to selling bright and stylish bathing suits, it supports marine life by raising awareness of overfishing and partnering with coral conservation projects. Kampos only uses recycled and recyclable packaging.

Price Range: $204-$236.72

8. Wolven Threads

What we like: Wolven Threads uses Oeko-Tex-certified recycled PET plastic bottles to make brightly patterned swimsuits. Its partner factory is located in China and audited by third-parties to ensure safe and ethical practices throughout its supply chain. All orders come in recycled and recyclable mailers from Eco-Enclose. Wolven Threads also offers secondhand swimsuits at a discount.

Price Range: $52-$168

9. Ookioh

What we like: Ookioh makes sleek and simple bathing suits in sizes up to 4XL. Its fabric, which is made from 100% regenerated plastic, is sourced directly from a mill in Italy.

Watch out for: It’s unclear what type of dyes the brand uses, or if it has eliminated plastic from its packaging.

Our Review: This one was a bit of a toss-up for our sensitive skin tester. She wanted to see if the hardware in the recife top would irritate. She found that it didn’t, but the overall design was a little awkward. It was easy to adjust, which made it fit comfortably, but still looked a little odd to her. The bahia bottom comes in two pieces: a thong and an overlying skirt, which was surprisingly comfortable to wear and didn’t ride up in the pool like many swim skirts she’s tried in the past. While it didn’t really irritate her skin, she did overall notice a little rubbing on the top where the cinching meets the hardware. She’d recommend trying a flat design or one without hardware for long-term swim sessions in the pool. While it’s definitively style over function here, she’ll still be wearing it this summer for brief dips because it’s cute.

Price Range: $50-$158

10. Cleobella

What we like: Cleobella works with local artisans and small factories around the world to create handmade designs through traditional craftsman techniques. The bold patterns on its swimsuits are individually hand dyed. Several of its swimsuit styles, which are made with recycled nylon, are Oeko-Tex-certified.

Watch out for: Not all of its swimwear is Oeko-Tex-certified. There is little information about its packaging available.

Price Range: $98-$228