Posted on February 10 2022
Feeling the desire to do something good for the planet and subsequently humanity, is something that we’ve all experienced. Now more than ever the need to minimize our environmental footprint is at an all time high. Some ways we can help promote sustainability is how we shop, particularly for fashion.
The decision to support not only sustainable, earth friendly fashion, but also fair labour practices doesn’t seem so daunting if you know where to look. Resources such as the website goodonyou.eco can be helpful. Their directory includes more than 2000 fashion brands and one of our faves, Vitamin A Swim holds the highest ranking in their piece, “The Swimwear Brands Fighting Ocean Plastic”.
Choosing to reward responsible fashion brands that do good over the ones that don’t involves many factors, cost and quality definitely make that list.
On a personal note:
We once had a customer come into our Yonge St location, look at the price tag on a Vitamin A Neutra Bralette bikini top and exclaim, “I can get something just like this for $20! Haven’t you heard of ‘fast fashion’?” At that particular time I hadn’t heard of the term. So I did a little investigating and learned what most savvy shoppers now already know. Fast fashion is -in basic terms- the reproduction of high end, trendy, designs at a high speed and with low cost. While this seems like a great idea for your wallet in theory, in the long run you are receiving an item of low quality that was produced with cheap materials and probably even cheaper labour. I explained to this customer that Vitamin A Swimwear are high quality pieces that are produced ethically and sustainably and that it’s craftsmanship would outlast it’s cheap “fast fashion” knock off by years and years. As someone who looks for value in every garment I purchase, I would rather have a fabulous piece that looks, fits, and wears impeccably for years than a cheaply made garment that barely lasts one season.
We love that so many of the brands we carry at Sandpipers have been making conscious efforts to minimize their impact on the planet. Check them out below and don't forget to peruse our collection of Eco Friendly Swim and add a few feel good pieces to your wardrobe!
Vitamin A are the creators of EcoLux Fabric - the first premium swimwear fabric made from recycled nylon. Since then the company has incorporated even more sustainable, high-performance fabrics such as EcoRib, Ecotex, and BioRib to name a few. The brand also uses a waterless digital printing process to print it’s designs, reducing its chemical and water usage. More than 95% of Vitamin A products - including many of the fabrics themselves are manufactured locally in Southern California which helps to even further reduce their carbon footprint.
Handcrafted in Australia, the Bound by Bond-eye Collection of one size, four-way stretch and recovery, body hugging crinkle fabric pieces are made from regenerated nylon. This recycled yarn is manufactured using leading environmental processes which include reduced carbon dioxide emissions, 100% renewable energy and less water consumption. They also use solar energy for their dyeing processes, compostable and biodegradable packaging, and all components of their labels and tags are made using recycled materials.
Timeless designs and impeccable quality! If you love Seafolly as much as we do you’ll be thrilled to hear that the Australian brand has made a commitment to transition away from unsustainable resources starting with their new Seafolly Collective Pieces which are crafted from 60% regenerated fibres, creating resource out of waste and diverting it from landfills and oceans.
California brand L*Space understands that to become a sustainable fashion brand you need to start somewhere which is why they’ve begun expanding their popular Eco Chic capsule collection! These pieces have been created using recycled fibers from ECONYL® and REPREVE®. With REPREVE® containing fibers made from 100% recycled materials (including plastic bottles!) It helps conserve precious natural resources and also uses less petroleum and emits fewer greenhouse gases. ECONYL® pieces are created with 100% regenerated fibers collected from nylon waste (like fishnets!). This regenerated nylon has the potential to be recycled infinitely without losing it’s quality. Fabulous!
