Why We Love Repreve Swimwear 🖤
If you are someone who looks for sustainable options you may have already heard of Repreve before. Repreve is a fibre made from recycled plastic bottles and is used by companies around the world to make clothing, shoes, home goods, and other products. We have had our eye on Repreve for some time now and are happy to announce that our swimwear range is made from this wonderful product.
The team at Designer Bums are always looking for ways that we can improve our sustainability and impact on the environment. We think carefully about the products and packaging that we use and are pleased to be able to include Repreve from world leading brand Unifi. They have recycled over 25 billion plastic bottles so far!
The Designer Bums Swimwear range features 3 different styles all made from soft and breathable Repreve. Each set features the exclusive designs that you know and love, showcasing our beautiful hand-illustrated artwork. Choosing Repreve for our swimsuits means that they are durable and also provide UPF 50+ protection from the sun.
Why did we choose REPREVE for the Designer Bums Swimwear range?
The majority of swimsuits have traditionally been made from Spandex and polyester which were lighter and more breathable alternatives to rubber. The petroleum based materials are popular and accessible but traditional products often end their lives in landfill as there is no technology available to repurpose the material. These products are manufactured using new petroleum, water, and energy, and produce greenhouse gasses as a result. These products have 1 life only.
The benefit of choosing items made from Repreve is that they make use of plastics that would otherwise end up in landfills or the ocean. Producing Repreve fibres from bottles offsets the use of new petroleum and saves water and energy leading to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Unifi, the company behind the Repreve technology, ensures that Repreve materials are traceable, transparent, and certifiably sustainable. Unifi’s Fiberprint™ technology ensures that products made from fabrics with Repreve are tested and certified before the Repreve brand name can be used ensuring that the item is genuinely recycled. Repreve is not yet a circular economy and Unifi continues to work on technology to repurpose items at the end of their lifecycle. Watch this space.
What can you expect from your Designer Bums Repreve Swimwear?
You can expect your Designer Bums REPREVE Swimwear to be more durable than swimwear that you may have used in the past. Extending the time that you are able to use your swimwear for reduces the number of items discarded. Because of its source materials, REPREVE is chlorine-proof and offers high UV protection (UFP 50+). The material is breathable and comfortable against your little one's skin and still provides the feel and stretch you are used to from traditional swimwear.
The swimwear range comes in three different styles so there is something for everyone!Â
The Onesie comes in sizes ranging from 6-12m, 1-2, 2-3, and 3-4. Both the Long sleeve and two piece rashie and shorts come in sizes 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 providing plenty of sizing options for growing bodies. Our swimwear has been in the works for some time now and we have taken the time to test it out on lots of little bodies to ensure that we are happy with the sizing and fit.
If needed your Designer Bums Swimwear can also be paired with the Designer Bums Swim Nappy.Â
Check out the Designer Bums Swimwear range here.
Further reading
Carp, B 2020, ‘Recycling & Waste Reduction: The Important Role of the Designer’, AATCC Review, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 32–40, viewed 30 August 2021, <https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=142289578&authtype=sso&custid=deakin&site=eds-live&scope=site>.
Rhodes, M. (2021) ‘If You’re Shopping For a New Swimsuit, Try a Recycled One’, Bloomberg.com, p. 36. Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=151806046&authtype=sso&custid=deakin&site=eds-live&scope=site (Accessed: 30 August 2021).
Romero, H. O. and Romero, S. (2018) ‘Maximizing the value of waste: From waste management to the circular economy’, Thunderbird International Business Review, 60(5), pp. 757–764. doi: 10.1002/tie.21968.
