How To Look After Your Eco-Friendly Swimwear?

Since eco-friendly swimwear is not only helpful for the environment but also looks great, people have been purchasing it for a while.

However, there are several procedures you should take if you want to maintain your new buy looking its best.

How To Take Care Of Swimwear

The swimming suits and bikinis with the longest lifespans are the most environmentally friendly! You need to properly take care of swimwear to ensure that they will last a long time, but how can we achieve this?

Here are my top suggestions for maintaining  your swimwear.

Hand Wash In Cold Soapy Water

Even if you only wore your swimsuit for sunbathing, it is recommended to wash it immediately away. Going in for the kill is chlorine.

Colors may fade and threads may weaken. Additionally, bodily oils like sunscreen and others might harm your swimwear. According to reports, lotion and oil formulas based on minerals are particularly skilled at generating subtle stains and yellowing.

Use cold water to rinse your swimsuit.

Your swimsuit should never be washed in hot water as this will harm the fabric. Use a sensitive detergent or mild hand soap in its place.

Use a Guppyfriend Bag whenever you plan to use the washing machine to catch microfibres.

Lay Flat Out To Dry, Out Of Direct Sunlight

Do not wring out your swimsuit, even though you might enjoy doing so! To remove the majority of the water, tightly roll it in a towel for a short period of time.

After that, put the pieces flat to dry; do not hang them! Additionally, be careful to avoid direct sunshine, which might fade the colour.

Switch Em Up

Elastane requires time to heal. Your swimwear needs time to recover its shape (just like we need some time to get back in shape).

Changing your swimwear while on vacation will help it keep its form.

Watch Out For Mold

It's crucial to store your dry swimwear in a dry location with regular circulation and ventilation in order to prevent moisture from accumulating in clothing.

Additionally, avoid keeping wet swimwear in your towel for as extended period of time.

Don't Sit On It

It would be unfortunate if sitting on wood or other hard surfaces tore the fabric. Sand and dirt should also be avoided because they might be abrasive.

Recycled Swimwear FAQs

How Do I Keep My Swimsuit In Good Condition?

Avoid these don'ts as well to maintain your bikini in great condition:

• Don't leave a swimsuit in water all night. This might release the fibres.
• Avoid allowing a swimsuit to dry in the sun. It could lead to fading.
• Swimwear shouldn't be dried in the dryer. The spandex's elasticity is reduced by the heat. This is the same rationale behind why you shouldn't use a Jacuzzi while wearing your favourite bikini.
• Never dry a swimsuit by hanging it from a metal rod. The shape of the garment can change when it is hung, and the metal rod may leave a permanent rust mark.
• Don't sit in your swimwear on uneven ground. The swimsuit material could get snagged on the wood from the lounge chairs or the pavement next to the pool. Always spread out a cloth before sitting.

Should You Wash Your Swimsuit After Every Use?

Even if you don't go swimming, make sure to wash your suit after each use.

Compared to freshwater and saltwater, chlorine is harder on swimwear fabrics, making vibrant colours particularly susceptible to fading. But don't use any old detergent or put your swimwear in the washing machine.

How Often Should You Wash A Swimsuit?

Answer: every three to five years

The majority of bathing suit creators and producers advise letting the bathing suit air dry and washing it just every three to five years.

Use your regular detergent to hand wash your swimsuits to extend their lifespan (and maintain the health and happiness of your bits).

Is It Okay To Re-Wear A Wet Swimsuit?

Nope! It is detrimental to both your health and your swimwear to put on a bathing suit after it has been wet.

Bacteria flourish in moist conditions. So even if you rinse out that suit, you still run the danger of getting an infectious rash, claims HGTV magazine.

How Long Should A Swimsuit Last?

A swimsuit should, as a general rule of thumb, endure for three months to a year. But in the end, the decision about how long a swimsuit should endure is entirely up to you.

Other Things You Can Do To Look After Your Swimwear

Giving our clothes the longest life possible is a great method for us to lessen our effect.

Following are some important instructions for caring for your swimsuit, whether or not it is made of recycled materials:

• Before you leave for home, rinse off any remaining saltwater and chlorine in water.
• Your swimwear should be gently hand washed in cool water without excessive scrubbing. The fabrics will be harmed by hot water.
• Swimwear should be line dried in the shade to prevent fading, or, better yet, it should be spread out flat to prevent straining.We can also do a few things that will help reduce the risk of microfibres from our swimsuits.

When synthetic or plastic clothes are cleaned, microscopic fibres known as microfibres are liberated.

Consequently, tens of thousands of microfibers could be released every time you wash your clothes.

Smart Ways To Extend The Life Of Your Swimsuit

Even if you don't go swimming, make sure to wash your suit after each use. According to Marysia Reeves, creator of Marysia Swim, sunscreens have chemicals that can harm fabrics and eventually cause them to break down (marysiaswim.com).

Lindsey J. Boyd, co-founder of the all-natural detergent business The Laundress, adds that some SPFs are worse than others. For instance, improper swimsuit washing might result in gradual stains or yellowing from mineral-based lotion and oil formulations.

Another justification to wash your suit thoroughly, especially if you plan to swim in the pool?

Compared to freshwater and saltwater, chlorine is harder on swimwear fabrics, making vibrant colours particularly susceptible to fading.

But don't use any old detergent or put your swimwear in the washing machine.

For optimal results, hand wash your swimsuit and use a detergent made especially for delicate or textiles with a lot of spandex. This will preserve the colours of the fabric and securely remove any oils or chemicals without harming the delicate fibres.

In a pinch, Boyd swears by white vinegar's deodorising and antibacterial qualities in place of detergent.

Reeves advises washing the swimsuit in fresh water at the very least if you're away from home and don't have access to detergent or vinegar. Men's swim trunks are machine washable since they have less spandex than women's swim trunks do.

It also makes a significant impact how you hand wash your swimwear.

Fill your sink halfway with cold water, then add one capful of either white vinegar or mild detergent. Rinse the swimsuit with cool water after letting it soak in the solution for up to 30 minutes.

Roll your suit in a clean, dry towel and lightly press to wring out any excess moisture to dry. Despite how tempting it can seem, you shouldn't wring out your swimsuit because doing so could harm the spandex fibres. Lay the suit flat to dry once you're done.

This Is How You Should Care For Your Swimwear

We need to cut back on our consumption of fashion, and we need to cut back on it immediately. This is a very well-known reality by this point. However, we realise that's easier said than done.

Making sure that the apparel we already own lasts for more than a few wears will help us cut back on how much we shop by eliminating the "urge" to go shopping constantly.

Sure, switching from quick fashion to higher quality clothing is a fantastic place to start, but how we treat our clothing also has a big impact on how long it will last.

By properly caring for the clothing already in our closets (and making sure to do it in an eco-conscious manner), we may prevent lots of environmental harm from occuring as well as increase the life of each item.

Since summer officially begins tomorrow, let's focus on our swimwear even though this rule applies to all types of clothing, from our everyday T-shirts to our party heels.

We frequently start each summer with a new bikini, tossing out whatever we wore to the beach and the pool the previous year. Swimsuits are without a doubt some of the most carelessly discarded items in our wardrobes—and subject to the harshest circumstances and the most wear and tear.

But neglecting to properly care for our swimwear can also endanger our environment in addition to clogging landfills every time we decide to replace last year's faded suit with a new one.

How To Wash And Dry Your Swimwear

Your swimsuit's lifespan will be influenced by how you wash and dry it, just like with other items of clothing.

For a variety of reasons, experts concur that you should never wash a suit in a washing machine.

Only hand-wash in cold water should be used to clean your swimsuit; never use a washing machine.

Oils and creams can be broken down without agitation by first soaking them for five to ten minutes in a natural body or delicates soap.

You should always rinse after wearing your swimwear, whether or not you went swimming. Over time, even body oil can degrade the stretch in the fibres.

The same rule applies to using a dryer as it does for using a washing machine. Instead, after washing, let it air dry while being careful where you place it.

Always dry your swimsuit in the shade as opposed to the sun to prevent fading.

While it might seem like the natural choice to hang a suit up to air dry to hasten the process, make sure the suit is drying while lying flat to prevent straining its shape. Before putting the suit away, make sure it is entirely dry because if not, it could mildew.

In addition to being essential for the suit's longevity, cleaning and drying your suit properly also helps stop the spread of microplastics into our waterways.

Even if it is recycled, washing synthetic materials tends to cause them to drop microfibers that could become contaminants if they end up in the ocean.

The majority of these microplastics are released into the environment by washing machines that are overly rough on the clothing, which leads to the breakdown of the fibres into microplastics.

Additionally, the exceptionally high heat and abrasion of dryers can hasten the disintegration of your clothing's fibres and propel microfibers into the open air.

These ruined fibres are directly transferred into waterways when the deteriorated clothing is later worn in our oceans.

So you can prevent the fibres from degrading too soon by employing the hand-washing and air-drying approach.

While it is not advisable to wash your swimsuit, some conditions, like a significant stain, call for a thorough cleaning. To stop the spread of any microplastics shed during washing, use a laundry ball that captures microfibers if you plan to use the machine.

The Cora Ball is a fantastic invention that was motivated by coral's ability to filter the ocean and gather microfibers.

All types of clothing can benefit from using this in your washing machine; it collects microfibers in fuzz from your machine, making it simple to get rid of them straight away.

But bear in mind that even hand washing might cause the loss of microplastics.

When a suit begins to wear out from vigourous usage and care, microplastics are released, so only hand-wash in cold water; never use hot water or a washing machine.

Even further, you can hand wash your suit using a Guppyfriend bag to catch and lessen fibre shedding.

Give It A Break

Did you know that in order to maintain its shape between wears, your swimming suit needs to rest?

The stretch fibres require time to unwind in between applications, which is something that is not immediately apparent.

To ensure that your high-quality suits maintain their shape for longer while you are on a beach holiday, bring several suits with you and wear them on alternate days. This is the perfect justification for us to pack too much.

How To Dispose Of Your Old Swimwear

No matter how much we love and care for our swim, it will eventually end.

What do you do when it's time to ultimately retire that swimwear as there will be inevitable wear and tear over time?

First things first, don't just put it in the trash where it will languish in a landfill forever. Instead, think about your possibilities below.

Organize A Swap With Friends

Experts advise setting up a garment swap with pals if your swimwear isn't in bad shape but you've outgrown it.

That red polka-dot bikini might no longer be your taste, but your closest friend might find it to be her new favourite, giving it a second chance.

Donate It To Charity Or Recycle It

Once more, if the outfit can be worn, its lifespan need not stop here. You can donate your outfit to a good cause, but it could require some investigation.

Plan ahead and do a little research before donating; the majority of information on what is and isn't accepted as a contribution can be found online. Not all recycling centres accept swimwear.

Lingerie and swimwear are accepted by a wonderful charity called Donate Your Bra For A Cause to support breast cancer and domestic abuse survivors.

Experts advise giving your discarded bathing suit to a charity because it can be difficult to tell whether it can be recycled or reused.

They will assess whether the swimsuit can be downcycled, repurposed, or reused because they are textile experts. They'll dispose of it in the best way possible if it needs to be.

Repurpose It

Your swimsuit can still be transformed just because you no longer desire to wear it.

Experts advise putting it to new use. For ideas, look on Pinterest. You can be creative and change the look in a variety of ways to use the fabric to create something exciting and new.

And Remember

It takes more than just making sure a piece of clothes or swimsuit lasts to care for it properly.

It's about limiting future consumption and defending the ecosystem on our world.

Recognize that caring for your clothing in a way that increases its lifespan or reduces pollution is just as important as shopping sustainably—and even the smallest steps count, as described below:

Your purchasing power affects change, but it's vital to remember that supporting ethical businesses is just one aspect of being a conscious consumer. How these things are handled once they leave the store is equally important.

Recognize that sustainability is a goal worth pursuing, and that the road there is not easy or straight, but you can start by learning more and improving your actions.

Small changes, like investing in a microfiber filter for your washing machine, can have a big impact.

The following time you return after a day at the beach or a day at the pool, pause before putting your suit in the washing machine and instead treat it with the respect it deserves.