For most women, picking a bikini involves finding a style which disguises any wobbly bits and isn’t going to come flying off as soon as it’s hit by a rogue wave. However, it appears that many may be missing a trick as there is a whole range of modern, eco-friendly bikinis just waiting to be discovered.
Miami’s South Beach is usually better known for its suntanned beautiful people and Swim Week did little to dispel its reputation. But on the Friday night, the show at The Setai focused on a holiday essential which so far has escaped the glare of the environmental spotlight. Until now.
Most bikinis are made from nylon and polyester, deliberately so, as the materials are not only cheap and durable but also supportive and clingy – ideal qualities for a bikini. But the fabrics are not as green as they could be so a group of designers put on a fashion parade, showcasing some of the most innovative bikinis that were not only ‘forward thinking’ in terms of their style, but also were eco friendly.
Known as eco-fashion, the bikinis on show were made from a variety of sustainable substances making the swim and beachwear a conscience-free choice for the environmentally aware holidaymaker. With synthetic bikinis cast aside, the costumes were made from materials manufactured from hemp, bamboo and wood pulp, which despite sounding horrendously uncomfortable, are apparently very easy to wear and certainly look the part.
Other designers did opt to use the versatile nylon fabric in their design but from recycled sources such as old parachutes.
However, the two bikinis that had the whole show buzzing were the fully combustible costume and the solar powered swimsuit.
The bikini which claimed to be able to fully break down in less than six months but would not disintegrate while being worn, even when submerged, was the brainchild of Linda Loudermilk. Made from plant starch remodelled into a fabric, the suit is fully reusable and has a trendy look to the garment. However, once buried under a landfill site, Loudermilk says the suit will be dust within 180 days.
The solar powered bikini didn’t actually make it to the show as the designer had some travel problems but this didn’t stop it being a topic of conversation. Covered with ‘flexible photo-voltaic strips’ the bikini can apparently charge small devices such as mobile phones without any difficulty, but yet can be treated just like a regular bikini and worn in both the sea and sun.
Shopping for the holiday swimwear suddenly seems far more complicated…
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