As a fashion brand, we understand the impact that the textile industry has on our planet and climate change. As humans, we live and breathe the effects every day.
At Sauipe, we believe that sustainable swimwear is possible. We have taken several steps over the years to make sure we lessen our impact on the environment. Even before the conversation was so open, Sauipe began to use fabrics that are more sustainable and eco-friendly. And our practices, although small when isolated, do provide a combined positive result.
But let’s be clear: no production process can be 100% sustainable. All textile production – even those that use 100% cotton – affect the environment. The impact comes from the use of water and electricity in the production, transportation of the products, packaging, etc.
It was a common belief that swimwear, due to the nature of the materials, could never be eco-friendly.
We, too, never thought that materials such as Lycra, using synthetic fibers, could result in beautiful, eco-friendly swimwear.
The textile industry has made considerable progress in that area. Sauipe Swim is manufactured in Brazil, and that country has some of the highest quality textile manufacturers in the world. Due to the large Brazilian fashion industry, and many governmental incentives, their textile industry has invested significant resources in developing fabrics and processes that are environmentally friendly.
Sauipe manufactures all garments using materials from three of the largest textile suppliers in Brazil. When we selected these partners, our top considerations were quality and sustainability.
Of course, quality is essential to us. We want to create garments that meet our highest standards and your expectations. Quality factors include colorfastness (color resistance to fading or running); elasticity (our suits don’t sag and do not lose their original shape, and the fabric provides excellent support and fit); resistance (the threads will not run or form little knots).
But sustainability is equally important. Independent environmental organizations certified all of our vendors, and they follow strict international standards that include controlled use of chemicals in the tinting process, recycling of the water in the production process, optimizing materials to minimize waste, to name a few. And let’s not forget about your HEALTH. The fabrics we use do not have products that are harmful to human skin.
Sauipe creates beautiful swimwear using fabrics that contain the first biodegradable polyamide developed in the world. While conventional polyamide can take decades to decompose, 50% of the biodegradable polyamide fiber decomposes within one year, and the complete 100% decomposes within three years in landfill.
Of course, biodegradable polyamide does not have the same eco-friendly qualities of cotton. However, this is a significant step in the right direction, and we will continue to partner with vendors that focus their efforts on sustainability.
There is so much that happens to a swimsuit before you try it on! Although sustainable materials constitute a significant factor, delivering sustainable swimwear has other considerations.
The production process includes a lot of transportation from suppliers to manufacturers, to third-party service providers, then to the distributors, retailers, and finally to you. Poor logistics practices can lead to an increased carbon footprint in the environment.
As Sauipe grew over the years, we quickly realized that we could lessen our footprint by properly planning all the steps of our production, including transportation. Each trip a truck takes to deliver fabrics to the factory, each delivery truck that comes to our facility - it all adds up!!!! We have improved our production planning and logistics and successfully decrease our impact on the environment.
In the production arena, Sauipe works closely with our factory to optimize production practices and minimize waste of any fabric, elastics, trims, etc.
By taking a holistic approach to production practices, we are confident that Sauipe can deliver the best possible sustainable swimwear.
Crafting sustainable bathing suits means we are always looking for ways to improve our production and to minimize our ecological footprint. At the same time, our focus is to create beautiful swimwear and enhance your buying experience.
As a small company, weaving a community is vital to us. We are committed to remaining open and transparent.
Sauipe’s next steps in creating a more sustainable product will be in the packaging of our product. We want to make sure that your swimsuit is delivered in perfect conditions, so packaging is still necessary. But stay tuned, we are sure you will love the new packaging and tags!
If you would like to share your thoughts, send us suggestions, or would like to receive more details about Sauipe's commitment to a cleaner environment, please email us at info@sauipeswim.com.