"There are a number of Australian brands who are way ahead of my thought processes in the sustainable swimwear stakes and they’re using regenerated nylon created from discarded fishing nets found in the ocean. According to the fabrics’ novel Italian manufacturer Aquafil, there are 640,000 tons of fishing nets in the sea. These nets can live there for up to 500 years and they entrap marine life. Aquafil recovered 152 tonnes of fishing nets in 2016 which were regenerated into ECONYL®, the nylon used by a number of Australian swimwear brands today. ECONYL® feels like skin, according to Salt Gypsy founder Danielle. It’ll also retain its shape for longer and won’t wear out as fast, which sounds great considering that my 1940’s bottoms, which once seemed chic, now sag a little around the back. I’m inspired by Danielle, an avid surfer who started her blog when she was operating a surf company in the Maldives and she launched her first product, bespoke surf leggings, through the community she’d built. One of her goals is to ensure that those clad in Salt Gypsy pieces feel confident in the line-up.
Furthermore, the Salt Gypsy team have been looking at the sustainable space for over ten years now and they’ve noticed that more and more brands are switching to recycled fabrics and becoming more transparent in their supply chains. What does this mean? Well, “sourcing and working with garment manufacturers and industry veterans who provide professionalism, high-quality products, and who treat their staff with respect, including fair pay and safe work environments, are the foundations for a sustainable supply chain,” Danielle explains. She believes that responsible manufacturing is the new normal and imperative in our modern economy."
Stoked to be included in Heidi Harrington-Johnson's piece on sustainability in Australian fashion featured on Savage Thrills. To read the full article click here.
