The inner workings of Youswim
Until swimming naked is socially acceptable, we’re making swimwear that feels like the next best thing. At Youswim, it’s important to us that our adaptable swimsuits are produced thoughtfully, locally, ethically, and using the highest quality materials. We know that a supply chain is important when investing in an item, and we want you to feel confident in how and where your swimsuit is made.
By Chelsea Covington
Our commitment
By prioritising innovation, local, ethical production and social sustainability, we commit to caring for our planet — aspiring to have a net positive impact on our team, community and environment.
Material innovation
By producing swimwear that adapts to fit your naturally changing shape, our premium, highly technical swimsuits have a better chance than most at spending more time on your body and less time in landfill.
We currently use OEKO-TEX certified virgin nylon 66 and elastane because they have that unparalleled stretch and comfort you’ve come to know and love. This quality and performance are paramount to our mission.
The recycled yarns currently available on the market don’t meet our swimsuits' performance standards — in terms of durability, comfort and repeated stretch, meaning they’ll become waste sooner. Many also have issues with leaking micro-plastics, contain PFAS chemicals and have a short life span, which aren’t things we’re willing to compromise on. More on this later.
Yarn production
We responsibly source our yarns from European mills to ensure they meet our very specific and high-performance standards. Yarns that are super stretchy, durable, and have none of that toxic stuff — like PFAS chemicals — are a necessity for us. We only source OEKO-TEX-certified yarns, which guarantees them to be free of harmful substances.
Fabric production
Our yarns are knitted together into our seamless fabric on circular machines by specially skilled knitters based in the UK. They employ good quality practices and are audited often, maintaining legal safety standards and meeting all relevant regulations.
Fabric processing
Our expert dyers are based in the UK, employing state-of-the-art processes to ensure we leave no trace. They follow strict handling and waste management regulations set by local, national, and international authorities.
Many dye manufacturers are developing soy-based dyestuffs that are bio-based. We are in talks with suppliers and are constantly trialling new bio-dyes, which use less water than traditional nylon dyes.
Cut and sew
We work with a small family-run business based in England. Our pattern cutter carefully places the pattern onto lengths of fabric to minimise wastage, and each piece is carefully sewn together by one of our eight sewers to create your final finished swimsuit.
Responsible production
We aren’t a fast fashion brand and won’t endlessly scale at any cost. We’re conscious of fashion's impact on the environment and intentionally don’t produce swimsuits at the unsustainable rate you might be accustomed to of many other brands.
When we introduce new colours or styles (which we only do once or twice a year), our production of others slows down. By producing in colour batches and focusing on timeless styles instead of trends, we only make enough swimsuits to meet the demand. Maintaining the same output all year round — regardless of trends or seasons — ensures our production partners have steady, manageable, and enjoyable work.
Quality control
Our swimsuits are then received at our studio in London. It’s here that our team double-checks the quality of every single swimsuit. Any less-than-perfect suits are destined for our sample sale, which gives you a chance to snag a discounted suit and separates and, most importantly, reduces waste. Any suits deemed too imperfect for sale are sent to our recycling partner, never landfill.
We’re constantly looking into new and cutting-edge ways to recycle our fabric — like respinning it with recycled yarn. We hope to have an update for you this year.
Packaging
We package our suits in entirely UK-made, home-compostable, 100% biodegradable, FSC-certified packaging. That includes our box, any inserts, swing tags, and any stickers (which use a bio-based adhesive).
So, what about recycled materials?
Many recycled yarns have significant limitations — like the leaking of microplastics, the use of PFAS chemicals and a shorter usable life span. Our efforts currently focus on testing zero-trace biodegradable and bio-based yarns made from renewable sources such as maise. We’re currently in the research and development phase and hope to have an update for you by the end of the year.
