The Plant-Based Swimwear Every Sustainable Wardrobe Needs

With summer just around the corner in the US (and peak holiday season for those of us in Aus choosing to ditch winter in favour of warmer days) it’s time to start thinking about investing in some new season swimwear. Currently on our radar is Cali-based label, Vitamin A.
Founded by Amahlia Stevens, Vitamin A prides itself on being a locally-made, eco-friendly swimwear brand which utilises sustainable design and production processes, translating into an extensive range of stylish swim pieces.
“Our exclusive BioRib is made from plant-based raw material sourced from the castor bean!” explains Stevens. “It uses a production process that lowers energy consumption by 20% (saving 98 kilowatts of energy and 19 kilograms of CO2 for every 1000 meters of fabric), while the production of its yarn saves 25 litres of oil for each kilogram of fabric.”

With a mantra reading ‘sustainability is sexy’, Vitamin A’s ethos was born out of the belief that feminine design and sustainable innovation should go hand-in-hand. “I grew up in Southern California, where our communities have long battled the effects of drought, so I truly feel like the idea of ecological conservation is in my DNA. As a child, I began learning about ocean life and nature preservation, and now this mentality is at the forefront of each design decision we make at Vitamin A!”
“As a swimwear designer especially, with my innate love of bikinis, the world’s oceans hold an integral place in my life and in my creative process. My hope is that in joining together the notions of conservationism and aesthetics, we can influence our segment of the fashion industry to work towards a cleaner future.”

Using a variety of sustainable, high-performance fabrics along with sustainable textiles such as organic cotton, linen and recycled cotton, Vitamin A is committed to using fibres that emit fewer greenhouse gases, conserve water and energy and leave less waste. Along with their plant-based fabric used in the BioRib collection, Vitamin A’s EcoLux fabric is made from recycled nylon fibres and their newest ReFresh fabric, created from discarded plastic bottles.
“We also use digital printing for the majority of our prints,” says Stevens. “Compared with traditional wet printing, this process reduces water use (since it requires less wash and rinse cycles) and fabric waste (since we can adjust a print to fit a garment). This means there are also no screens or colorant baths that need cleaning, again reducing water use!”
As for the styles Amahlia’s most excited about this season? Be sure to check out the Gia Triangle, California High Leg Bottoms, High-Waisted Coco Bottoms, Asymmetrical Giada Top and Deep-V Alana Bodysuit in the BioRib collection. 
“The high waist bottom and asymmetrical top are my personal faves because I have a curvier figure, and they’re very flattering and supportive in all the right places. And the one-piece is amazing because it has this super sexy back that also goes great with denim jeans or shorts! But my all time favourite is the classic string bikini top paired with clean high leg bottoms.”
Visit www.vitaminaswim.com for more.