10 ethical NZ AU swimwear companies

I always say I'm done with buying new swimwear, but then I discover a new brand or style that I just have to have. I try to be conscious of my carbon footprint so where possible I try to buy brands that are local and/or made from recycled materials and are making the effort to do better as well.

I'm listing my favourite swimwear brands from New Zealand and Australia below and some of them were even kind enough to send me samples. All opinions are my own and I think all of these brands are great, whether or not they sent me something. I did not do any research into their supply chains etc beyond what was provided so if you’re conscious of that then you might want to consider doing further research. As a bonus, they are also mostly female owned and operated too. As far as I could tell, Inner Relm is the only brand that wasn’t founded by just women.

Winki Suits

Australia-based company | Made in the Philippines | Most swimwear pieces are made from recycled nylon

Woman in one-piece swimsuit in gingham colours — My Penny Copper wetsuit from Winki Suits

I love the retro cuts and designs by Winki and they were kind enough to send me one of their wetsuits. I went with the Penny Copper wetsuit in a size 10 and I absolutely love it! The fabric is so soft but thick enough to give a bit of warmth so it'll be great for me for later spring to early autumn. It fits really well considering I have a long torso and am always nervous about ordering one-pieces. Winki was started by a pair of Aussie women and all their products are made by a team in the Philippines. They work with Honour 1000 on their Blessed Project Sewing Program which help girls who have been rescued from human trafficking. They house them and teach them skills like sewing which will get them employment. And the suits are made in small batches, slow and thoughtful is the way!

Ocean Naeco

Australia-based company | Made in Bali | Econyl used for all garments and manufacturers in Bali are given fair wage etc

Woman in green two-piece swimwear — The Forest Crop and matching bottoms from Ocean Naeco

Ocean Naeco is a brand that I discovered very recently and I was instantly in love with! They have a very limited range but I would wear every single piece, from the bikinis to the long-sleeve one-pieces. The colourways are gorgeous with forest green, bold orange, a clay brown, black and "dune" which I would describe as a sandy nude. To complement the lovely colours are flattering cuts and practical pieces which I would wear surfing, including high waisted bottoms, a long-sleeve crop rashie and a long-sleeve one piece. They're also very open about their staff in Bali getting fair living wages and teaching them about protecting the ocean amongst other things. I am still waiting on my set to arrive, NZ Post were really slack and lost my parcel, then let it get sent back to Australia. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, I’ll receive it and update this blog post. Very disappointing!

Waihetian

New Zealand-based company | Made in Bali | Econyl used in all materials

Girls on the beach with surfboards in bikini swimwear — Me and my friend in our gifted Waihetian swimwear

Born from the island of Waiheke in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, this is a local brand who have really nailed their luxury swimwear offering. Waihetian sent me a bikini set a little while ago to do a size try-on and I absolutely love it. The bottoms are the cheekiest set I'd worn up until that point and gave me so much confidence. Their new range is coming soon so keep an eye out!

AWWA

New Zealand-based company with a strong Māori influence | B Corp Certified | Transparent production line and carbon positive

Girl with surfboard and bikini wetsuit swimwear — Me with my longboard and AWWA swimwear bikini top

AWWA is not actually a swimwear brand, they're a period undies brand who also happen to do swimwear! I recently bought a couple of pairs of underwear from them and noticed that the bikini top is one that I've been looking for for ages and I love it! I didn't buy the bottoms to match because I already have a few black bottoms and I'm going to see how the undies go first. It's such a cool concept and all from a brand run by women in New Zealand. They are extremely transparent about their production and are trying to encourage everyone to phase out disposable period care.

My Keeper NZ

Designed and Made in New zealand | very transparent production and made-to-order

My Keeper has been dressing kiwi women in beautiful, handmade pieces for a few years now and her dresses in particular have always wowed me. My Keeper's social media presence is very impressive and all the prints and designs are done by the creator. I believe she has a couple of staff members in New Zealand to keep up with production demands but with a full-time job on top of it all I don't know how she does it! And in perfect timing for this blog post, she's just launched a swimwear and activewear drop! Every piece of her swimwear is gorgeous, with floral bikinis and one-pieces made to order.

Women on beach with surfboards in swimwear — Inner Relm’s latest drop (not my image)

Inner realm

Australia-based company | Every piece of swimwear is made with recycled fabrics (from plastic bottles) | Nothing made by child/forced labour

These guys really have their brand on lockdown and have a great range of swimwear options. From sexy biknis to full steamers, they've got you covered for all occasions. As seems to be the pattern with brands that are surf-focused, lots of influence from the 70s with Inner Relm which I dig. Think flower patterns in retro colours. They've also got a range for men so you and your partner can match, if that’s what you’re into.

Fondu Swim

New Zealand-based company | Made in NZ/Bali | Made with Econyl and Repreve (recycled plastic waste) and some dead stock | Small batches

The first time I saw someone wearing a boy-leg one-piece in the surf was Fondu's Quincy Jones and I just thought it looked adorable. I took too long deciding whether or not to buy it and now they're sold out but I'm definitely going to keep my eye on their stock.

Koleha

Run by a small team in Aus | I can't find too much info now but I remember getting into them initially because they used recycled plastic for their materials

Koleha have been a favourite of mine for a long time and I'm a little bit obsessed. I love everything they do, from the cuts to the colours to the fabrics. I have two of their bikini sets and have my eye on a couple of the newer ones too. Along with their cheekier cuts they also have high waisted options and bikini tops that are more similar to tank tops to keep everything where it should be. I think they have a good mix.

SNRKLBR

Australia-based company with some Australian production | Dead stock and Econyl fabrics

Woman sunbathing in a floral bikini swimwear — One of SNRKLBR’s many cute bikini sets

SNRKLBR were the first brand I ever discovered which uses dead stock; vintage material that is no longer produced from past decades. Their designs are very cute and retro with bikini styles on the skimpy side. They also sell GUPPYFRIEND wash bags which I've just discovered are a bag to chuck your washing in when you put it in the washing machine to stop microplastics shedding off into the waste water. How cool!

Soulti Surf

Australia-based company | All products are made using recycled Nylon (from fishing nets) or dead stock

Soulti Surf was started by an Aussie surfer who is passionate about finding surfwear that is practical for women in the water. With a big focus on a smaller eco footprint but not missing out on cute, fun aesthetics, it's another swimwear brand that lines up with the theme running throughout this blog post; people caring about each other and the ocean. I also like that a lot of their products are reversible so you can mix up your look.

There are, of course, plenty of other companies out there doing great things for women’s swimwear! Let me know below what your favourites are.