There is nothing more frustrating than finding that perfectly gorgeous, sustainably-made bikini and then realizing it is not in your size. All too often zero waste swimwear brands market to sizes XS-XL and if you're outside of that range, tough luck. People with big boobs and butt? Sorry, sustainable swimwear just isn't designed for you.
This list though contains different swimsuits that are sustainable, ethical, eco-friendly and that come in sizes beyond the standard extra-large only!
Size Inclusivity in Swimwear is IMPORTANT
Not only is offering sizes beyond XL a huge untapped market opportunity for sustainable businesses (like hello? Do you think we all have tiny bodies?), but it's important for diversifying the sustainability movement overall and showing how intersectionality plays a part. We are upholding this idea that environmentalists are all a size 0 because none of the "zero waste" brands seems to offer anything larger than that. If we want this movement to truly take hold, it needs to be accessible and welcoming to everyone - big, fat, small, tall, skinny, wide.
If you're someone who fits within the S-XL size options, you should shop for an eco-friendly swimsuit AND support body positivity, fat representation, and feminist empowerment by purchasing from one of these brands. Use your privilege wisely.
This post contains affiliate links where I earn a small commission for purchases made from some of these brands, at no extra cost to you.
Eco-Friendly, Zero Waste Swimsuits with Large Sizes
This list only includes sustainable swimwear brands offering sizes beyond just the standard XL. Even if I love the concept of a swimsuit brand based on their environmental practices, I've excluded them from this list if they don't have bigger sizes. This list is for those big bodies, fat bodies, chubby hips, large breasts, all-around-gorgeous bodies that deserve to wear their values and look good doing it!
Also, these brands show their love of all bodies by actually having models of diverse sizes and races wear their swimsuits. If the brand only shows a teeny-tiny model wearing all of their swimsuits, I've made a huge RED FLAG warning below their brand here. Prepare yourself - you may want to purchase from them because they offer larger sizes, but you may also feel like sh*t looking at their website because none of their models even remotely look like you.
Price: $62-120 CAD per top/bottom; $154 CAD per one-piece
Material: 92% recycled polyester, 8% spandex
Material Sourced From: Not specified
Manufactured in: Vancouver, Canada
HQ Location: Vancouver, Canada
Sizes: XS-4X
Styles: High-waisted, sports bra, adjustable, one-piece, skirt
Nettle's Tale is a Canadian-based swimsuit company that launched in 2014 after a successful crowdfunding campaign. They feature swimsuits manufactured locally in Vancouver, Canada and opened their first store-front there - so you can try their styles on in person! Nettle's Tale is definitely the best Canadian sustainable swimsuit brand with extended sizing.
Nettle's Tale offers sizes XS-4X (although I found that many larger sizes tend to be frequently sold out). On some bikini top styles, they also offer the option of an additional underwire cup for cup sizes D-H to provide extra support.
Their models are gorgeous, diverse, and have bodies that fit all of their sizes represented! My favorite fashion-model, Marielle Elizabeth, is also a model for Nettle's Tale so they have definitely won my heart. If you don't already follow Marielle, you're in for a treat (and an education in fat love!).
Price: $54-72 per top/bottom; $130 per one-piece
Material: Recycled polyester & spandex
Material Sourced From: Not specified
Manufactured in: Minnesota, USA
HQ Location: Minnesota, USA
Sizes: XS-4.5X (with half sizes!!)
Styles: one-piece, high waisted, bikini, bandeau
Each Hackwith Design House eco-friendly swimsuit is made-to-order to reduce the waste associated with lost and unwanted stock. Their pieces are made with a combination of recycled polyester and spandex imported from overseas and then carefully crafted into a swimsuit in their studio in Minnesota.
Their sizes range from XS to 4X with additional options ranging from +1 to +4.5 going up in steps of .5. Basically, they recognize that sometimes what you need is a size right in between! Their sizing guide gives specific measurements for each step so you'll know exactly which one you are.
Hackwith Design House also offers a variety of other clothing items. Although their swimsuits aren't eligible for this program, they offer a return option for their clothes that have small holes or missing buttons to be repaired and sold again!
Price: $50-65 per top/bottom; $95-125 per one-piece
Material: 78% Recycled Polyamide & 22% Lycra
Material Sourced From: Not specified
Manufactured in: China & across Asia
HQ Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Sizes: 00-24 (XS-3X)
Styles: bikini, one-piece, shorts
Summersalt absolutely slays the one-piece swimsuit game! Their one pieces, especially the side stroke that only has one shoulder, is incredibly popular and comes in sizes 00-24.
All their swimsuits are made from primarily recycled polyamide (such as fishing nets taken from the ocean) and manufactured in factories that are Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) or the equivalent. They also note that many of their factories also have GOTS, GRS, and BSCI certifications.
Use this link to get $10 towards your first purchase!
Price: $46-52 per top/bottom; $95 per one-piece
Material: 82% Recycled Poly | 18% X-Life Lycra
Material Sourced From: Not specified
Manufactured in: Bogota, Columbia
HQ Location: New York City, NY
Sizes: S-5X (with two different butt sizes!)
Styles: one-piece, bikini, high waisted, bandeau, underwire
What makes Kitty and Vibe so unique is that they offer two different options for every bottom sized based on the size of your booty! Always have a saggy swimsuit bottom or can never find one that covers as much as it should? Kitty and Vibe recognizes that someone with the same hip size as you can have a completely different size butt - and their swimsuits reflect that!
If you're looking for a sustainable, size inclusive swimsuit top that also has underwire, Kitty and Vibe make a bikini top with underwire to give you extra support!
About half of their swimsuits styles are currently made with 82% recycled polyamide with the other half having more traditional materials. Each fabric is designed in NYC and then digitally printed in Botoga, Columbia and sent to a family-owned manufacturer there as well. They specify that all of their factory workers are paid above minimum wage and provided with healthcare and a retirement plan.
They ship all of their swimsuits in 100% biodegradable bags inside 100% cardboard mailers.
Price: $50-80 per top/bottom; $98 per one-piece
Material: Nylon & Spandex
Material Sourced from: Not specified
Manufactured in: USA
HQ Location: USA
Sizes: 00-26 (XXS-4X)
Styles: bikini, high waisted, tankini, skorts, rash guards, one pieces
Lime Ricki is an ALL women company - run and owned by women. Their models represent diverse body sizes as well as women of color. Lime Ricki also commits to NEVER airbrushing their models so they look like the real women that they are. A portion of sales goes to Charity Water as well so they're a swimsuit company that gives back (although they don't specify exactly how much).
Lime Ricki's swimsuits are generally described as "modest". You won't find any thong-style bikinis here and most of their bottoms are high-waisted. Their tops are also pretty much cleavage-free (ideal for those of us with larger chests that just want to keep things tucked in!).
They also have a Try 7 for 7 Days program where you can pick out seven pieces to try for free for 7 days! This is the option I used to figure out exactly what size I was. I ended up keeping the Medium Ultra High-Waisted Floral and the Large Cage Bra Floral pieces.
Price: $145-175 per top/bottom; $250-265 per one-piece
Material: REPREVE® and ECONYL®
Material Sourced From: Not specified
Manufactured in: USA
HQ Location: USA
Sizes: S-3X
Styles: one-piece, bikini, high waisted
Mara Hoffman makes sustainable swimsuits either from Econyl fabric or Repreve fabric (100% recycled plastic). They have a variety of suppliers and manufacturers worldwide and don't specify exactly where their swimsuit material is sourced from. Any fabric scraps that are at their U.S. based offices are picked up by Fabscrap and recycled.
They have pledged to eliminate the use of virgin plastic in their packaging by 2022 and eliminate the use of any plastic packaging by 2023 (because we all know the flaws with recycling plastic!).
Mara Hoffman also has a platform call Full Circle where you can sell and purchase used Mara Hoffman items to give them a second life! Any damaged items get sent to The Renewal Workshop to be repaired, resold, or recycled.
Price: $45-60 per top/bottom; $95 per one-piece
Material: ECONYL regenerated nylon & Elastane
Material Sourced From: Sri Lanka
Manufactured in: Sri Lanka
HQ Location: USA
Sizes: 00-18 (XXS-XXL)
Styles: bikini, boardshorts, high waisted, shorts, big chests
Prana is a founding member of the Outdoor Industry Association’s Climate Action Corps. All their swimsuits are made in Fair Trade Certified factories and any swimsuit that isn't sold or returned as damaged inventory is sent to The Renewal Workshop (a B-Certified corporation that restores clothing and sells it to avoid fabric waste).
The primary factory that makes swimsuits is located in Sri Lanka and was the first manufacturing facility in the world to be certified as Water Neutral in 2012. They also hold certifications in Global Recycle Standard and Recycled Claim Standard.
As for their packaging, Prana swimsuits will come shipped in 100% plastic free packages starting fall 2021. Their tags, labels, and shipping envelopes are made of 100% recycled paper and the stickers use sugar-based glue adhesive.
SKINNY MODEL WARNING: The picture above shows the biggest model you'll see on the Prana website. One area they desperately need to improve in is the size of models wearing their bikinis in the demo photos.
Price: $152 per top/bottom set; $160-180 per one-piece
Material: ECONYL®
Material Sourced From: Not specified
Manufactured in: UK
HQ Location: UK
Sizes: S-2X
Styles: bikini, high waisted, one-piece
Deakin & Blue is unique in their size offerings because they have three different size ranges depending on the size of your breasts. The Hepburn is designed for AA-B cup busts, the Monroe is for C-E cup busts and the Hendricks for F-HH cup busts. Within each of the three options, you'll then find a size range of S-L with their best selling swimsuits S-2X.
They use 100% reusable and recyclable packaging materials and tissue paper with soy-based ink.
All their swim pieces come with the CoppaFeel! #BraHijack labels reminding you to check for signs of breast cancer. They also offer customization of any swimsuit free of charge to fit a post-mastectomy prosthetic.
Price: $48-79 per top/bottom; $108-118 per one-piece
Material: 78% - 100% regenerated polyamide nylon
Material Sourced From: Italy
Manufactured in: Los Angeles, California
HQ Location: Los Angeles, California
Sizes: XXS-2x
Styles: one-piece, tankini, skirts, swim dresses, maternity swimwear, kids swimwear
Jessica Rey offers swimsuits made from recycled nylon sourced in Italy and then sewn into its final product style in Los Angeles. Their swimsuits range from containing fabric with 78-100% regenerated nylon.
Jessica Rey is unique in that is doesn't provide any bikini style tops. They specifically produce tankini tops along with swim dresses and one-pieces. The tankini tops can be paired with their bikini and high waisted bottoms or combined with a skirt. They also offer sustainable swimwear designed for maternity and some versions of kids swimwear, too!
Price: $75-166 per bikini set; $166-183 per one-piece
Material: Amni Soul Eco® Thread / CO2 Light Fabric — a biodegradable nylon fabric
Material Sourced From: Not specified
Manufactured in: Brazil
HQ Location: North Carolina
Sizes: S-2X
Styles: one-piece, bikini
Made Trade is a certified Climate Neutral along with being a woman-owned, family-run business. They also give 1% to the Planet. Bold Swim is a specific "sub brand" under their umbrella company that runs out of Brazil and makes sustainable swimsuits.
Although Bold Swim markets itself as having size-inclusive options, I could only find two versions of their swimsuits that had a 2X size. All of the other styles stopped at an XL or even a L size. They also have offer one-pieces and traditional bikini styles so if you're looking for a high-waisted bottom, skorts, or more variety, they will let you down.
Price: $99-129; $229 per one-piece
Material: Recycled nylon (percentage not specified)
Material Sourced From: Italy
Manufactured in: China
HQ Location: Australia
Sizes: 2-22 (S-2X)
Styles: one-piece/wraps, bikini, high waisted, kids, boardshorts
Baiia makes the MOST BEAUTIFUL one-piece swimsuits that are truly sustainable. Each one-piece is a wrap style that is reversible to function as two different colors. They also offer a few sustainable kids swimsuits and a swimsuit boardshort.
They use manufacturers in China that have paid sick leave, paid holidays off, healthcare plans, and no gender pay gaps.
Baiia mails all of their swimsuits in 100% biodegradable and compostable mailers that they claim can even be composted at home! The tags are made from recycled paper and dead stock yard and even their hygiene stickers are made from recycled paper. Baiia also purchases carbon offsets for all of their international shipping.