Why buy chlorine proof and sustainable Eco fabric swimwear?

When you start to swim seriously you have to think also about athletic / sports swimwear too. Do you pay enough attention to what fabric content your swimsuit is made from before buying a new suit? Are you a pool swimmer, an open water swimmer or both?
Competitive swimmers tend to visit the pool at least once a day as part of their training and this is when chlorine resistant swimwear will really will be useful. If you are in the pool every day, the chlorinated water will become a problem, not only for your skin and hair, but also for your swimsuit.
Many swimmers don't know much about the fabrics or don’t pay enough attention when buying new training swimwear. Selecting a swimming costume made from chlorine resistant fabrics, durable and fade proof, will save you lots of money in the long run.
So let’s look here at the different fabrics swimsuits can be made from:

1. Lycra (also known as Spandex or Elastane) is always mixed with another fibre, usually polyamide (known also as nylon) to give it resilience and stretch. A Lycra swimsuit will generally last less than 2-3 months if exposed to chlorine regularly, it will fade and becomes baggy as the chlorine breaks down the fibres. Lycra swimwear is a choice for leisure swimmers and those who seldom visit the pool, swim in open water or take a dip on holiday. The material is soft against the skin, very comfortable and the prices are generally cheaper. We don’t stock any Lycra swimwear.

2. Xtra Life Lycra delivers the properties of Lycra, such as the soft feeling and beautiful fit but also gives swimwear a longer life with less fading and without becoming as baggy. Xtra Life Lycra is resistant to chlorine and pool chemicals 5 - 10 times longer than regular Elastane. This makes Xtra Life Lycra an excellent choice as fitness or training swimwear for male and females. But choose a swimsuit with a high Polyester content and less Lycra, for longer life.

We sell a lot of Xtra Life Lycra swimwear in both www.acquawear.com and www.curvybathers.com shops. Our Korean made swimsuits (Jkuss, Hoog and TSNine) are extremely popular with divers, because of the outstanding prints, soft and body hugging fabrics and modern multi strap styles with Lycra content 18 – 30%, see individual listings.

3. 100% Polyester and PBT swimwear fabrics are by far the most durable and long lasting. Although not as comfortable against the skin as Lycra based fabrics, Polyester/PBT blends are without a doubt the best training swimwear for men and women, due to their incredibly long lifespan. Chlorine proof swimwear has less stretch and thus provides a tighter fit and some people, maybe not as used to regular swim training, might find it constricting and need some time to get used to. The fabrics are less stretchy than Lycra so make sure that you check the size and measurements charts and read the advice of how the suits fit given by the seller, as they most likely have feedback not only from the manufacturer, but also from the customers.

Swimsuits made of 100% polyester should retain their colour for at least a year of regular use, but most last much longer and are called chlorine proof for this reason. Chlorine resistant (proof) swimsuits also keep their shape because polyester isn't destroyed by chlorine like nylon or Spandex.

Most of the top swimwear brands feature a range of durable PBT or 100% Polyester swimwear, and some brands manufacture exclusively their colourful swimsuits from durable fabrics. All our Delfina custom printed swimwear for individuals and for clubs are made out of chlorine proof fabrics and are the best choice for maximum swimsuit life and value for money.

4. Eco Fabrics - Carvico Xlance Eco
For all our 2021 Delfina custom made swimwear (except Kneesuits), we use the Eco fabric Xlance, newly released by the Italian manufacturer Carvico. It is an eco-sustainable fabric designed to promote re-use, recycling and respect for our environment. According to Carvico, the fabric shows extraordinary performance in terms of resistance to chlorine, ensure perfect fit, exceptional comfort and a unique, contemporary and elegant ‘Made in Italy’ style, and they are revolutionizing the worlds of swimwear and sportswear. XLANCE fabrics put together XLANCE unique, high-tech elastomeric fibre and a selection of exceptional and eco-sustainable yarns to meet the requirements of the market and the latest swimwear and sportswear trends, Carvico explains. “Moreover, they are eco-sustainable. Carvico has always operated in the view to safeguarding the environment promoting a more sustainable fashion. XLANCE fabrics stem from a long and thorough research process for fully sustainable raw materials and production processes,” the company says. “XLANCE elastomer is produced without the use of solvents and can be thermoset at lower temperatures compared to fabrics containing standard elastomers thus reducing CO2 emissions and saving relevant amounts of energy.” “XLANCE elastomer is here mixed with several eco-sustainable yarns: ECONYL (used in XLANCE ECO), a 100% regenerated nylon yarn from pre and post-consumer waste materials such as discarded fishing nets, carpet fluff and tulle, and a regenerated polyester yarn from PET bottles (used in XLANCE PLAY).”

Eco Fabric Swimwear label

“Moreover, they are eco-sustainable“XLANCE fabrics ensure a perfect fit and maximum comfort and fits the body like a second skin adapting and shaping its curves and offering athletes support and maximum freedom of movement, Soft and pleasant to the touch, all these fabrics are suitable for printing (sublimation and digital).

”Sport as a lifestyle, wellbeing as a state of mind “XLANCE World by Carvico offers a selection of high-performance fabrics ideal for training and competition swimwear, which can satisfy the needs of every athlete without forgetting about an exclusive 100% made in Italy style and glamour,” the company adds.

Fitting advice

As mentioned above, we use the Xlance Eco fabric for all the 2021 custom printed stock (except Kneesuits which are 80% Polyester 20% Elastane). The fabric has a great stretch, so please make sure the suit is not too baggy to start off with. It needs to be nice and tight on your body, to achieve the ideal shape in the water. Some customers, wearing a size 18 / 20 in clothing, buy size 44 (far too big in our opinion!) and others wearing size 26 in UK clothing size wear the same size 44! The Xback SF81 has multi panels which help a lot with the extra stretch, so please consider this when ordering the style. If the suit feels too comfortable on your body (like a vest), then the water will loosen it and it will become saggy, so when you choose the size, you will need to feel a good tension around your body, not too tight but not to loose either, to give you the best support in the water.

Swimsuit Care

It is so easy to come home tired from the pool, lake, river or beach and just stick the swimsuit in the washing machine, together with the towel, and dry it after on a hot radiator or even stick it in the dryer! But please, DON’T DO IT!!! If you want your suit to last, keep its colours and shape, just DON’T DO IT!

Remember to never wash your swimming costume with detergents or in a washing machine. Just give it a good rinse straight after exiting the pool and hang the suit to dry away from a source of heat, and this will ensure the longest possible lifespan for your swimsuit, whatever fabric it's made from. We have a lot of personal experiences in using swimwear, and if you think your suit has become a bit grubby with body oils or the algae from river / lake, just hand-wash it a bit more thoroughly in a basin, with some Fairy Liquid or any dish soap and hang it on a banister.

Swimsuits that haven't been properly cared for, as per the manufacturer's label / seller's instructions - swimwear that has been machined washed, put in spinners, centrifuges, dryers will void any warranty.