It’s easy to forget what’s behind a €15 pair of swim shorts.
Fast fashion has made summer essentials disposable, cheap, trend-driven, and built to last one vacation, maybe two. But the true cost of that convenience? It doesn’t wash away with the tide.
Here’s what fast fashion means for the ocean and why sustainable swimwear for men isn’t just a better choice for you, but for the planet beneath your feet.
Microplastics and Ocean Pollution
Most fast fashion swimwear is made from virgin polyester or nylon - both derived from fossil fuels. When washed, these materials shed microplastic fibers that flow into our waterways and oceans. Unlike natural fibers, these synthetic threads don’t break down. They accumulate in marine life, disrupt ecosystems, and eventually return to us through the food chain.
Eco-friendly swimwear, especially when paired with microplastic filter bags, can drastically reduce this impact.
Built Cheap, Thrown Away Faster
Poor stitching. Low-quality dyes. Weak elastic. Cheap swimwear is designed to degrade quickly. Which means it ends up in landfill faster, or worse, abandoned at the beach. The fashion industry already produces 92 million tons of textile waste every year. Disposable swimwear adds to that.
Recycled swim shorts, on the other hand, are designed for longevity. When you invest in quality, you waste less.
The Carbon Cost of Trends
Fast fashion operates on speed and volume. That means rapid production cycles, high emissions from shipping and logistics, and zero time for ethical sourcing.
Choosing sustainable swimwear slows this down. It prioritizes small-batch production, carbon-conscious delivery, and materials like recycled ocean plastic that close the loop instead of expanding it.
Blauw: It’s Not Just a Purchase, it’s a Statement
Every product we buy supports a system. Fast fashion supports a cycle of overconsumption, pollution, and exploitation. Choosing recycled swimwear isn’t just about the item. It’s about the message.
That fashion can be thoughtful. That the ocean matters. That what you wear says something about what you value. The ocean doesn’t need more waste. It needs better choices.
At Blauw, we even go beyond “less harm” as we aim for active regeneration. That’s why, for every pair of recycled swim shorts sold, we fund the planting of seaweed in marine ecosystems. Seaweed absorbs carbon up to 20 times faster than trees, restores biodiversity, and protects coastal areas from erosion. While fast fashion contributes to environmental degradation, our seaweed planting initiative helps reverse it - proving that fashion can give more than it takes, when done right.
We’re proud to offer recycled swim shorts made from ocean plastic, designed to last, and committed to restoring the ecosystems we rely on. Looking good above the surface, and doing good below it.