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ICON DECODER

COMPANY RATINGS
Praises, no criticism
Some praise, no criticism
No rating
Praises, some criticism
Criticism, some praise
Criticisms

Note: Ratings are based on company record, including parent companies. They are not a comment on the product itself.
> more about ratings

OTHER ICONS
Australian Owned
Outstanding Product Feature
Industry Alert

Issues

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> See all
 

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What do you buy?
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Swimwear

The Guide > Clothing > Outdoor & Sports > Swimwear 

Transparency

There is little or no transparency on the conditions behind common processes in most supply chains in the clothing industry. Baptist World Aid and Not For Sale's 2013 document, The Australian Fashion Report, identified that out of 128 clothing brands, 61% of companies do not know where their garments are manufactured; 76% not know where their garments are weaved, knitted and dyed; and 93% do not know where their cotton is sourced from.

[Please note the ratings in our guide indicate praises or criticisms in one or more issue areas in the ownership tree, but not necessarily the area of labour conditions. For many companies we don't have any information about the conditions their clothes are made under. We don't automatically allocate criticisms to companies for this, even though it is quite likely the company is sourcing from overseas sweatshops.]
  • See the Clothing: Alternatives table on our website for alternative retailers and brands with positive features such as Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation, Fairtrade certification, and use of sustainable materials.  [Alternatives]
  • See Ethical Clothing Australia's list of accredited brands here  [ECA]
  • Download the Australian Fashion Report  [BehindtheBarcode]
  • Find out more about supply-chain transparency and best-practice labelling on our website  [Supply-chain transparency]

Sweatshops

There is little transparency as to which clothing items are made by workers who are paid fairly and which clothes are made in sweatshop conditions. Modern-day slavery, which currently affects more than 30 million people, is used throughout the production of many clothing products sold on Australian shelves.

WORKING HOURS. Long working hours and forced overtime are a major concern among garment workers. Factory managers typically push employees to work between 10 and 12 hours, sometimes 16 to 18 hours a day. A seven-day working week is becoming the norm during the peak season, particularly in China, despite limits placed by the law.

WAGES. The majority of workers in the global fashion industry, rarely earn more than two dollars a day. Many have to work excessive hours for this meagre amount and struggle to properly feed, clothe and educate their families. The problem is complicated further when the millions of piece- rate workers and homeworkers within the industry are considered. When workers are paid by the number of garments they produce, rather than the number of hours they work, it becomes near-impossible to earn a living wage during a working week.

Women in El Salvador are paid just 29 cents for each $140 Nike NBA jersey they sew. To pay them a living wage, they would earn 58 cents per shirts, 4/10ths of one percent of the retail cost of the shirt.  [Labour Behind the Label]
  • Check out the Issues section of our website for more about labour exploitation in the apparel sector  [ethical.org.au/issues]
  • Buy second-hand clothes, or support local clothing brands which are accredited by   [Ethical Clothing Australia]
  • See the Simple Plan and MTV EXIT video for 'This Song Saved My Life'  [MTVexit]
  • See 'Behind the Swoosh' documentary and more about the fight against Nike's sweatshops at www.teamsweat.org   [Behind the Swoosh]
  • See the Ethical Fashion Report, published by the Behind the Barcode project.  [Ethical Fashion Guide]

Outworkers in Australia

In Australia, the use of home-based outworkers in the cut make and trim stage of production is common. The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia estimate that 50-70% of clothing made in Australia is outsourced, usually to migrant women working at home or in backyard sweatshops.

Long supply chains mean designers and clothing labels contract work out to factories, who subcontract work out to other factories, backyard sweatshops or outworkers. Often outworkers receive payment and conditions significantly below their award and statutory entitlements. Outworkers are almost always paid in piece rates, usually equating to $5-8 an hour, but sometimes as little as $3 an hour. The low rates of pay that outworkers receive, combined with routinely short deadlines, results in many outworkers having to work extremely long hours, sometimes around the clock, or 7 days a week.
  • Check out the Issues section of our website for more about outworkers in Australia  [ethical.org.au/issues]
  • Learn more about outworkers in Australia and take action at   [Ethical Clothing Australia]
  • Support Ethical Clothing Australia accredited businesses who have taken practical steps to keep their Australian-based supply chains transparent and ensure that they and any sub-contractors are compliant with the relevant Australian laws.  [Ethical Clothing Australia]

Alternatives beyond the mainstream

Good Studios  [more info]
Features: Ethical Clothing Australia accredited, alternative fibres
As of 2019 all of their garments are manufactured in Ethical Clothing Australia accredited facilities. Alternative fibres they use include hemp, mulesing free wool and recycled nylon. Their swimwear is made in Adelaide using up-cycled nylon from salvaged fishing nets.
Manufacturer: Good Studios
Styelle Swim  [more info]
Features: Ethical Fashion Forum member
Brazilian bikinis & swimwear made from biodegradable fabric. Based in Australia.
Manufacturer: Styelle Swim
Swimm  [more info]
Features: Australian owned and made, Ethical Clothing Australia accredited mill.
Swimm is a sustainable swimwear label made in Australia. The wool for their swimwear is sourced from a RWS Responsible Wool Standards accredited farm and is knitted by MTK, an Ethical Clothing Australia accredited bespoke textile mill. Made in Melbourne.
Manufacturer: Swimm
Vege Threads  [more info]
Features: Ethical Clothing Australia accredited, alternative fibres
All of Vege Threads garments are made in Australia and accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia. The main factory is in Melbourne, while their swimwear is made in Adelaide using up-cycled nylon from salvaged fishing nets.
Manufacturer: Vege Threads
About these listings
Find farmers' markets, food coops, farm gate products at Local Harvest
BRAND COMPANY OWNED RATING
Azura  Skye Group   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Poolproof  Skye Group   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Sunseeker  Skye Group   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
2Chillies  2Chillies Swimwear   Australian Owned  No rating3
Aqua Blu  Aqua Blu Swimwear   Australian Owned  No rating3
Baku  Baku Australia   Australian Owned  No rating3
Bond Eye  Bond-Eye Australia   Australian Owned  No rating3
Sea Level  Bond-Eye Australia   Australian Owned  No rating3
Pro Am  Pro-Am Australia   Australian Owned  No rating3
Little Valentine  Queensland Swimwear Company   Australian Owned  No rating3
QSC  Queensland Swimwear Company   Australian Owned  No rating3
Rival  Running Bare   Australian Owned  No rating3
Wahine  Running Bare   Australian Owned  No rating3
Funkita  Way Funky Company   Australian Owned  No rating3
Funky Trunks  Way Funky Company   Australian Owned  No rating3
Arena  Arena   (Capvis) SWI  No rating3
Moontide  Moontide Swimwear   NZL  No rating3
Christina  Trimera   CAN  No rating3
Gottex  Trimera   CAN  No rating3
Hot Water  Trimera   CAN  No rating3
Tyr  Tyr Sports   (Swimwear Anywhere)
Distributor: Skye Group  
USA  No rating3
Saba  APG & Co   Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
L'urv  Factory X Group   Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Nancy Ganz  PVH Brands Australia   (PVH) USA  Praises, some criticism4
Speedo  Speedo   (Pentland)
Distributor: True Alliance  
UK  Praises, some criticism4
Zimmermann  Zimmermann   (Style Capital) ITA  Praises, some criticism4
Bondi Bather  PAS Group   (LK Group) Australian Owned  Criticism, some praise5
Tigerlily  Tigerlily   (Crescent Capital) Australian Owned  Criticism, some praise5
Jets  Jets Swimwear   (L Catterton) USA  Criticism, some praise5
Milea  Seafolly   (L Catterton) USA  Criticism, some praise5
Seafolly  Seafolly   (L Catterton) USA  Criticism, some praise5
Seafolly Kids  Seafolly   (L Catterton) USA  Criticism, some praise5
Elomi  Wacoal Europe   (Wacoal) JPN  Criticism, some praise5
Fantasie  Wacoal Europe   (Wacoal) JPN  Criticism, some praise5
Freya  Wacoal Europe   (Wacoal) JPN  Criticism, some praise5
Zoggs  Zoggs Australia   (Head) NLD  Criticism, some praise5
Billabong  Boardriders   (Oaktree Capital) USA  Criticisms6
Quiksilver   Boardriders   (Oaktree Capital) USA  Criticisms6
Roxy  Boardriders   (Oaktree Capital) USA  Criticisms6
Jantzen  Perry Ellis International  
Distributor: Skye Group  
USA  Criticisms6



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