Sustainable swimwear made from recycled plastic, a hit at chic pool parties

A popular city-based model Rupjyoti Gogoi recently posted pictures of a poolside photo shoot she did for a swimwear label. The cool blue waters and chic resort ensemble caught many fashionistas’ attention, but the most impressive aspect was that the clothes were made from plastic waste retrieved from the ocean!

“The label which goes by the name Pa.Ni makes all their swimwear using recycled plastic and other non-biodegradable materials, in sizes and shapes that cater to an Indian woman’s body type. This sustainability and inclusive fashion angle resonated with me,” shares Rupjyoti. She adds, “Frankly, I didn’t know if recycled fabric would be comfortable to wear, but it fit like a glove and was easy on the skin.”

Interestingly, Leila Veerasamy who founded the line, doesn’t have a fashion background but is keenly interested in product development. She explains, “I come from Mauritius and more often than not, I don’t find swimwear that suits my body type. When I realised after doing a market research in India that — despite a vibrant fashion industry — the country was not catering to more than one type of swimwear, I decided to launch this brand based on three pillars of sustainability.”

Diversity in beauty: Many swimwear brands design clothing based on a standard international size guide but Asian women’s body types i.e. hip to waist ratio is different. Leila created patterns that would suit women with heavier chests and fuller curves to counter this.

Environmental consciousness: “I grew up on an island so I am aware of the consequences of mismanaged resources and waste, especially dumped in the oceans. Fashion is the second largest contributor to global pollution so we work with a fabric called Econyl aka regenerated nylon. The yarn, which is imported from Italy, is made entirely from recycled ghost (abandoned) fishing nets and other plastic waste. This way, the amount of micro plastic or virgin plastic introduced into landfills and the ocean is reduced,” says Leila.

Artisan development: All of their designs are finished with trims or embellishments like Kutchi silk wrapped rings. Local artisans from in and around Mumbai and Delhi are engaged to produce these using natural fibres and dyes that are non-water soluble and hypo-allergenic.

The emergence of such alternative swimwear has come at a good time, since the number of people hosting private and public pool parties in the city has increased, feels Shalini Bhandari, an event planner. “It’s a misconception that Chennai is conservative or only about sarees and malli poo. Pool parties are an ‘it’ thing during summer so people are very conscious of what they wear and how fashionable or sustainable it is,” she says.

While the pool is just a point of assembly, it’s the other activities which really engage guests. “We usually start off with a light lunch followed by high tea, interactive games, signature analysts, crystal ball gazers, tarot card reading and so on,” she shares, adding, “Everyone wants Insta-worthy pictures so we jazz up the place with décor using bright colours, paper flowers, ribbon work, hanging umbrellas or soda bottles or baskets and flower arrangements.”

On the other hand, Chennaiites like designers Omar and Heeba Sait prefer having a quiet, intimate party by the pool. “I was lucky enough to grow up in a beach house, which my parents built as a getaway when I was in school. We had many celebrations there for nearly 20 years because ECR back then was a hub for nightlife. Over the past decade, however, we have all cut down,” he says. He attributes the lull to traffic, “Which is crazy on weekends so no one wants to drive that far for a pool party, when so many venues within the city host the same thing. Moreover, many residences have mushroomed and playing loud music might hinder their peace,” he observes. Alternatively, his wife and he prefer kicking back with family and close friends. He opines, “The ideal pool party is watching all our kids frolicking in the pool while we lounge around in shorts and flip-flops. The police have become strict too about parties and drunk driving, which is a good thing, as it has prevented a lot of accidents.”

Trending patterns and colours 
Frills, lattice work (cutouts, ladder and lace-ups), hyper real/fantasy floral prints, centre hardware detail in colours such as rust, yellow, living coral, candy stripes

Double duty resort wear
 Pair a bikini top with shorts, layer a one-piece swimsuit with a maxi dress, wear palazzo pants over a one-piece swimsuit or a playsuit/ romper over a one-piece

Accessories 
 Reflective, futuristic shield sunglasses, triangular sunglasses, beaten gold hoop earrings, layered pendants, shell jewellery

Footwear 
 Barely there heels, mules, toe thong sandals and sporty sandals