Swimsuit season has arrived. Luckily enough, for those looking for sustainable choices, there are a few must-have options available.
Arriving just in time for the summer season, stylist, creative director, and ethical fashion advocate Rachael Wang has collaborated with eco-friendly label OOKIOH (a favourite of celebs like Hailey Bieber, Bella and Gigi Hadid) for a must-have swimwear collection.
The collaborative range is comprised of ultra-sleek, classic silhouettes such as one-piece swimsuits, underwire bikini tops and high-waist bottoms dressed in neutral tones of olive green, stark black, and chic white. Inspired the Atlas Mountains, the Agadir is a fashionable one-piece that features a high-leg with a low-back, v-neckline, and adjustable tie-straps.
For the tops, the Atitla’n is inspired by its namesake volcanic lake in the Guatemalan Highlands and includes classic underwire cups and a tie back, while the Bocas Top, named after a cluster of islands northwest of Panama, is a delicate triangle bikini bra. Finally, the bikini briefs arrive in two varying shapes, the minimal, high-waisted Dead Sea, and the slightly skimpier, laidback Milos, which features a flattering curved front and back.
Each item in the collection is ethically crafted and made using 100% post-consumer waste such as recycled nylon and plastic bottles. The manufacturing process also helps to reduce carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions. Another practice the brand uses is utilizing yarn made from waste, such as sunken fishing nets, as well as other fabric scraps from landfills.
Although OOKIOH’s products are usually created in Italy, this special range utilizes local garment workers situated in Wang’s hometown of Los Angeles. The manufacturer is a minority- and woman-owned company, and fair wages and ethical working conditions are ensured. On top of that, the range spotlights the LA-based brand’s commitment to going entirely pre-consumer plastic-free by 2022.
Keeping in line with its sustainable mission, the Rachael Wang x OOKIOH swimwear capsule collection arrives in 100% compostable sustainable packaging, including tissue paper, stickers, and cards that are acid-free, FSC-certified, and use soy-based ink.
For those that don’t know, Wang has long been a champion of intersectional environmentalism, sustainable fashion, and ethical practices, and her work in these areas has since played importance in educating others in the fashion industry. Wang has also helped consumers in becoming more conscious about how their clothes are made, what goes into their drinking water, and which communities are most affected by economic inequities.
Rachael Wang x OOKIOH’s sensual swimwear collection is priced between $79 USD (approximately $105 CAD) for the bikini tops and bottoms to $158 USD (approximately $210 CAD) for the maillots. The collection additionally offers inclusive sizing with options ranging from XS to XXL and marks OOKIOH’s first foray into extended sizing. 10% of the net proceeds from the collection will be donated to Intersectional Environmentalists, which works to dismantle systems of oppression in the environmental movement.
To shop the collection, visit OOKIOH’s website.
All images in this article are courtesy of OOKIOH.
