Microplastics: The Tiny Terror Lurking in Your Swimwear
You can’t see them, but they’re everywhere.
Microplastics - the microscopic villains causing massive damage to our oceans.
Spoiler: your swimwear could be part of the problem...
What are microplastics?
Tiny plastic particles that:
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Break off from synthetic fabrics
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Shed when you wash your clothes
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Slip through water filters
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End up in rivers, oceans… and sometimes, even in us
What does this have to do with bikinis?
Most swimwear is made from virgin polyester or nylon, aka plastic-based fabrics.
When these break down in the ocean or your washing machine, they shed microplastics.
Those particles don’t disappear, they float around forever.
One load of laundry can release up to 700,000 microfibres.
Now imagine billions of bikinis doing that every year… not great.
Why microplastics are a big problem
They might be small, but the impact is huge:
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Fish and marine life mistake them for food
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Microplastics travel up the food chain (yes, all the way to humans)
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They disrupt hormones, cause inflammation, and can even kill marine species
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They’ve been found in Arctic ice, rainwater, and human blood (yep, ew)
Fast fashion is making it worse
Cheap swimwear made from low-quality plastic-based fabrics:
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Falls apart quickly
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Sheds more microfibres
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Ends up in landfill or oceans faster
5.25 trillion plastic particles are floating in the world’s oceans, and fast fashion plays a major role.
What we’re doing differently at Zigi Swim
We use ECONYL® regenerated nylon, made from waste like fishing nets and carpet offcuts. It:
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Lasts way longer
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Holds its shape, so it doesn’t shed as quickly
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Reduces the need for new plastic production
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Can be recycled again, so it’s part of a circular system
Better fabric = less microplastic shedding = happier oceans.
How you can help reduce microplastic pollution
Simple things that make a real difference:
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Wash less, wear more — spot clean when you can
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Use a Guppyfriend wash bag to catch microfibres
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Support brands using sustainable fabrics
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Say no to fast fashion - quality over quantity, always
Summary
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Microplastics are shed from synthetic clothing, especially cheap swimwear
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They pollute oceans, harm wildlife, and sneak into our bodies
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Zigi Swim uses ECONYL® to reduce plastic pollution and protect the sea
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You can help too, every choice matters
At Zigi, we’re not just here to look good in bikinis, we’re here to protect the ocean we swim in.
Because bikinis should belong in the sea, not wreck it