sustainability & ethics

SOURCED MATERIALS

 Our fabrics are made in Italy. 

The WETWEAR Debut Collection is made of a sustainable techno-fabric. It is comprised of 78% ECONYL® regenerated nylon polyamide and mixed with 22% elastane. The process this ECONYL® regenerated nylon yarn goes through turns waste problems into wearable solutions. This fabric is versatile, hyper-resistant, elegant, stretchable, soft and breathable: a unique mix of muscular compression and comfort. Due to its innovative construction, it is twice as resistant to chlorine as wells as suntan oils and creams than most other fabrics on the market. 

This techno-fabric also has a myriad of features; 

    • Made with ECONYL® recycled yarn
    • Ultra-chlorine resistant 
    • Resistant to sun oils & creams 
    • Muscle control
    • Shape retention 
    • UV protection
    • Excellent coverage 
    • Very Soft
    • Two-way stretch
    • Pilling resistant 
    • Perfect fitting
    • Extra comfortability 

    Our Italian fabric supplier is a company that specializes in the research and development of new fabrics but always committed to safeguarding the environment. They comply with all environmental laws and regulations, are conscious of material input (raw vs recycled) and output (water discharge).

     

    In the near future we hope to make the move into using 100% recycled/regenerated fabric as we have already sourced them—all in due time. 

     

    We use two forms of elastic in STYLE APPREHENSIVE - one a clear elastic and the other is a natural latex elastic. It is made in Europe, certified for environmentally friendly and socially responsible production. 

    The foam cup inserts we selected come from a OEKO-tex Certified factory where they recycle the offcuts and remaining material into foam mats for under carpets.

    The metal rings are a nickel-free zamak (zinc alloy) and the manufacturer we sourced from is both OEKO-tex Certified and meets REACH standards. The sliders and loops are made of nylon coated metal /alloy which are also nickel and lead-free.

     

    ETHICAL WORKMANSHIP 

    Our garments are assembled in an independent, woman-owned atelier in Singapore and Malaysia. WETWEAR is the only establishment that produces swimwear out of these manufacturing houses; specializing in small-scale work and ethical treatment. 

    We keep our production close to home as to keep in the know of exactly how our garment workers are treated, their working conditions and to have the ability to thank them for their craft in person. We want full transparency. 

     

    There is a huge injustice in the fashion industry today with the labor and human rights of garment workers - their rights, their wages, as well as working conditions. At WETWEAR, we do not endorse forced labor.

    We’re here for slow and timeless fashion and never built on the backbones of those being taken advantage of. Thank you for being a part of our vision.

     

     

    PACKAGING 

    We take packaging and branding seriously at WETWEAR. We conduct research and perform responsible sampling before engaging in business with establishments. As not to waste, we do not purchase obscene amounts of packaging but only what we need for each collection or replenishment. All designs are done in-house or otherwise done by the talented creatives we collaborate with. 

     

    The tissue paper and sticker we use are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified - the paper components have been sourced from a forest and supply chain that is responsibly and sustainably regulated. The paper itself is made of a cellulose fibre where the activated acid pulp is removed. It is also lignin and sulfur free which means when it is time for the paper to go back into the earth, it won’t leave any nasty chemicals. The printing is done with soy-based ink as opposed to petroleum which would normally take about 1000 years to decompose. Made of soybeans, a natural and renewable resource, soy-based ink also produces low levels of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) thus reducing air pollution. 

    Our dust bags are eco-conscious - they are made by hand and use an unbleached, natural cotton. We wanted to introduce a thicker cotton to encourage reuse for any precious items as well as long durability. The embroidery is done in-house.

    Any plastic we use is made of 100% recycled content and processed so its ready to be recycled again. However, we feel this is not the best option so we are still constantly looking for better solutions to keep moisture out and ensure the protection of your garments. 

    The outer kraft box was chosen with the recycling process in mind. We opted to invest in a durable and sturdy box to ignite the idea of reuse, whether for mailing purposes or ideally storage. 

    All invoices are all printed on 100% recycled, unbleached paper made of vellum (cellulose fibers - plants). This paper is also biodegradable and recyclable but most importantly, it is made with pure wind power. 

    The invoice envelopes are made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper collected from households and industrial locations in Australia. We source these envelopes from an Australian establishment that purely manufactures recycled paper materials and have been doing so for over 40 years. 

    Our beautiful wax seals are made of a premium natural vegetable resin. The seal design is created by Australian tattoo artist, Pheazy. 

    WW swing tags are made of recycled cardstock and all cut in-house. The string is a natural and unbleached cotton; the closure itself is made of the plastic alternative, PLA (Polylactic Acid). It is made with renewable sources like corn starch, tapioca and/or sugar cane which makes it degradable. Garment tags are OEKO-TEX certified Standard 100.

    Each care card is created in-house and are all one of a kind. We use the Japanese technique known as Suminagashi - water marbling. The literal translation of Suminagashi is ‘ink-floating’.  It was important to our founder that each card be seen as a work of art in itself before revealing the words it carries. 

     

    We are in the process of converting paper wastage, such as our swing tag scraps, into recycled cardstock in-house for our future paper products.

      

    We are forever learning - Please write to us if you have better alternatives or solutions.