Glamorously Green Swim
Being eco-friendly is a sexy concept, but swimwear designer Monica Wise is literally adding a heavy dose of sex appeal to being “green.”
For 2010, Wise’s Irvine, Calif.–based L*Space brand will produce “Slinky,” one of her more popular swim capsules, in Sorona, a sustainably produced fabric from DuPont. Sorona is made partially with agricultural feedstocks instead of petrochemicals, which reduces dependency on oil. The Sorona fiber is made from naturally occurring starch in corn kernels, and approximately 37 percent of the fiber comes from renewably sourced ingredients.
“The fabric is beautiful and has an amazingly soft hand,” Wise said, adding that it is a great option for swimwear. “It is super-soft and wrinkle-resistant, which is great and makes the suits travel well.” So far, only the 16- to 20-piece Slinky group is getting the green treatment, but Wise said if it is received well, she may expand her use of the Sorona fabric. “This is a test, but we wanted to make it count, so we used the fabric on one of our more popular groups. We think [buyers] will respond well,” she said.
Being a little more green is something Wise hopes companies will embrace. “We all have to conserve and consider the effect our businesses and purchases have on the environment. The production process for Sorona uses less energy and produces less greenhouse gas [than some other swim fabrics],” she said. “That is something that is very important to me and is worth the added expense. It’s for a great cause.” Pieces produced with Sorona will wholesale for more than L*Space’s other swimwear. “Slinky will wholesale for $35 to $39 per piece. Our other collections wholesale for $27 to $34, on average,” Wise said. Suits produced with Sorona will feature special labeling that will explain their eco-friendly roots.
Buyers will get their first glimpse of the eco-conscious collection at the Miami Swim Show, to be held in Miami Beach, Fla., this summer. —Erin Barajas
