Looks from Kowtow’s first Swim collection. Images supplied.
Ethical brand Kowtow launched their first swimwear collection today with the beautiful new pieces made from a clever sustainable fabric. Called ECONYL®, it’s a regenerated nylon that is manufactured in Italy and consists of pre and post-consumer nylon waste material including fishing nets, discarded carpets, plastic components and fabrics scraps.
To make their sublime new swimwear Kowtow has recycled 120kg of discarded nylon and the result is breathable and environmentally friendly. ECONYL® have been working with environmental organisation Healthy Seas since 2013. Together they have removed 160 tons of fishing nets from the world’s oceans and turned them into yarn to make fabric. ECONYL® is produced within a closed loop, which means it can be recycled infinitely without loss of quality.
“We are always researching opportunities to introduce new products without compromising on our values. Working with an innovative technology to make beautiful and sustainable swimwear has been a new and exciting challenge for us. We’re proud of what we’ve made and we’re looking forward to sharing it with the world,” says Gosia Piatek, Kowtow Creative Director.
The new swimwear was a collaboration between Gosia and Kowtow’s new head designer Marilou Dadat, and draws upon geometric shapes to create six clean and easy to wear styles. The range consists of two one-piece suits and four separate styles which are able to be mixed and matched to create the wearer’s desired bikini sets. The winsome colour palette is an earthy rainbow of Marigold, Sienna, Ivy and Midnight.
Alongside the swimwear pieces is a brilliant collaboration with Australian watercolour artist and textile designer, Lauren Cassar of Mirador. Kowtow utilised two of Cassar’s abstract hand painted prints for organic cotton t-shirts and a sarong.
Images supplied.