ZOGGS advances sustainability mission with swimwear made from plastic bottles

Leading swimming products manufacturer Zoggs has advised of its ongoing achievements in transforming ocean-damaging debris into high performance swimwear and reducing the amount of plastic used in its packaging.

Rob Davies, Zoggs General Manager - Asia Pacific, explains “at Zoggs we feel strongly about reducing the consumption of plastic and more importantly single use plastic that finds its way into landfill.

“(To achieve this) 95% of our swimwear range is made from our new eco-friendly Ecolast+ material (with) each swimsuit containing approximately two post-consumer plastic bottles.

Introduced in 2019, Ecolast+ is made from a high quality recycled polyester yarn which is also 100% chlorine proof. Ecolast+ fabric is made using 55% REPREVE yarn and 45% PBT for a soft, comfortable, high performance fabric.

“In conjunction with Ecolast+ we have also launched Ecolast which is an alternative fabrication to Ecolast+ still made from recycled plastic bottles but which is chlorine resistance for more than 250 pool hours. Ecolast fabrication is made from 84% recycled plastic bottles and 16% Elastane.”

With a gradual global development in sustainable fabrics and practices over the last 10 years, Zoggs see the use of ‘sustainable fabrics’ - made using eco-friendly resources, recycled or regenerated materials - as a necessity.

With the textile industry a significant consumer of water and energy through dyeing and printing, Davies notes “this is not just about removing waste from the environment, but through recycling our carbon emissions have also reduced as less energy is required to create new materials.”

To further reduce its carbon emissions, since 2017 Zoggs has increasingly adopted digital printing, resulting in further reductions in water consumption.

Zoggs’ sustainability mission has also seen it adopt 100% biodegradable plastic bags to protect its swimwear when it is shipped, with these new eco-bags safely degraded in the presence of oxygen, helping to reduce landfill volume.

Davies also highlights that “all orders placed online with us are sent in Oxo Biodegradable courier bags which can be added to a customers’ recycling bins or compost.”

Oxo-biodegradable plastic is made by blending a pro-degradant additive into the plastic. The additive causes the molecular structure of plastic to break down when exposed to heat or sunlight. Once it becomes litter it could degrade in under 12 months

Davies adds “another way we are helping the environment is our unique goggle clamshell which is 100% recyclable as it can also be cut out and used as a sealable goggle case.

“Reducing plastic packaging all of our goggle packaging is sold in trap blister or cardboard window packaging, reducing our plastic output by 57%.

“With reduced packaging sizes, we have standardised our carton sizes increasing our shipping pallet efficiencies by 21% consumption by 35%.

“In 2021 our sustainable packaging commitment continues, as we now provide all of our equipment items in recycled and recyclable packaging.”

Click here to contact Zoggs Australia throught their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Images: 95% of Zoggs' swimwear range is made from eco-friendly Ecolast+ material (top and middle) and Zoggs' goggle clamshell is 100% recyclable and can be used as a sealable goggle case (below).