SUSTAINABLE
FASHION
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION?
Sustainable fashion is a growing movement throughout the world, and Mizuchi Swimwear is incredibly ecstatic to be a part of it. Sustainability means avoiding the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. Breaking that definition down even further, being sustainable means taking account of the environmental affects and socio-economic aspects of business. Those aspects in fashion are examples like, sourcing fabric, water/energy consumption of production, eco-friendly packaging/branding, and ethical manufacturing. The common goal for all sustainable companies is to create a functioning business that respects our Earth and communities by using eco-friendly practices when possible.
Mizuchi prides itself on the effort to be sustainable in a fast, ever-growing, and competitive fashion world. Our garments are ethically produced with recycled and sustainable practices always in mind. From working with an eco conscious and ethical manufacterer, making our own pieces in house, and reducing our carbon/plastic foot print, Mizuchi is here to prove that fashion can be conscious.
Owner & designer, Hanako Muta
IN HOUSE PRODUCTION & ETHICAL MANUFACTURING
From the very beginning of Mizuchi Swimwear, CEO/Designer Hanako Muta has had sustainability in mind. In 2014 Mizuchi started out as a homemade and handcrafted swimsuit company, for 3 years, every single swimsuit was made-to-order by her one pair of hands.
Now in 2022, Hanako still makes many of the swimsuits in house at Mizuchi headquarters. . The benefits of producing swimwear in house, is the ability to quickly bring to life new styles but also to have complete control on Mizuchi's environmental impact. As Hanako is the owner, designer, crocheter, and manufacturer of this operation, she has the ability to decide on the best and most eco conscious decisions of the business. Such as, plastic free packaging, using biodegrable materials, and being able to source the best recycled fabric around.
Eventually as Mizuchi has grown bigger and busier, Hanako has had to find another way to produce her beloved swimsuits. Knowing she wanted a fair and ethical manufacturer; the search began for a factory with the skillset to produce Mizuchi’s signature crochet bikinis and luxurious lycra styles. In 2016, On a trip to Bali, Indonesia, Hanako found the answer, a local production company called King Trading Co.
Flash forward to 2022, Mizuchi Swimwear and King Trading have been working together for almost 5 years now. With their expertise in garment production, quality craftsmanship, and knowledge of the industry, Mizuchi Swimwear has taken a new face in the swimwear world. With help from the best team at King Trading Co.: Novi, Viya, Jojo, Komang, and many others, Mizuchi has become the luxe eco conscious brand that it is today.
FABRIC SOURCING
This year Mizuchi is incredibly excited to introduce our new line, S/S 2022. This line is special to us because it's our first 100% 'green' swimsuit collection. From production, packaging, branding, and even our fabric, this collection is entirely eco-conscious and sustainable.
Our friends at King Trading introduced Mizuchi Swimwear to a wonderful fabric made with ECONYL® fibre. Made by the Aquafil group, ECONYL® regeneration system turns waste problems into fashion solutions. ECONYL® yarn is a 100% regenerated nylon fiber made with nylon waste otherwise polluting the Earth, like fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring and industrial plastic rescued from all over the world. Through a radical regeneration and purification process, the nylon waste is recycled right back to its original purity. ECONYL® regenerated yarn is then knitted into Vita fabric by Carvico. This ultra luxe fabric is versatile, hyper-resistant, elegant, stretchy, buttery to
the touch, and breathable. Because of it's innovative construction, it's twice as resistant to chlorine, sunscreens, and oils than competitors’ fabrics. By using ECONYL® nylon, we're able to make amazing quality swimwear and take care of our planet too!
Mizuchi Swimwear is excited to also introduce two brand-new, original animal prints in the S/S 2022 Collection. These ultra-soft, comfortable, and luxurious prints are made from another regenerated fabric called REPREVE®. This incredible fabric is created from recycled plastic bottles and discarded nylon. When mixed with elastane, those recycled materials are transformed into an unbelievably soft and durable eco-friendly fabric.
BRANDING AND PACKAGING
Branding and packaging are small details, but when it comes to monitoring our plastic use, nothing can be overlooked!
The first step to packaging one of our swimsuits is the hygienic liner. The most common hygienic liner is made from a plastic sticker, which can take hundreds of years to decompose. So, our solution is a woven plastic-free liner that's also hypoallergenic. Safe for you, and safe for our environment! Next, we tag the swimsuit items, this year we opted for hangtags that are made with 30% recycled paper and toxin free ink. (Remember to recycle those tags!) To attach those hangtags, we use hemp string. As hemp is a naturally occurring fiber, it is also biodegradable. Each purchase from Mizuchi Swimwear comes with a biodegradable frosted swimsuit bag, perfect to toss your (wet or dry) kini in when on the go! From there, we print your invoice on recycled paper, and then get to packaging. We choose to ship with USPS because of their cost efficient priority mailing options. But another reason we love USPS is for their fully recyclable Priority packages. After that, we send your package in the mail and it makes it's way to you, wherever you're located in the world!
We're not perfect, and we're always looking for new ways to improve our eco friendly footprint. If you have any ideas or suggestions for us, please contact us here.
