There is something wonderful about sharing the water with women. Meeting a friend for a winter dip has been a lockdown lifesaver for many and we’ve been dreaming of swimming with friends over the summer months, freckled skin streaked with white salt.

Winter submerged in lockdown has been challenging. Is it just us or have we been spending far too much time scrutinising ourselves in the mirror and scrolling on our phones? In a time where Instagram makes it all to easy to compare ourselves to perfectly tanned and toned bikini models who emerge from the ocean looking like bond girls, we think it’s seriously important to keep it real. Sūndar swim embodies the belief that all women are beautiful, no matter what you look like or how you think you compare to the media’s definition of attractive. Let’s stop comparing and start celebrating our beautiful bodies.

Sūndar swim shoots are a little different to most swimwear look books. We never retouch images and we don’t use professional models. All the women you see in our photos are purely natural water women who we embody the beliefs of Sūndar. We do not promote perfection, but positivity. We don’t think an image should be altered when the original portrays the true beauty of the women who model our range. Let’s normalise an unfiltered existence and remind each other that our bodies are healthy working bodies and really that's all that matters!

As a brand we feel it’s really important to promote different body shapes. We refrain from using language that promotes you being 'too big' or 'too small' by sizing our swimwear as 'XL' or 'XS'. Our sizing ranges from 6 - 14 (which we are planning on extending to be more size inclusive when we are financially able to), reiterating that you are not ‘extra’ this or that. Your size does not define you being too much or too little of anything!

Sūndar isn’t just about supporting sisterhood within the brand, but encouraging our fellow water women to share the love too. Promoting body positivity amongst your friendship group and wider circle of women is absolutely vital in making the world a better place. When we feel confident and happy in our own skin, we excel. Empowered women empower women. Surround yourself with friends who would mention your name in a room full of opportunities!

Every item in the Sūndar Swim range is designed with body positivity in mind. We carefully create each piece to suit a variety of different body shapes, so hopefully you’ll find something that you love. We aim to make as many women as possible women feel comfortable in our swimwear, and we’ll be developing our range as we grow too. All sundar swimwear is interchangeable; the swimsuits and bikinis are reversible, and each style can be paired with another to create your perfect combination. If you prefer a cheeky cut on your bum but more supportive coverage from a bikini top, our Buriganga bikini bottoms can be matched with Matanza bikini top to achieve this. When it comes to cold water dipping we pair the Ouse swimsuit with the high waisted Mississippi bikini bottoms to give that extra layer of regenerated nylon, keeping us that little bit warmer! All our colour ways are carefully chosen to be reversed, mix and matched and look killer together. Choose between black and red, navy and orange, green and neon orange and turquoise and coral. You can also pick different reversible colours for tops and bottoms as our Wilderness collection are sold as separates. We’ve kept all skin tones in mind and are positive you’ll find a swim set that makes you feel confident.

Sūndar women shine in simplicity and thrive in the wild! Next time you find yourself comparing your reflection in the mirror to Insta influencers and magazine models, remember that we are all so perfectly unique in our own way. Love yourself, compliment your girlfriends, support your sisterhood and empower the women around you.

The statistics are so shocking that sometimes it can feel rather overwhelming, and tricky to know where to start. Every day 8 million pieces of plastic make their way into our oceans. 15% of the body weight of a baby seabird can be plastic. Plastic pollution is now present on every single beach in the world. couple the marine litter problem with everything else that’s going on in the world and we might just crawl under the covers and never come out again.

However it’s not all doom and gloom! The problem of marine litter is widely known. Not only are huge companies, charities and organisations doing their part to help win this eco-war, but there is also so much that we as individuals can do to help too!

Let’s start close to home. Sūndar swimwear is made from Econyl. Econyl is a regenerated nylon made entirely from ocean and landfill waste such as industrial plastic, ghost nets and fabric scraps. Not only do we think it’s an incredible innovation in regeneration that we can personally utilise, but it also forms, in our eyes, the most beautiful circular production line. By creating swimwear from marine plastics, to be worn by women in the ocean, creates the closed loop. From ocean trash to ocean treasure.

Many eco-brands use repurposed marine litter to create their products. For example, German company Rebel Fins use collected and processed ocean plastics to create eco-friendly surfboard fins, Waterhaul sunglasses are made from ghost fishing nets and other plastic pollution found in the ocean and even sports brand giants Adidas teamed up with Parley for the oceans to create fresh new kicks from marine litter. 

People who care are everywhere. Charities such as The 2 Minute Foundation (kick starters of the incredibly successful #2minutebeachclean campaign), City to Sea, an organisation that work with individuals and communities to provide practical solutions to the plastic problem, and Cornish born charity Surfers Against Sewage, are on the front line of the war against plastic. From organising mass beach cleans to constantly and consistently educating people about the problem of plastic pollution, charities such as these dedicate all their time and efforts to keeping our oceans, rivers, lakes, streets and green spaces clear of litter. This not only leaves us with a cleaner, greener world, but also actively protects the wildlife that call these places home.

When it comes to what you can do to help, the possibilities are endless.

Shop consciously from responsible brands who are transparent about their actions. Support charities like the two mentioned above, or check out smaller organisations in your area that you can get involved with too. 

Eco-friendly lifestyle changes don’t have to be hard or expensive. In fact, most of them are pretty easy and will save you money in the long-run! For example, switch to a metal razor and a bamboo toothbrush instead of purchasing disposable plastic ones, see if there’s a local refill store in your area to fill up food and washing liquids, use a lunchbox instead of tin foil or clingfilm and remember the three R’s: if you can’t reuse it or repurpose it, recycle it.

Whilst the stats are in and they are pretty staggering, there’s so much we can do as individuals. The next time you’re on the way to the water's edge for a quick dip or taking a stroll in the park, take a moment to do a little litter pick, choose unpackaged fruit and veg when you’re doing your weekly shop and above all remember that for every small, plastic-free action you take you’re directly saving our oceans.

Marine life will be happier and healthier, global warming will slow down, and as 71% of the earth is covered in water, you’ll be directly saving Mother Nature herself.

So, who’s standing with us to turn the tide on trash?

Shop our sustainable range to kickstart your journey

Words by Lottie Lewis

It’s a belief that has been tightly woven into Sūndar since the very beginning; cold water swimming is like medicine. It cures, cleans and cleanses so many things, both mentally and physically. Recently, studies are proving more and more that cold water swimming can help reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and even protect the brain against degenerative diseases such as dementia; as if we needed any more reasons to strip off and dive in!

You don’t need to ask us twice; Sūndar sisters love to swim. Cold water is our biggest vice, and you’ll find us slipping beneath the surface of lakes, rivers, oceans, lidos and swimming pools at any given chance. Whilst our swimwear is designed to be worn both at the beach and in the pool, there’s something magical about wild swimming that can’t quite be replicated within tiles and chlorinated water. John Muir famously and rightfully said, “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks,” and this goes for wild swimming too. To become immersed in nature is to re-wild ourselves. Diving beneath the surface of untamed waters, surrounded by animals, insects and marine life in their natural habitat, brings us closer to the world. There aren’t many low moods that can’t be cured by sandy toes and salty hair, or footprints in the soft earth and cold, crisp water running over your skin.

Cold water swimming is good for you. Fact. It’s good on your good days, and it’s even better on your bad days. There is definitely more than enough going on in the world at the moment that to make us feel a little overwhelmed. When your mind is racing and your thoughts are tumbling over one another, there are a number of self-care measurements you can take; bring mindfulness to an everyday activity, such as drinking a tea or watching the clouds, meditate, turn off your phone and do some yoga, cook something delicious, or try our personal fave: cold water therapy. When you let cold water wash over you, be it outside in the sea, a river or a lido, or even indoors in the shower or bath, your mind will physically and thankfully not be able to think about anything else. The cold sensation that washes over you and takes your breath away also takes away the anxious thoughts. Plus, the dedication that it takes to withstand the cold water is a win! The initial discomfort can be quite tricky to handle so it's something to be proud of! By noticing your success, this ‘reward’ feeling will release dopamine in your body; a total happiness hack.

Not only is cold water swimming good for your mood, your skin and your fitness, but it’s recently been revealed that it may hold the key to curing dementia. Researchers from Cambridge University discovered that cold water swimming may protect the brain from degenerative diseases like dementia, as they found a ‘cold-shock’ protein in the blood of regular outdoor winter swimmers. The article read that “the protein has been shown to slow the onset of dementia and even repair some of the damage it causes in mice.” Obviously, sudden and lengthy exposure to cold water by someone who isn’t used to it can be dangerous, but in the right doses, it could end up being proven as a life saver. (We can highly recommend teaming our Ouse swimsuit with the Mississippi high-waisted bottoms for extra warmth!)  

The physical health benefits are numerous; cold water swimming boosts your immune system, lowers stress and boosts circulation simultaneously, and salty sea air is scientifically proven to help you drift off into a deeper and richer sleep. Take a deep breath and dive in!

Whether you use these wild swims for mindfulness and happiness, or for your physical health, we ourselves never regret taking the plunge. If you’re an experienced cold water mermaid; we salute you, and if you’re a first time outdoor swimmer considering diving in; we couldn’t recommend it enough.

Some of our favourite tried + tested brands to help you on your wild swimming journey:

• Swimwear - Sundar Swim (of course)
• Goggles - Aqua Sphere (we like the Kayenne Polarised goggles)
• Swimming cap - choose a bright cap to make sure you can be easily seen; we love this orange silicone swim cap from Zone3
• Tow Float - Swim Secure have all your floating needs!
• A changing robe - look no further than the almighty dryrobe!
• A quick dry towel - well hello Dock & Bay; sustainable + sexy - right up our street!
• Menstrual cup - the OG Mooncup

 THINK; DON'T SINK - be safe, be seen

Words by Lottie Lewis for Sūndar Swim

Sūndar stands for the beautiful basics that we believe make the world a better place. Promoting inclusivity and empowerment amongst women, with sustainability and strong moral values are at the heart of our products. 

Sūndar Swim pieces aren’t only created to make you look and feel beautiful on the outside, but also glow with warmth on the inside, knowing your swimsuit is saving the planet. Sūndar swimmers are created using 100% regenerated material from our oceans and landfill; ghost fishing gear, ropes, plastic and waste is rejuvenated in the form of ECONYL®. ECONYL® is a regenerated nylon material, meaning our swimsuits go full circle from being fished out the sea, to returning to  the ocean once more - this time to be loved and cherished by our fellow mermaids.

From water comes life, and we need to do everything we can to protect the lakes, rivers and oceans that connect our planet. As a careful and conscious reminder of this, each Sūndar Swim piece is named after the most polluted water-bodies on earth, in the hope that it’ll spark conversation and act as a gentle but definite reminder that we need to work together to clean up our waterways. We need to turn the tide.

To stay in line with our ethos, we keep our carbon footprint as low as possible. When it comes to the packaging, whenever you order one of our eco swimwear pieces, it’ll be sent to you in recycled paper mailers that we encourage you to use again. The item itself will be swathed in a beautiful sari bag made from off-cuts, sourced from factory floors in Goa by our dear friend Hari, who has been involved since the beginning. To top it all off, every thank you card is produced by Moo who make their sustainable and eco-friendly paper from used cotton t-shirts. 

From supporting our fellow water-women, to saving the planet, we also feel deeply about helping those in need. Sūndar Swim was brought to life whilst travelling in some of the most culturally rich countries on Earth. Leading lives without western ideologies, the kind hearted, beautiful people throughout India, Nicaragua and Indonesia are always happy and gracious; and it illuminated how lucky we are. For this reason, we ensure that all our swimwear is made ethically by people in places with the best working conditions and fair wages. As well as ensuring our makers are taken care of, we also donate £1 of every purchase to Help Refugees UK, a charity that provides emergency refuge aid and long term solutions where they are needed most. So far they work across 9 countries, helping local organisations through funding, material aid and volunteers, right on the front line.

By creating sustainable swimwear for all shapes and sizes, made and branded in a way that saves the world and starts conversations about conservation, we feel that these simple actions will not only empower the wearer, but save the world. It doesn’t take much to begin a lifestyle shift, and it’s necessary if we want to see our world continue to bloom. So, why not start with your swimmers?

Words by Lottie Lewis for Sūndar Swim

Sustainability. Versatility. Transparency. These words we hear so often – and all for the right reasons. There‘s no doubt about it, we’re in a climate emergency. These words relate to everyday life and should be woven into the way in which we consume.

Why? Because our consumption directly affects our climate. In every decision we make we’re putting a foot forwards, or backwards, towards the turning of the tide. The time to act is now, and this is why.

COVID has impacted us in many different ways; however, it has put the environmental breaks on – by early April 2020 daily global CO2 emissions had decreased by 17%, compared with the mean 2019 levels, just under half from changes in surface transport alone.

As we stay home, the environment has been taking respite – transport-related travel has dramatically dropped whilst bike sales have hit an all-time high. Isn’t it wonderful to see the smog in Delhi clearing, the canals of Venice welcoming back dolphins and hear birdsong on your morning walk?

However, as lockdowns start to lift and governments begin promoting (OVER) consumption with promotions and sales, we run the risk of returning to the same pre-COVID climate issues. We want to join together and stop this happening. We support shopping local where possible, but still have the same cars, the same industries, same houses and learned behaviours... so, as we move back towards normality, the risk of returning to where we were is relatively high.

It’s not all doom and gloom though! The air is cleaner than ever before, the skies and roads are calmer with less air and road traffic, and we’re getting to know our local communities to band together. If you’re reading this then we’re sure you’re already doing things that are helping the environment.

If you’re not commuting to work, you’re helping; if you’re shopping at your local supermarket, you’re helping; if you’re choosing a staycation over a holiday abroad, you’re helping. And by supporting companies that share this ethos then you’re helping!

Here are a few tips we follow at Sūndar Swim that we’d love to share with you:

• Buy once, buy well.
• Choose sustainably.
• Enjoy versatility.
• Demand transparency.

And at Sūndar Swim we practice what we educate:

• Our swimwear material is sustainable.
• All our sustainable swimwear is versatile.
• Our company is transparent.

Sustainability

Our sustainable swimwear material is literally rubbish! It’s made from 100% regenerated nylon from ocean waste and landfill. We source ECONYL fabric as the quality is top notch (and super soft) – this is important to ensure our swimwear lasts the test of time (plus chlorine, salt water and periods too).

Our swimwear packaging is up-cycled and reusable, with tags created from old cardboard shipping boxes. The hygiene strip is from (compostable) recycled paper, gift bags are upcycled sari material, and the paper shipping bags are made from recycled paper – and they’re reusable for returns.

Versatility

Our sustainable swimwear is versatile – you can reverse each piece (the double layer acts for warmth and protection from any period leaks) and match with other colours across the range. We have designed our swimwear to be timeless, choosing block colours and clean, flattering cuts. Wear to bathe, jump, dive, swim, run, sweat, practice yoga. And, guess what? You’ll still be keen on your swimsuits and bikinis next year, and all the summers (and winters) after that.

We spoke to yoga master Sophia Flex & Flow who took her Sūndar swimwear on a recent four-month trip around Asia, where she swam at any given opportunity, completed 200 hours of yoga practice (recovering from a fractured ankle too) and surfed every day. Sophia said “after doing a lot of research and navigating so much greenwashing, I came across Sūndar Swim. What I loved most was the practicality and versatility of each piece, as well as how flattering they are. I try to consume sustainably but sometimes that impacts style, yet because I can switch the colours and pieces I can switch up my style so easily! It also meant I didn’t have to over-pack as I technically had 4 looks with one bikini”.

Transparency

We are transparent – ask us any questions, we’ll always answer with honesty. What do we ask from you? That you question where your clothes are from, quiz companies, ensure they’re paying their factories and using sustainable materials. We’re in this together. Everything we do impacts our environment which impacts our health. Transparency from companies is what builds a true community through trust and worth. We know our worth. We know you know yours too.