Behind the Brand - Q&A with Freetides
We caught up with the lovely Beth & Lucy from new swimwear brand Freetides all about what its like running a small business and how they produce their sustainable swimwear.
Tell us how freetides came about?
We are childhood best friends who have always shared a deep love of the ocean (and clothes!). From. surfing to diving, we love being in the water and we feel a soulful connection to Mother Nature when we’re in the ocean. We often seek out stylish, wearable pieces for our wardrobes but when it came to swimwear we felt tired of trying to choose between barely-there bikinis or sporty swimsuits that didn’t flatter our bodies or make us feel confident. We were struggling to find a brand that offered timelessly stylish and feminine swimwear we could actually swim in, that was also high quality and sustainable. So, we decided it was time to design our own dream swimwear and freetides was born.
How did you come up with the name?
We see a strong parallel between the Ocean and women; there’s a duality of natural strength and beauty there. freetides’ mission is to empower women to free their innate femininity, celebrating the natural strength and beauty they hold, just as our oceans harmoniously embody strength and beauty. We feel our name freetides captures this essence perfectly.
Can you explain to us about what materials you use and why?
We make our swimwear with REPREVE®. REPREVE® recycles post-consumer plastic bottles including Ocean-Bound Plastic (plastic at risk of polluting our oceans) into high-performance yarn that is traceable and certified. This yarn is spun into the fabric we use to make our swimwear. All REPREVE® fibres are embedded with a technology called FiberPrint® and just like DNA it allows us to trace and verify the garment’s origin. REPREVE® is certified by OceanCycle, a social organisation who work to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans and support coastal communities. All freetides poly-bags and mailers are also made from 100% certified Ocean-Bound Plastic (OBP). The Ocean Bound Plastic certification guarantees traceability so we know the plastic recycled was at risk of polluting our oceans. Our packaging supplier is a certified B Corp, ensuring the origins of our packaging meet the highest standards of environmental and social transparency, impact and accountability.
Why is choosing sustainable swimwear so important?
Slow fashion is really important to us to help reduce waste and protect the oceans for future generations. Over-consumerism and unethical practices established by the fast fashion industry continue to infiltrate our supply chains damaging our planet and leaving our beaches and oceans polluted with waste. Beth’s background is in Fashion Buying and it’s always been important to us to be the change in the industry we want to see, as consumers and now as business owners.
Our swimwear is ultra-luxe, ultra-soft, ultra-durable and it’s made from recycled post-consumer and ocean-bound plastic, so we know there’s no need to compromise on quality to shop sustainably. It’s a no brainer! Our swimwear is designed to last beyond one season, so you can enjoy it for years to come knowing you’re helping reduce waste, prevent further ocean pollution and combat over-consumerism.
What's the best thing about running freetides?
There’s so much we love about running freetides, but working together as best friends is pretty great. Growing up side by side it’s always been our mission to launch our dream business together and freetides is definitely a reflection of us. It’s amazing seeing our designs come to life being worn by real women and to be working on something so close to our hearts. We aim to nurture a culture of sisterhood at freetides that encourages women to lift each other up and support each other, and that starts with us.
What's next for freetides - hopes and dreams for the next 12 months?
We’re so excited about the recent launch of The Black Sands Collection, this is our limited collection of 4 timeless styles made in a single colourway inspired by the black sand beaches of Bali. We’re loving the response we’ve had to the collection and seeing women feel beautiful and confident in their freetides is so rewarding. We’re hosting another event in London this summer so follow us on. Instagram @freetidesswim for the latest announcements and hear what’s next for
