Summer is almost here (and the heat too), so we can’t help talking about swimwear and do it with the usual view to sustainability.
You already know the brand we are talking about today; it is Kowtow, which we presented in the January interview, talking with its founder Gosia Piatek, a New Zealand designer who chose the name of the brand from a Chinese word that means deep respect and represents the custom of kneeling and bowing so low that your forehead touches the ground. It sums up nicely the respect Gosia has for people and above all for the land.
In addition to producing ethical clothing with natural, renewable, biodegradable and regenerated fibers, Kowtow has also been producing swimwear this year using, guess what, ECONYL, ‘our’ regenerated nylon made up of pre and post-consumer waste material pulled from the ocean. With the first collection of Kowtow swimwear, Kowtow recycled 120 kg of fishing nets, wow!
Inspired by geometric shapes and using vibrant shades that recall the works of Henri Matisse, Bruno Munari and David Hockney, Gosia formed six feminine and inclusive styles composed of two one-piece suits and four separate styles for mix and match bikini sets in Marigold, Sienna, Ivy & Midnight. For the collection she collaborated with the Australian watercolor artist and textile designer Lauren Cassar, who made the abstract hand-painted prints that decorate two organic cotton t-shirts and a sarong.
The t-shirt decorated by Lauren Cassar 
The Kowtow bikini The sarong decorated by Lauren Cassar
Gosia Piatek says about her sustainable swimwear line: ““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.”
Exciting challenge, yes, and with excellent results!
Swimsuits are sold on the Kowtow website.
