Produced in Portugal, Medina Swimwear believes in mitigating, and possibly reversing, environmental damage through smart design.
Set up by Lou Medina in 2017 with the goal to endure long-term use and outlast trends, the one and two-pieces suits are UV-proof and chlorine-resistant, yet luxuriously supple. Back in 2014, founder Lou was increasingly alarmed by how much endangered marine life there was and how poor the quality of the water in our oceans was. The work of young activists and environmental engineers inspired her to create Medina.
Their production process is designed to have minimal environmental impact. They use fabrics that are made of 78% regenerated nylon, which is fully made from recovered fishnets and post-consumer waste. They produce their own terry fabric made out of organic cotton and SEACELL??, a fibre with unique properties of seaweed. Its high level of antioxidants protects the skin against free radicals.The headquarters and manufacturing are both located in Porto, reducing carbon footprint. They work solely with local factories and support family companies in Italy and Portugal. The products are entirely made in Europe with fabrics that come from Italy. The hardware accessories are made in a Portuguese factory that 100% works on solar panel powered. The distribution packaging is 100% compostable and biodegradable.
Taking a philanthropical approach to the modern swimwear industry, Medina Swimwear not only focuses on using sustainable materials, but also donates a portion of its profit to sustainable projects, like the Save Posidonia Project and the Restore Coral project.
The Core Collection represents the essence of Medina, refined and perfected over years of iterations. The goal? To step out of the frantic fashion cycle of consumerism. To offer seasonless pieces of long-lasting value. A selection of signature styles that will always be in stock so that the customer can always go back.
SS22 is available to pre-order, and I love the coloured ribbon tie hats.
By Anna Bance
June 2022
