High-Performance Recycled Nylon for Modern Swimwear

Overview

Recycled nylon has evolved from a niche innovation into a core material for high-performance, environmentally responsible swimwear. Yet, while many brands promote sustainability, not all claims are supported by transparent data, audited processes, or verifiable environmental benefits. This guide offers an evidence-driven explanation of recycled nylon’s performance, environmental advantages, limitations, and emerging innovations, grounded in manufacturing standards, third-party certifications, and published life-cycle assessments (LCAs).

1. Key Takeaways

• Recycled nylon reduces reliance on virgin petrochemicals, lowering the greenhouse gas emissions associated with conventional nylon 6 production when compared via LCAs.

• Primary feedstock includes discarded fishing nets, carpets, and industrial nylon waste, diverting durable polyamides from oceans and landfills.

• Performance properties such as chlorine resistance, elasticity, and UV stability are primarily determined by fibre engineering, fabric construction, and finishing treatments, not by the “recycled” label alone.

• Chemically regenerated nylon 6 (for example ECONYL®) is structurally equivalent to virgin nylon 6, enabling virgin-grade performance with reduced environmental impact.

• Credible certifications (e.g., GRS, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, Bluesign®) validate chemical safety, traceability, and recycled content, helping distinguish audited practice from marketing claims.

• Degradation-enhancing technologies (such as CiCLO®) require context: biodegradation occurs only under specific controlled conditions, not in the ocean or typical everyday environments.

• Consumer demand for traceable, durable products is a major driver of progress, influencing how brands design, source, and communicate sustainable swimwear fabrics.

2. Why Recycled Nylon Matters in Today’s Swimwear Industry

2.1 The Shift Toward Responsible Materials

The global textile sector contributes significantly to resource depletion, microplastic pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Conventional nylon production relies on petrochemical feedstocks such as caprolactam, a process that is energy-intensive and carbon-heavy. Studies indicate that producing one kilogram of virgin nylon can emit several kilograms of CO2-equivalent.

Regenerated nylon systems address some of these challenges by:

• Using existing nylon waste streams instead of fresh fossil resources.

• Reducing the energy needed to create new caprolactam from crude oil.

• Supporting circular material flows for a polymer that is otherwise long-lived and non-biodegradable.

2.2 How Recycled Nylon Is Made

The recycled nylon journey typically includes the following stages:

1. Waste collection – gathering fishing nets, carpet fluff, and industrial nylon scraps from oceans, landfills, and factories.

2. Sorting and cleaning – separating nylon from other materials and removing contaminants to ensure consistent quality.

3. Depolymerisation – breaking nylon 6 down into its chemical building blocks (monomers).

4. Repolymerisation – re-forming those monomers into new nylon 6 polymers that are chemically equivalent to virgin nylon.

5. Extrusion and spinning – melting the polymer into chips, then extruding and spinning it into filament yarn suitable for weaving and knitting.

Because the polymer is chemically regenerated rather than simply melted from mixed plastic waste, the resulting fibre can deliver virgin-grade mechanical performance.

3. Material Performance: What the Data Actually Supports

3.1 Durability and Resistance to Chlorine and Saltwater

Recycled nylon’s durability is often marketed as “better” than traditional materials. In reality, high-quality regenerated nylon 6 matches virgin nylon 6 in critical performance parameters such as tensile strength and abrasion resistance. Chlorine and saltwater resistance, however, primarily depend on:

• The quality and type of elastane blended with nylon.

• Specific chlorine-resistant elastane technologies.

• Dye chemistry and finishing processes.

Typical comparative performance can be summarised as:

*Chlorine resistance is largely governed by elastane technology and finishing, not by whether the nylon is recycled.

3.2 Elasticity and Shape Retention

Swimwear fabrics commonly blend around 70–80% nylon and 20–30% elastane. Elasticity and shape retention are predominantly influenced by:

• The grade and quality of elastane.

• The knit or weave structure (e.g., warp knit tricot).

• Heat-setting and finishing conditions.

Recycled nylon performs equivalently to virgin nylon in these blends, meaning shape retention is maintained when the overall fabric engineering is done correctly.

3.3 UV Protection: Important Qualifications

Nylon fibres, whether virgin or recycled, are not inherently UV protective. Ultraviolet protection depends on:

• Fabric density and thickness.

• Yarn type and cross-section.

• Dye and pigment type.

• Specialised UV-absorbing finishes.

Recycled nylon swimwear can provide UPF protection, but only if the fabric has been designed and tested to meet recognised UPF standards. Consumers should look for explicit UPF ratings on product labels rather than assuming protection based on fibre type alone.

3.4 Quick-Drying and Breathability

Nylon generally absorbs less moisture than many natural fibres and dries quickly. Because regenerated nylon and virgin nylon share the same polymer structure, their behaviour in terms of:

• Moisture uptake,

• Drying speed, and

• Air permeability

is effectively equivalent when fabric constructions are matched. Quick-drying, breathable swimwear is the result of yarn design and fabric engineering, with recycled content acting as an environmental advantage rather than a functional compromise.

4. Environmental Impact Assessment

4.1 Impacts of Traditional Nylon

Traditional nylon production is resource-intensive and contributes to:

• Significant greenhouse gas emissions during caprolactam production.

• High energy consumption per kilogram of fibre.

• Persistence of nylon waste in landfills and the natural environment.

• Release of microfibres during wear and washing.

4.2 Verified Benefits of Regenerated Nylon

Life-cycle assessments (LCAs) published by regenerated nylon producers and third-party verifiers indicate that:

• Global warming potential can be significantly lower than that of virgin nylon 6 production.

• Water use is reduced when closed-loop depolymerisation and cleaning systems are implemented.

• Reliance on crude oil feedstock is decreased by using post-consumer and post-industrial nylon waste.

Exact impact reductions vary by plant, energy mix, and process design, so brand claims should ideally be backed by accessible LCA summaries or certifications.

4.3 CiCLO® and Biodegradation: Setting Proper Boundaries

CiCLO® technology embeds microscopic particles into fibres to enable biodegradation under specific controlled conditions, such as particular landfill or industrial composting environments. It is important to clarify that:

• CiCLO®-enhanced nylon is not designed to biodegrade in the ocean or typical home compost.

• Biodegradation rates depend on temperature, moisture, microbial activity, and overall environment.

• Claims should specify the test methods and standards used to validate biodegradation.

This context helps avoid overstating biodegradation and keeps marketing aligned with verified test conditions.

5. Leading Sustainable Nylon Systems and Technologies

5.1 ECONYL®

ECONYL® is a well-known regenerated nylon 6 system made from fishing nets, carpet waste, and industrial nylon scraps. Key attributes include:

• Chemical regeneration to virgin-equivalent nylon 6.

• Traceable supply chains and published life-cycle data.

• Use in a wide range of high-performance swimwear and sportswear fabrics.

5.2 REPREVE® Nylon

REPREVE® produces recycled fibres, including nylon, from post-industrial and post-consumer waste streams. Distinctive features include:

• Use of traceability technologies to verify recycled content.

• Adoption across multiple performance apparel categories.

• Integration with brand sustainability initiatives and reporting.

5.3 CiCLO® Nylon

CiCLO® is a technology that can be applied to nylon and polyester fibres to improve biodegradation under specific conditions. It is:

• Not a recycling system, but a degradability enhancement.

• Intended to reduce long-term persistence in certain landfill-like environments.

• Dependent on test standards and environmental conditions for demonstrated effectiveness.

6. Standards, Audits, and Certifications

Certifications are essential to verify environmental and human-safety claims. They help retailers and consumers separate genuine progress from unsubstantiated marketing.

When evaluating products, seeing a combination of GRS (for recycled content) and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 (for chemical safety) can provide strong assurance that the fabric is both genuinely recycled and safe to wear.

7. Transparency, Traceability, and Supply Chain Expectations

Beyond fibre composition, truly sustainable swimwear requires transparent information about how products are made. Responsible brands increasingly share:

• Details of their tier 1 and sometimes tier 2–3 suppliers.

• Recycled content documentation and associated certifications.

• Chemical management policies and restricted substance lists.

• Worker health, safety, and social compliance standards.

• Summaries of LCA results and reduction targets.

Such disclosures provide a more reliable picture of sustainability performance than recycled content alone.

8. Consumer Guidance: How to Evaluate Sustainable Swimwear

8.1 What to Look For

• GRS-certified recycled nylon content.

• OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 or equivalent safety certifications.

• Clearly stated UPF ratings if sun protection is a key benefit.

• Durability-focused messaging backed by care guides, repair options, or extended warranties.

• Transparent supply-chain information and published sustainability reports.

8.2 What to Be Cautious About

• Vague “eco” or “green” claims without certifications or data.

• Biodegradability claims that do not specify test standards or conditions.

• Products marketed as “fully recyclable” when they contain high percentages of elastane and mixed fibres that are difficult to recycle at scale.

9. The Future of Sustainable Swimwear Fabrics

Recycled nylon is currently one of the most mature solutions for lower-impact performance fabrics in swimwear. However, the landscape is evolving quickly. Promising areas of innovation include:

• Bio-based nylons derived partly from renewable feedstocks such as castor oil.

• Advanced chemical recycling that can process more complex waste streams.

• Monomaterial swimwear designed for easier mechanical or chemical recycling at end of life.

• Digitally trackable fibres and tags that support circular systems and material recovery.

As these technologies scale, combining recycled nylon with circular design strategies will be key to further reducing the overall footprint of swimwear.

10. FAQ: Recycled Nylon in Swimwear

What is recycled nylon?

Recycled nylon is a regenerated polyamide made by recovering nylon waste (such as fishing nets, carpets, and industrial scraps), depolymerising it to monomers, and repolymerising it into new nylon 6. The resulting polymer can match virgin nylon in performance.

Is recycled nylon better for the environment than virgin nylon?

Yes, when produced via efficient regeneration systems. Life-cycle assessments show that regenerated nylon can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil resources compared to virgin nylon, while also diverting durable waste from landfills and oceans.

Does recycled nylon affect fabric performance?

No. Regenerated nylon 6 is chemically equivalent to virgin nylon 6. Performance depends more on yarn engineering, elastane quality, and fabric construction than on whether the nylon is recycled or virgin.

Does recycled nylon provide UV protection?

Not by default. UV protection is a function of fabric density, dye and pigment systems, and any specialised UV-absorbing finishes used. For reliable UV protection, look for explicit UPF ratings that reference recognised test methods.

Is recycled nylon biodegradable?

Standard recycled nylon is not biodegradable under normal conditions and can persist for long periods if released into the environment. Technologies like CiCLO® can enhance biodegradation under specific controlled conditions, but they do not make nylon fully biodegradable in all environments, especially not in marine settings.

How should I care for recycled nylon swimwear?

• Rinse garments in cold water after use, especially after exposure to chlorine or saltwater.

• Gently squeeze out water and dry flat in the shade; avoid tumble drying and high heat.

• Use mild detergents and avoid bleach or fabric softeners.

• Wash inside a microfibre-catching bag where possible to reduce fibre release into wastewater.