The sea, the great unifier, is man’s only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning: we are all in the same boat.

Jacques Yves Costeau, Oceanographer

Every time you choose a piece of Sandbar Swimwear, the brand pays to remove one kilo of waste plastic from coastlines, beaches, and waterways throughout Southeast Asia. Wow – that’s a commitment. It makes you feel better, doesn’t it, knowing that the classy swimwear you’ve chosen for your classy children is doing some good while your kiddos are looking GREAT on the beach? Guided by three clear benchmarks, commitment, integrity, and transparency, the brand is part of the family of like-minded individuals who reckons that, with some collaborative effort, there is a chance, however slim, however, tiny, that our oceans can turn the corner toward CLEAN. 

Have you heard of making fabric from plastic bottles? That’s where the carpet in the room where I write this comes from-plastic Bottles. It works. Turning plastic into garments works as well. That’s what Sandbar Swimwear does with remarkable results. Most swimwear is made from synthetics that are made from petroleum. So, let’s take the plethora of used plastic, refine it, and form it into other usable products (like fun swimwear) and use that “waste” to make colourful, practical, groovy, swim shorts, swimsuits, and rashguards, that look and feel good while helping to make an environmental difference.
That was Mel Reid’s credo when she moved to Singapore and had the bright idea:  a) to make a positive contribution to help “turn the tide on ocean plastic pollution”; b) to start a line of swimwear that is light, perkily designed, and protective. She did it!

The garment names give a good idea of the beachy vibe that inspires each, e.g Cool Watermelon Shark; Ice Lolly Baby Swimsuit; Maldives Blue Turtle Baby Swim Suit; Surfing Dinosaur Rashguard; Ocean Manta Rashguard; Cool Watermelon Shark Rashguard. You get the idea – this garb  – grounded in conservation is made to enjoy and help the seaside.

As always, we sit on the narrow steps that lead from the Old Bridge down to the sandbar. A pale silver moon trembles on the face of the water.  

Haruki Murakami

For more information, you can visit wearesandbar.com.