Looking for a sustainable suit that won't harm the planet? We rounded up some of our favorites for summer 2021.
First of all, you should know that it's a lot easier to find a sustainable T-shirt or hoodie than it is a sustainable suit.
That's because our swimmers need to repel water, so they can't be made from cotton, hemp, or any other plant-based fabric that will absorb moisture (though a few small designers are now experimenting with crochet suits made from natural yarns).
Instead, swimsuits are often made from nylon (also known as polyamide) or polyester—two of the worst fabrics for the environment due to the amount of water, chemicals, and energy that goes into them and their lack of biodegradability.
These synthetic fibers also leech tiny pieces of microplastics when they are agitated or come in contact with water (so, any time we go for a swim or do laundry).
Barring some major innovations, our swimsuits are going to shed plastic for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, we can at least opt for ones made from recycled materials.
Synthetic, moisture-friendly fabrics can either be made from virgin (new) petroleum-based materials or ones that already exist and have been broken down and spun into yarn. Recycled yard cuts down on the need for raw materials to be extracted from the earth and, depending on where their plastic material is retrieved from, they keep plastic waste out of the landfill or ocean.
Takings steps to reduce and offset carbon emissions, running operations on renewable energy, and shipping in recyclable or biodegradable packaging are added bonuses for swimwear brands.
Based on these criteria, the following 12 companies are leading the way in earth-friendly suits this year:
How User Data Privacy and Antitrust Law Got All Tangled Up | WIRED
Facebook, Apple, and Google may have very different approaches to user privacy, but they do have something in common: All three companies are currently being investigated for antitrust violations.
This week on Gadget Lab , WIRED cybersecurity writer Lily Hay Newman and WIRED politics writer Gilad Edelman join us to talk about how giant tech companies handle your privacy.
LG : I have a very tech-reporter-y answer to that, which is that I do have an iPhone here that is running 14.5, but then I also have an older iPhone that is not, and I have an Android phone, that of course is not. And so, yes and no.
LG : And I'm Lauren Goode, a senior writer at WIRED, whose information is just apparently all over the internet.
MC : We are also joined this week again by WIRED senior politics writer, Gilad Edelman, from Washington, DC. Hi, Gilad.
MC : This is the first time that you've been back on since you threatened to replace me as host. So this is a privilege for you.
GE : Well, you got the last laugh by icing me out of the 500th anniversary extravaganza. Lauren, did you guys get any fan mail about that?
LG : I did, I got a DM. Someone slid into my Instagram DMs. Note: Listeners, do not do this. And they said, "WTF, you guys did not invite Gilad ..." and misspelled your name "... on for the 500th episode." So you have at least one fan, who is clamoring for you to participate in our anniversary episode. And I'm sorry that we left you out.
MC : Well, it's fitting that you bring up your Instagram DMs, Lauren, because this week we are talking about user privacy—not about Instagram though. So this week, Apple released a software update for iPhones and iPads. One key feature of the new iOS 14.5 gives users more control over how ads track them while they're using mobile apps.
No comments:
Post a Comment