Meet the founder of Apnée Swimwear: Sébastien

Apnea is committed to the oceans

At the heart of our commitment is the desire to create beautiful swimsuits that last over time, while respecting the oceans and their preservation.

Ecology and the preservation of the Big Blue are at the heart of our concerns

It was by practicing scuba diving and discovering the beauty of the seabed that the founders of Apnée became aware of their desire to preserve the oceans, and their desire to preserve the oceans became a priority . "By launching our brand of men's swim shorts , we wanted to create a brand that reflected our convictions. Ecology and the preservation of the Big Blue are now at the heart of our concerns."

Can you tell us the story of the first eco-designed capsule collection?

Beyond offering elegant swimsuits, our attachment to the abyssal depths quickly reminded us that it was now essential to act on our scale .

Last year we launched a first capsule collection of 6 swimsuits called "Ocean". Inspired by the depths of the sea, we wanted this collection to be 100% eco-responsible.

For this we have developed a high-performance fabric from recycled polyester fibers, thanks to plastic waste collected in the Mediterranean Sea and on beaches. A pair of swimming shorts represents the equivalent of 10 recycled plastic bottles .

The “Ocean” collection was therefore a first step to strengthen our commitment.

Today, how does Apnée’s eco-responsible commitment translate?

Concretely, even if our jerseys are made from polyester, we participate in the decontamination of the oceans by recovering plastic waste that we transform into a resource . We also support 2 associations that work for the protection of the oceans and the seabed.

Created in 2018, Wings of the Ocean is the first association for collecting wild waste in France. To date, nearly 100 tons of waste have been collected.

Founded in 2012, Coral Guardian works to protect coral ecosystems by involving local populations. Their action has helped restore 53,969 corals. With each of your purchases on our site, you have the possibility to make a donation to the association of your choice.

How do you turn a plastic bottle into a swimsuit?

We work hand in hand with SEAQUAL. Seven steps are necessary to make our 100% recycled swimsuits :

• There harvest : thanks to a network of 1,500 fishermen and 400 boats.

• THE sorting: allows the separation of plastic waste, or only the colorless waste will be used to create the fiber.

• There transformation: reduces waste to polymer confetti.

• THE spinning: production of polyester filaments using confetti.

• THE weaving: fabric composition by mixing 70% Seaqual fiber with another recycled polyester fiber.

• There sublimation: printing the designs onto a large sheet of paper which is then pressed at high temperature against our fabric to impregnate the pattern (this method is the most ecological as it does not require any water).

• There making: cutting, embroidery and making.

We recycle 10 plastic bottles to make a jersey .