arctic seas is an eco-conscious sustainable swim
and beachwear manufacturer
based in Antwerp, Belgium.
Our vision is one that focuses
on high-quality swimwear that
is an expert in the fit of its garments.
arctic seas
We have created garments that will stand the test of time, your experiences & places you will go. We place a heavy emphasis on reducing waste in our production & distribution. This aspect has been pivotal in our inception as it fuels us in the continuous search to be more ecologically friendly. This is our message & the driving force behind our brand as we tell a tale that bridges past, present, & future.
As the earth sees more devastation & threats caused by global warming we must take action to slow the melting of ice & its inhabitants. The polar bear; who depends on the ice for hunting, travelling and shelter, brings balance to the arctic and was the most appropriate choice as our logo. Although these creatures are known to adapt to their environment, at the rate we’re currently destroying their natural habitat, time is not on their side.
Today’s textile industry is built on an outdated model that has adopted a “take-make-dispose” model. A new textile economy is needed in which clothes are designed differently, worn for a longer period of time, recycled, reused as much as possible, contrary to the current fashion industry. We have to strive towards closed circuits in which the materials are used and regenerated again and again and again ..
Each arctic eas garment is made with the highest quality specifications, built to endure elements like saltwater, chlorine and UV-rays. By drawing inspiration from land and sea, we feel a strong connection with fishermen, lifeguards, deep-sea explorers. There are several ways in which we try to make our products more sustainable.
WE USE RECYCLED MATERIALS
ECONYL®
regenerated nylon made from nylon waste otherwise polluting the earth, like fishing nets, frabric scraps, carpet flooring and industrial plastic.
SEAQUAL
fibers made from 100% post-consumer plastic bottles and plastic waste reclaimed from the Mediterranean Sea, creating yarns that contain about 93 to 95% recycled PET supplemented with 3 to 7% recovered ocean plastics.
NEWLIFE
uses a mechanical process, not a chemical one, to transform bottles
into a polymer. The use of recycled polyester, which requires fewer
processing stages, means less energy is utilized during the
production process, resulting in a considerable reduction
in carbon emissions.
YKK
NATULON®
material recycled zippers: designed for customers who want to increase the recycled content of their products. They are made from recycled materials (such as PET bottles) using the newest in material recycling technologies.
we are in a continuous search to increase
arctic seas’ production process’ eco-friendliness.
FOR THE FINISHES AND TRIMS
We go for recycled materials as much as possible, but the truth is that we haven’t been able to find ecological alternatives for everything ... yet.
WE USE ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS
Alternative materials used include bamboo, banana fiber, linen and fish leather. We actively aim to reduce the amount of water in the production of our fabrics and avoid chemical dyes as much as possible.
NO CENTRAL ARCTIC SEAS OFFICES
All our collaborators work from home and we opt for videoconferencing for most of our meetings.
WE CHOOSE LONG LASTING
HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS AND PARTS
Differing from today’s fashion standards, we opt for producing long-lasting garments with a higher price point over producing high in numbers and low in quality
PRECISION TAILORING
FOR THE PERFECT FIT
Our expert pattern maker (who has worked with Dries Van Noten, Manish Arora and others) sees to it that each garment has the perfect fit, creating clothing less likely to be ‘abandoned’ which in turn means less waste.
PRODUCTION
All production for the EU market
happens in Portugal, near the city of Porto. Nearly all suppliers included in the production of our garments are situated in a 40 km radius of our clothing factory. We only make one (big) sample collection a year,
so transport (of both people and goods)
is cut in half.
