There's no better feeling than finding the perfect swimsuit for an upcoming trip. And nothing is worse than spending money on a piece that doesn't last much longer than the vacation itself. A great swimsuit needs to fit well, feel supportive, and stay in place when you're wearing it, but it should also be durable enough to carry you season after season. That's the real investment.
The truth is, the longevity of your swimwear comes down to a few key things: the material, how often you wear it, and how much time you're spending in chlorinated water. Since making your suit last starts before you even buy it, our founder Gionna Adams shared her expert tips with PopSugar to help you get the most out of every piece in your swim wardrobe.
Writer Natasha Marsh interviewed three swimwear experts for her PopSugar deep dive on making swimsuits last. Our founder Gionna Adams was one of them, and her tips are the foundation of this guide.
Whether you're building your swim collection for the first time or adding to a wardrobe you've been curating for years, these five tips will keep your pieces looking and feeling like new.
The Zinae Bikini Set, $139 — the piece featured in our PopSugar interview. UPF 50+, 80% polyester, 20% spandex.
01. Choose Your Material Wisely
This is where it all starts. If you select the right fabric and follow your care instructions, a swimsuit should absolutely stand the test of time. But not all materials are created equal.
Polyester Is Your Best Friend
"Polyester maintains its shape and holds color in dyes and prints," Gionna shared with PopSugar. It's the reason every Avid Swim piece is crafted with an 80% polyester, 20% spandex blend. Nylon and spandex blends also hold up well, but the key is looking for material that uses high-quality elastic. Cheap elastic is usually the first thing to go.
Every piece in the Avid Swim collection, from the Zinae Bikini Set to the Talon Bikini Set, is engineered with this exact blend for maximum longevity without sacrificing comfort or style.
02. Avoid the Washing Machine
We get it. Tossing your suit in the washer after a long beach day is tempting. But doing so can seriously deteriorate the fabric, causing the dye to fade and the material to pill. Your swim pieces deserve better than that.
Handwashing Is Non-Negotiable
"Handwashing will prevent stretch, bleeding washout, and pilling on softer fabrics," Gionna explained. The method is simple: fill a basin with cool water, add a few drops of bikini wash or gentle detergent, and gently knead the soap into the fabric. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes, then lay flat to dry in a shaded area.
And whatever you do, don't wring it out. Twisting wet swimwear aggressively loosens the fibers. If you absolutely must use a machine, switch to delicate cycle with gentle detergent, and never tumble dry.
"Handwashing will prevent stretch, bleeding washout, and pilling on softer fabrics."
Gionna Adams, Founder of Avid Swim, for PopSugar03. Wash Your Swimsuit After Each Wear
This one surprises people, but it matters. Even if you didn't go in the water, your body's natural oils can wear down the fabric over time. Leaving a wet suit sitting in a sink or draped over a drying rack without rinsing it leads to odor buildup and material breakdown.
Rinse, Lay Flat, Repeat
After every wear, gently rinse your suit under cool water. If you're traveling and can't do a full wash right away, that quick rinse will hold you over until you can properly clean it with soap. When drying, always lay flat. Hanging a wet suit on a hanger lets chemicals and chlorine settle at the bottom, which decreases quality over time. The weight of the water can also stretch the suit out of shape.
04. Invest in Shape-Retention Technology
Just like all pieces you wear repeatedly, swimwear experiences natural wear and tear. The difference between a suit that bounces back and one that doesn't? The engineering behind the fabric.
Look for Spandex Blends That Sculpt
Shape-retention technology means the suit retains its form no matter how much activity it goes through. It sculpts and shapes to your body after every use, then returns to its original silhouette. That's the standard we build to at Avid Swim, every bikini, one-piece, and resort piece is designed to hold its shape from the first wear to the fiftieth.
Try the Sera Zinae ($98) for a one-piece with all the shape retention of our bikini line, or the Gea Bikini Set ($139) for a triangle silhouette that keeps its structure.
05. Be Careful With Chlorine
This is the big one. Chlorine is one of the fastest ways to break down your swimwear, and most people don't realize how much damage a single pool session can do.
Soak First, Rinse After
"Chlorine eats away at the fabric and washes away the color when it's excessively exposed to the sun," Gionna told PopSugar. It breaks down the yarns and affects the elasticity of the suit long after you've left the pool. The chemicals will continue to deteriorate the fibers if you don't act quickly.
The move? Soak your suit in fresh water before getting into a chlorinated pool. This prevents the fabric from absorbing high volumes of chlorine. And always look for brands that offer certified UV protection, like Avid Swim's UPF 50+ fabric, which adds another layer of defense against sun and chemical damage.
Quick Reference
- Choose polyester blends — they hold shape and color better than any other swim fabric
- Skip the washing machine — handwash in cool water with gentle detergent, soak 10-15 minutes
- Wash after every wear — even if you didn't swim, your body oils break down fabric
- Look for shape retention — spandex blends that sculpt back to form after each wear
- Protect against chlorine — soak in fresh water before pools, rinse immediately after
- Always lay flat to dry — never hang wet swimwear, the weight stretches the fabric
- Invest in UPF 50+ — added protection against UV and chemical damage
Shop the Collection
Every Avid Swim piece is crafted with 80% polyester, 20% spandex, and UPF 50+ protection. Built to last, designed to turn heads.
At the end of the day, investing in quality swimwear is only half the equation. How you care for it determines whether that suit stays with you for one season or ten. The pieces we design at Avid Swim are built to last, crafted with durable, UPF 50+ certified fabrics in bold prints that don't fade. But even the best-made suit needs your help to reach its full potential.
Treat your swimwear like the luxury pieces they are, and they'll reward you with years of looking and feeling incredible.
Built to Last, Designed to Turn Heads
Every Avid Swim piece is crafted with UPF 50+ certified fabrics, premium polyester-spandex blends, and prints that hold their vibrancy season after season.
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