Making Sun Protection Swimwear FUN!

Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide and…Swim!

At Bon+Co, we understand that Australians have been aware of the need to be SunSmart and invest in proper sun protection swimwear and clothing for some time now. Our sun is harsh. Our lifestyle is outdoorsy. Our children’s skin (as well as our own) is precious.

Before Bon+Co, we thought we were doing a pretty good job of choosing appropriate swimmers for our own children, assuming that the equation was pretty simple: the greater skin coverage with any kind of swimwear fabric, the greater the overall sun protection.

But in the process of developing our First Summer range of kids swimmers, we were surprised to discover that not all fabrics used to construct children’s swimwear offer the same levels of sun protection. Just because your child is physically covered up doesn’t necessarily mean they’re as well covered as they could be in terms of sun protection.

We wanted to take the time to highlight some what we discovered and share it with you, so that you’re empowered with the knowledge to make the smartest choices when it comes to purchasing sun protection swimwear and looking after your family’s skin.

Why should my kids wear sun protection swimwear?

You’ve probably heard the scary statistics: Skin cancer accounts for 80% of all new cancers diagnosed each year in Australia. A whopping 2 in every 3 Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. Just let that statistic sink in for a moment. 2 in every 3.

The good news is that skin cancer and melanoma is preventable in 95% of cases, with proper sun protection and regular skin checks. If you’re reading this and you’re overdue for a skin check…we’ll wait here while you make that call.

Go ahead.

Are all sun protection swimwear fabrics equal?

You want to have fun in the sun with your family. You want to be present in the moment, enjoying your time together in the water, without having to worry about the sun’s harsh rays harming your children’s skin.

You know that sun protection swimwear & other protective clothing is the best way to protect skin.

But did you know that not all fabrics protect our skin from the sun to the same degree?

Research indicates that many commonly used garment fabrics may be equivalent to wearing only an SPF5 sunscreen. That’s nowhere near enough UV protection for fun under the full-on Aussie sun.

In developing the Bon+Co sun protection swimwear range, we didn’t want to take any chances that our fabrics would let through harmful ultraviolet rays. We wanted to offer our customers the absolute gold standard in swimwear fabric.

That’s why we made sure that the material we use to create Bon+Co kids sun protection swimwear was tested and rated for UPF50+, the highest rating achievable for fabrics in the world. It blocks both UVA and UVB rays.

The cherry on top is that our preferred UPF50+ sun protection swimwear fabric, REPREVE, is also an environmentally conscious fabrication, made out of recycled plastic bottles that would otherwise end up in landfill.

Sun protection kids swimmers that’s safe and sustainable. You’ve got to feel good about that!

We sure do.

What makes Bon+Co swimwear fabrics so fabulous?

Because Bon+Co is a brand all about feeling good, inside and out, we didn’t stop at a finding a fantastic recycled material to construct our UPF50+ sun protection swimwear from.

It would have been simpler for us to construct a sun protection swimwear range in block colours or to choose from a plethora of pre-existing patterns.

But we wanted to add even more feel-good factor to our fabrics. Something really fun and unique.

Bon+Co sun protection swimwear features original hand painted designs that are fun and fresh, like our striking Kiki design, inspired by energetic 80s style florals.

As well as offering gold standard UV protection, recycled fabrics and fabulously fun & unique designs, Bon+Co fabrics are resistant to chlorine and pilling and are oh-so-comfy to slip into.

They provide the perfect amount of stretch for optimal freedom of movement for swimming and they’re quick drying.

At the beach or in the pool, Bon+Co swimwear is a fun, functional, feel-good choice for kids and teens.

And don’t forget that $1 from every sale at Bon+Co  is donated to headspace.org.au to help make a difference for young Australians who are going through a tough time. 

We’re proud to be making quality sun protection swimwear that helps kids stay safe and stylish all Summer long.

So next time you are considering a purchase of girls or boys swimwear – give Bon+Co a go!