I Finally Found Swimwear That Looks & Feels Good On My Body (+ It's Sustainable)

Does anyone else feel instantly relaxed by large bodies of water? Studies show that just being near water can improve your mental health1. Unfortunately, swimwear doesn't always have the same positive impact.

It's taken me a long time to figure out what styles and materials look and feel best on my body, and the pool (pun intended) of options gets a whole lot smaller when I narrow the search to sustainable options. 

But this summer, I finally found the answer to my swimwear prayers when I tested Cupshe. The affordable swimwear brand recently launched a new sustainable collection made from recycled materials. And while I set low expectations for the swimsuits based on their lower price point ($30??), the styles actually left me very impressed. 

Cupshe launched in 2015, inspired by the belief that life becomes a whole lot better with the right swimsuit (and a little sunshine). In 2021 the brand expanded to offer extended sizes, aligning with its mission to make swimwear that makes every body feel confident, comfortable, and "ready to take on the world." 

It's sustainable

During my time as an editor at mindbodygreen, I've become increasingly picky about the types of materials I choose to wear. The clothing industry is responsible for so much waste, and many brands don't have sustainability practices in place.

That's a huge part of what drew me to Cupshe. The brand's newest line is made entirely with recycled materials, using a combination of spandex and recycled nylon for the lining and recycled nylon for the swimsuit itself.

What's more, the products ship in environmentally friendly packaging.

It's affordable

What's the opposite of sticker shock? Because that's what I felt when I saw the prices for these Cupshe swimsuits. The recycled styles range from $28 to $42 full price—and the brand seems to always be running a sale.

Case in point: You can snag some of my favorite recycled Cupshe swimsuits for less than $20 each right now!

The materials feel very high-quality

As I said, I did not have the highest expectations for these swimsuits after seeing the price. Sure, they looked great on the models—but I've been fooled before.

As soon as I took my Cupshe swimwear out of the bag, I sent a Slack message to my fellow tester. Wait, these are actually really great quality. The materials feel soft and durable but still breathable enough for a stifling hot day.

The skeptic in me wondered how the affordable fabric would hold up over time, but I've now swum in them multiple times over the past month, and I'm continuously impressed.

The styles look great on

When I first perused the Cupshe recycled swimwear line, I had a tough time picking out which styles to test. They all looked so great on the models, but which would look good on me?

I feel great when I'm wearing them

As particular as I am about how my swimwear looks, I pay even more mind to how I feel when I'm wearing it. Not feeling confident can put a serious damper on a day in the sun, which defeats the whole purpose in my opinion!

This in mind, I've learned to spend money only on styles that make me feel good—and Cupshe really delivers on this front. I've pretty much lived in these styles over the past month, and I love how confident I feel when I'm wearing them.

They're machine-washable

Considering how much I'll be wearing these swimsuits this summer, I'd be sorely disappointed if they weren't machine-washable. I've already put mine through a few cycles, and the quality hasn't suffered one bit—just make sure to use the delicate cycle on your washing machine and hang the suit to dry!

I've already gotten so many compliments

All my friends are subscribed to the mindbodygreen Editor's Picks newsletter, and I received an influx of text messages when I first wrote about Cupshe. They, too, were obsessing over the coral one-piece—and they were dying to know if these swimsuits were actually good quality.

There's not much I’d change about the fit, feel, or look of the Cupshe designs, but I do wish the swimsuits came in a wider range of sizes. Right now, the brand offers XS, S, M, L, and XL.