How to source private label swimwear from Asia

Swimwear is one of the least forgiving categories to produce. The fabric has to stretch and recover, hold its color in sun, chlorine and salt water, and fit a moving body. Small construction choices show up immediately in fit and durability. A factory that makes good T-shirts is not automatically a good swimwear factory, so start by finding one set up for the category.

Start with the product type

Swimwear splits into groups that use different fabrics, machines and skills:

• Board shorts and swim trunks: woven fabric, often quick-dry polyester or recycled polyester, with a mesh liner or a separate brief, plus a waistband, drawcord and sometimes a fly or hook-and-loop closure.
• Performance and competitive swimwear: stretch knit with tight seams and a precise fit.
• Women's swimwear: stretch knit with linings, cups or padding, straps, rings and closures, and several fit variations across a size range.
• Rash guards and sun shirts: stretch knit with flatlock seams and, often, sun-protection claims.

Fabric: the decision that matters most

• Nylon and spandex blends are soft and stretchy and common in women's swimwear. They can be less durable against chlorine.
• Polyester blends hold color and shape well and resist chlorine, which suits pool wear and board shorts.
• Recycled fibers are widely requested. If you want to make a claim about recycled content, ask the supplier for the certificate that supports it before you print the claim on a label or page.
• Sun-protective fabric: if you plan to sell an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating, ask for a test report for the exact fabric, not a general claim.
• Lining: swimwear needs a lining that does not turn see-through when wet. Always check a wet sample.

Construction details to specify

• Seams: flatlock, bonded or overlock, depending on where the garment touches the skin.
• Elastic and drawcord: swimwear elastic needs to be rated for chlorine and sun; ordinary elastic can lose its stretch.
• Hardware: rings, sliders and snaps should be corrosion-resistant; metal that rusts will stain the fabric.
• Thread: match the fiber and use thread that stands up to chlorine and salt.
• Linings and padding: state whether they are sewn in or removable.

Put all of this in a tech pack. Our guide to writing a tech pack a factory can quote from lists the pages to include.

Fit and sampling

Stretch fabrics are fitted differently from woven ones. Ask for a fit sample on a body or form close to your target customer, and check how the garment moves, not only how it hangs. Plan on more than one sample round for women's swimwear, and keep your comments written, numbered and specific. Grade the approved size across the full range, and check the extremes of the range before bulk production begins.

Testing, labeling and compliance

• Colorfastness: ask for testing against chlorine, sea water, perspiration and light.
• Labels: US garments need fiber content, country of origin, care instructions and the maker's or importer's identification. Check the current rules before finalizing labels.
• Children's swimwear: children's products carry extra US safety and testing requirements, so confirm them before production.
• Factory audits: ask which social-compliance audits are current. See WRAP, BSCI and Sedex/SMETA explained.

Questions to ask a swimwear factory

• Which swimwear styles have you made for other brands, and can you show samples?
• Which fabrics do you source, and who supplies them?
• Can you show test reports for the fabric I am considering?
• How do you handle fit comments between sample rounds?
• What does your quality check cover before the goods ship?

Next step

Dragon Charm sources swimwear for US brands through audited partner factories, with one New York contact managing development and production. See our private label swimwear page, read how private label production works, or request a quote.