Le Club Becomes First Swimwear Brand to Use Seaweed Packaging

Saving our oceans, one trunk at a time

As a Miami-based brand, the ocean is everything to us at Le Club. It's where we work, play, and gather with our community. In a pledge to protect our seas, we are committed to lowering our plastic footprint when it comes to product and packaging alike.

To celebrate our new season of sustainable swim, Le Club became the first-ever swimwear brand to use seaweed packaging, debuting at Swimwear Collective and Cabana Show Miami!

Seaweed packaging?

Yes, you read that right. We have partnered with material innovation company Sway to launch home-compostable packaging made from seaweed.

This recycled fiber box features a 100% biobased (aka, no plastic!) Sway Window made entirely from seaweed and plants. Why seaweed? It’s an abundant resource that helps clean our seas, support ocean biodiversity, and balance our climate.

• Cleaner Oceans: While plastic simply breaks down into smaller and smaller microplastics that harm the environment and human health, Sway packaging composts into a healthy soil amendment.
• Thriving Marine Life: Seaweed farms improve underwater biodiversity in a myriad of ways, from providing habitat, to cycling nutrients, to reversing ocean acidification.
• A Balanced Climate: Conventional plastics emit greenhouse gases at every stage of their life cycle. Meanwhile, new science suggests seaweed farms can store substantial amounts of living and sequestered carbon!

Why this matters

Traditional plastic windows are virtually impossible to recycle and cannot be easily replaced with reusable solutions. And plastic never truly breaks down – rather, it gets smaller and smaller, turning into microplastics that pollute oceans, marine life, and even our bodies.

By switching to Sway packaging, Le Club avoids the use of plastic packaging entirely, aligning with our goal to become a 100% sustainable company by 2025.

Did you know? Our new collection of swimwear is 85% recycled polyester, made from plastic bottle waste upcycled into fibers.

Our growing partnership

Family-owned and operated, Le Club is committed to doing better for future generations — which means doing good for the environment.

Originally connected through the TOM FORD Plastic Innovation Prize powered by Lonely Whale, Le Club has been an active advocate for innovative alternatives to thin-film plastics.

Through the Prize, Le Club helped judge new material solutions from around the world, ultimately supporting Sway's 1st place win. Le Club's debut of Sway packaging at Swimwear Collective marks our first collaboration, and we look forward to more in 2024!

FAQs

Is this package recyclable?

Yes! You can place it in your curbside recycling bin, and the compostable seaweed-based window will be screened out during the repulping process. As with all windows, staples, labels, and other common additions to paper packaging, non-paper components are screened out and landfilled.

For the most positive environmental impact, recycle the box but compost the Sway window. In this way, the product breaks down as quickly as possible and returns nutrients to the soil.

Is this package compostable?

Yes! For the most positive environmental impact, compost the Sway window (in home or industrial compost). Technically, you can also compost the box – but recycling the box will extend the paper box’s material value, where it can be upcycled into a new product.

How do I start composting?

Our favorite question! Home composting creates value from your compostable household scraps, and it's accessible for any space. From backyard composting to freezing scraps and sending to a local service, Sway shares various methods here. The planet thanks you!

What does “biobased” mean?

Both the box and window of this package are 100% biobased, meaning they are made entirely from renewable resources with 0% petroleum. Biobased materials enable a healthier planet by shifting our reliance away from fossil fuels, and towards resources that can be grown again and again.

When will we see more brands using Sway packaging?

This year! Sway will continue to work with Le Club, as well as other brands eager to adopt planet-replenishing packaging. If you love this collaboration and want to see more, let us know through this short survey!