How Our Swimwear Is Made
For our team of expert swim stylists and designers, every suit we create is intended to help women love the body they are in. This has been our goal since the very beginning – to achieve it, we’ve learned to pay close attention to the swimsuit materials we’re using.
When we founded Lime Ricki in 2007, our goal was to create swimwear women actually wanted to wear. Created for women by women, Lime Ricki focuses on comfortable, fashionable swimsuits with the right fit for women of all body types. Our swimwear runs from XXS to 4X for size inclusivity so every woman can feel confident and stylish. We believe in fun colors, bold graphics, and attention to every detail. These brand goals are the starting point in the design process.
Each season we create the foundation for a confidence-boosting bathing suit with cutting-edge technology, expertise in tailoring and sewing, and superb materials. We always take the time to pay attention to the finest details, choosing only the highest-performing materials for our swimwear. Not only do we use a soft, durable blend of nylon and spandex for our swimsuits, but our SPF swimwear has unique UV resistance so you can stay protected while having fun in the sun.
The Resources and Materials Behind Lime Ricki Swimwear
We’ll explain our thought process behind selecting the nylon-spandex blend, and share the cool science behind the UV-treated materials we use for our suits. We pride ourselves in taking meticulous care in every choice we make for a swimsuit, which is one of the reasons our swimwear stands out from the rest. We’re so grateful for your support, so we want to show you how it all works!
A Closer Look At The Materials
When we began our mission to create swimsuits that are no longer frustrating, ill-fitting, and uncomfortable, we knew we needed to focus on using the right materials that would continue to be soft and durable over time. To get the best of both worlds, we ended up choosing a blend of two materials: nylon and spandex. Let’s take a closer look at these two components:- Nylon
Nylon (also known as Polyamide) is a broad term for a family of synthetic polymers. It’s a thermoplastic silky material that can be processed into fibers, films, or shapes. When used in swimwear designing, nylon forms into fibers, which are then turned into fabric. This material is made to withstand high-intensity athletics as well as many environmental aspects.
Nylon is highly resistant to shrinkage, which is especially important when being used in material that will frequently be exposed to water. It also has very low moisture absorbency, so swimwear made with nylon remains light and easy to move in when in the water and when drying out. Nylon has an even lower moisture absorbency rate than Polyester, allowing it to dry even faster.
- Spandex
Spandex (also known as Lycra or elastane) is made of a Polyether-polyurea copolymer, a synthetic fabric that is praised for its many features. Because of its elasticity, spandex can stretch up to 5-8 times its normal size while still keeping its shape. Spandex is also highly heat-resistant, and when combined with nylon, its resistance is actually improved. Spandex or Lycra always works best when paired with another natural or synthetic fiber.
Why We Chose A Nylon-Spandex Blend
When we first began designing our swimsuits, we noticed that many fabrics did not have the same abrasion-resistant or shape-retaining abilities that nylon-spandex blends had. We felt that having a swimsuit that would always keep its shape was key to providing a supreme line of swimwear. We wanted our swimsuits to keep our customers covered and comfortable, so we opted for a blend of two high-quality materials: nylon and spandex.
Nylon spandex is classified as an elastomeric fiber, meaning it is a material that can expand over 500% without breaking. This technological super-fiber retains its original shape and size when not in use, a feature that many other swimsuit fabrics do not have. Let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits of this blend of materials:
- Durability: Nylon by itself is an incredibly strong fiber in terms of tensile strength. While swimsuits using other fabrics can be worn through or pulled when encountering rough surfaces, those made with nylon will resist, making them great for long days at the beach.
- Quality Look and Feel: The nylon and spandex blend creates an amazingly soft feel and lays silky-smooth against the skin. Nylon spandex is often lustrous.
- Easy To Clean: Nylon spandex can easily be cleaned by hand. For best results, use lukewarm water and mild detergent.
- Colorful: Vibrant colors can be used with nylon-spandex swimwear fabrics, which is a perfect fit for the bold prints and bright colors we like to use around here. Nylon spandex holds vibrancy well, making it fade-resistant and run-resistant, even in saltwater or chlorinated swimming pools.
Sustainable Swimwear
Lime Ricki encourages customers to embrace eco-friendly fashion choices and we are proud to use Ecowave fabric in our sustainable swimwear collections. We prioritize sustainability in four key areas: eco-friendly fabrics, ethical manufacturing, small-batch production, and digital printing. Our swimsuits are made from recycled materials like Ecowave fabric, which reduces plastic waste. We ensure ethical manufacturing practices, working with factories that provide fair wages and safe conditions to produce swimwear in small batches. By using digital printing processes and repurposing excess fabric creatively we are conserving resources. All of this helps minimize environmental impact. Lime Ricki's sustainable swimwear goal is to help our customers feel stylish while contributing to a positive impact on the planet.
Lime Ricki SPF Swimwear: UV +50 Protection
With Lime Ricki swimsuits, we’ve added an extra detail that makes our material stand out from others. Not only do we use a perfectly-researched blend of nylon and spandex, but our swimsuit materials also offer UV +50 protection! Now, we know what you might be thinking - what does that even mean? How can a swimsuit protect against UV rays? Don’t worry, because we have the answers! Let’s dive deeper into what UV rays are and the science behind UV-treated material.
What is UV-Treated Material?
Sun-resistant fabric is a fabric that has been treated to withstand UV rays, and this is the material we work with when creating our swimsuits. UV-resistant fabric is one of the most important things to look for in swimwear since a swimsuit is the piece of clothing most exposed to sunlight for longer periods. Our novel weave structure, denier, and supreme selection of materials and fabrics allow our swimsuits to be UV-protectant swimwear. Plus, our modest yet fashionable cuts promote fuller coverage for your skin, which is the most susceptible to UV damage.
Why We Chose UV-Treated Material
At Lime Ricki, we committed ourselves to a dream – to create modest, fun, and fashionable swimwear for every woman. To design a product that will give women the confidence to get back into the water again. It’s not just about the swimsuit to us; we care for each of our customers deeply, so we aim to not only provide the best in swimwear but also the best choices in UV-protective materials. That way, our customers can enjoy healthier and happier skin.
Blocking UV radiation is one of the most effective forms of protection against sun damage and cancer, and the process doesn’t have to be difficult. With an ordinary swimsuit, you’re already worrying about so many things – ill-fitting swimwear, accidental slips, wondering how you look, and constantly adjusting your suit. That’s why we chose to offer the ultimate protective fabrics in our suits with 50+ UV protection. So when you're ready to dive back into the beach, lake, or pool life, know that you’re taking care of your skin when you’re rocking a Lime Ricki suit.
Why is UV Protection Important for the Skin?
If you’re outside for long periods of time on a sunny day, but you aren’t wearing sunscreen, it usually results in either a tan or a sunburn. A suntan is a reaction to exposure to harmful UVB rays. When this happens, a pigment called melanin kicks in, acting as your body’s natural defense mechanism. Melanin absorbs UV light and dissipates it as heat. When the body senses sun damage, it will send melanin into the surrounding cells to try and protect your skin from further harm, causing the pigment in the skin to darken.
While melanin is the body's natural sunscreen, continued exposure to UV radiation can overwhelm your body's defenses. When this happens, the reaction becomes toxic, resulting in a sunburn. UV can also damage the DNA in the body's cells. As a response, the body floods the damaged areas with blood to help with healing, resulting in the pain and bright red “lobster” look of a sunburn.
There are other harmful effects of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, too. It’s the leading cause of skin cancer, premature aging, and wrinkling of the skin. UV also plays a role in causing basal cell carcinoma (the most common form of skin cancer), squamous cell carcinoma (the second most common form), and melanoma (the most serious type of skin cancer that develops in the cells that produce melanin). UV protection for your skin is essential to fight against skin damage, wrinkling, premature aging of your skin, and serious illness such as skin cancer.
What Are UV Rays (Ultraviolet)?
Ultraviolet is a type of electromagnetic radiation that mainly comes from the sun. It falls in range between visible light and X-rays.
Almost all the UV light we encounter comes directly from the sun. While ultraviolet radiation is what makes some skin tan and some burn in summer, too much exposure to UV rays is damaging to the living tissue of our skin.
Stay Stylish and Supported with Lime Ricki Suits
There are many factors to consider with each swimsuit we create, but it all starts with choosing the right swimsuit materials. At Lime Ricki, we’re committed to creating high-quality swimwear with comfort as the core concept. That’s why our suits are made with a nylon-spandex blend and feature additional UV protection. With our swimwear, you can stay comfortable and supported while getting back to what truly matters – fun in the sun and water!