Today I wanted to go in depth on what types of fabric to use for sewing swimwear. Our swimwear has to put up with a lot! Sun, sand, salt, chlorine, constant stretching… so we need to use fabric that can handle all that and look good for years to come!

In the video below, I discuss what to look for in a swimwear fabric. And at the end of the video I show you some examples of different fabrics so you can get an idea of what they look like. So for the in depth discussion, check out the video, but I will summarize for you below in case you’re just looking for the quick version!

Video

 

What type of fabric to use for swimwear

  • if it’s marked for swimwear, you should be good to go
  • generally, go for a nylon/spandex blend or a polyester/spandex blend
  • around 10-20% spandex (or lycra or elastane) is your best bet
  • find a fabric with at least 50% stretch – and 4 way stretch is usually best
  • make sure the fabric looks nice when stretched and when wet

Alright! Now you know how to choose the perfect fabric for your swimsuit sewing project! If you want more help getting started with sewing swimwear I’ve created a Quickstart Guide to Sewing Swimwear that will help you start off on the right foot with sewing swimwear!

You can grab the guide HERE . I hope you have lots of fun sewing some swimsuits… and save some money, because buying swimsuits is EXPENSIVE! 🙂