Many of you may know eit swim as a “sustainable swimwear brand.” Over the past few years, though, we’ve found ourselves reflecting deeply on what it truly means to be eco-friendly, what really benefits the planet, and what sustainability really is.

We haven’t shared much about ourselves before, but here’s a glimpse of who we are. eit swim was founded by two surfers—a designer with a background in apparel and vintage shops, and a visual director with experience as a fashion and beach editor. The two met at a vintage shop in Tokyo.

Determined to make our production process transparent, we began our search from scratch and found a venerable factory that has been crafting women’s underwear and sportswear since the post-war era.