Vitamin A founder Amahlia Stevens was the first designer to use sustainable fabric for swimwear and has created an exclusive six-piece capsule collection for the Water is Everything initiative with a special fabric made from recycled plastic bottles (25% of the purchase price of each style will benefit The 5 Gyres Institute).

“I’ve gained more passion for my work from the decision [to use sustainable fabric]. The idea of environmental conservation is second nature to me and inseparable from my enjoyment of and respect for the ocean,” the California-based designer said. We spoke with her about her company’s eco-mindedness and the special styles.

Everything But Water: Where did your interest in the environment start?

Amahlia Stevens: I grew up in Southern California where our communities have long battled drought. My father introduced the idea of conservation to me early on and it has always been second nature to me. My interest made its way into my career after I worked on a project with Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard. He inspired and educated me on how to find a way to create sustainable fabrics suitable for swimwear.

Everything But Water: How has Vitamin A’s commitment to sustainability changed over the years?

Amahlia Stevens: It’s grown significantly. Producing locally and sustainably is part of our brand DNA, and we’re continuing to support that message with ongoing product innovation and partnering with likeminded brands and charities. What started as a passion project in 2010 – a small capsule of six swim separates called “the Green Bikini” – has evolved into our core fabrications of recycled and eco-friendly fabrics which now compromise approximately 90% of our product range. We’re continually working to reduce our carbon footprint.

Everything But Water: Has it gotten easier to be green when designing and producing?

Amahlia Stevens: The work we’ve done in pioneering the idea of and materials for “green” swimwear has made it easier for the general market to shift toward sustainable, eco-friendly options. The upcycled fabrics I initially found were heavy, scratchy and wouldn’t work for swimwear, so I decided to invest in the trial and error process to develop them myself. It took three years of working with mills in Italy, Canada and here, and I finally succeeded right here in California. I’m proud that we were the first to design and produce a beautiful, high-quality, technical swim fabric made from recycled nylon.

Everything But Water: Are there any tradeoffs, design-wise, when using upcycled fabrics?

Amahlia Stevens: It can sometimes limit the range of colors that can be achieved, but I make that a creative statement. The ground color for the exclusive Water is Everything print is a shade of "natural" rather than optic white, and while this was a technical limitation, it also felt like the right creative direction. There can be inconsistency [in the fabric] since the raw materials are recycled from varying sources, and the cost of upcycled fabrics is higher than conventional materials.