In celebration of International Women’s Day in March, Stay Wild, the eco-friendly swimwear and essentials company co-founded by OP Zanna Van Dijk (99-10) and Natalie Glaze, was recognised by the UK government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as one of three female-founded brands leading the way in sustainable business. Further accolades followed in April when the company’s founders were also named in the Forbes 30 under 30 for retail and ecommerce.
The London-based business created in 2019 prides itself on producing timeless pieces with a purpose. Made from sustainable fabrics regenerated from unwanted waste such as plastic fishing nets and wood pulp, the range includes stylish bikinis, one-pieces, underwear essentials and t-shirts.
On being recognised by the Department of BEIS Zanna said: “I am thrilled that our business has been celebrated by the UK government in this way. After pouring so much passion into our brand and never compromising on our ethos along the way, it is incredible to get this sort of recognition.”
“We basically wanted to show people that you can create something which doesn’t have to compromise. You can not only be beautiful and fashionable, but you can also be ethical and sustainable.”
It is evident that sustainability is at the heart of everything the company does. Zanna explained: “We make our pieces in a small, zero-waste factory in London, keeping things local which reduces our carbon footprint and for us it’s thinking about every detail with the planet in mind.”
“We advocate conscious consumption and encourage our customers to buy less but buy better. We aim to make beautifully designed, high quality pieces which are made to last. So, the idea is that instead of shopping for new swimwear every season, you invest in one of our pieces and use it for years to come.”
Stay Wild has also launched a swimwear recycling scheme, the Circularity Project, accepting any brand of worn down and broken swimwear which instead of going to landfill can be recycled and repurposed into eco industrial products such as eco-carpet underlay. For more information about the business, visit the website or social media channels: Instagram and Facebook .