From plastic bottle to garment

How JUJA's protective swimwear is made

At JUJA Wear, we're committed to fighting a polluted street or ocean. We do this by recycling the well-known PET bottles into protective UV swimwear. It's understandable that you might not think of recycled bottles when looking for a new bikini for your daughter or a swim set for your son. Yet, it has many advantages. We focus on preventing sun damage with our UV clothing and on being environmentally responsible. We are very conscious of the sustainability of the different swim shirts, swimsuits and bikinis, both in terms of the environment and quality. And all that by using not even ten PET bottles per item!

The plastic soup

Let's start at the beginning: the litter. Undoubtedly, a much-discussed topic lately. Because where does all that waste come from? A large part of the beach litter in the Netherlands comes from maritime shipping and fishing. In addition, 30% of it comes from beach tourism, according to the beach waste survey by the Dutch government. One of the reasons why we are asked to take our waste with us after a day at the beach. A small act for a big result.

This is how we do our bit

The UV-resistant items in our collection require an average of nine PET bottles. And believe it or not, these are the soft drink bottles or water bottles that you might throw into special devices or bins every week or month during a visit to the supermarket in exchange for a refund. But think also of packaging for cosmetics, liquid soaps, cleaning products or medicines. Because these PET bottles are also recycled in the process of making UV-resistant children's swimwear. The bottles are collected, returned and then processed by a specialist company into high-strength polyester. Also called PET.

PET

PET is the abbreviation for Poly Ethylene Teraphthalate, also known as a polyester. One which we at JUJA Wear use as a raw material for our protective swimwear. Simply because Poly Ethylene Terephthalate is strong, chemically stable and a good electrical insulator. This ensures that the clothing will last a long time. Besides durability, quality is also high on our list of priorities. Because how nice is it that after one summer, your kids can still enjoy their fine swimsuit for a long time, or you can pass on the UV clothing to siblings? If we may believe the JUJA fans, very nice.

From PET bottle to garment

The PET bottles that are collected and handed in are ground into polyester granules daily. Grains that we at JUJA Wear, after an expert process, turn into UV-resistant swim shirts, swimsuits, bikinis and sun hats that offer children UPF50+ protection. The UV clothing blocks 98% of UV radiation on the covered areas. And we combine this with distinctive designs. In this way, we distinguish ourselves at JUJA in an innovative yet unique way. For example, a UV bathing suit with stars for girls and a UV swimsuit for boys with old timers on it. Not a fan of prints? Then go for a plain blue or pink UV swim shirt or a white and blue UV long sleeve. Enough choice for all children from 0 to 16 years old.

From product to packaging

At JUJA Wear, we don't just think it's important that our items are responsible, but that the whole process is from A to Z. For example, the yarn we use at JUJA Wear is made from organic yarn, the labels are made from recycled paper and the poly bags we ship in are made from recycled plastic. When it comes to transport, we also look at how we can minimize our carbon footprint. That's why, at JUJA Wear, we choose to transport our collection by boat instead of an environmentally harmful plane. This way, we contribute in every possible way to an environmentally friendly planet.

The result

What could be nicer than being a parent and seeing your child running around carefree and protected in a unique design? Maybe the fact that you can experience a carefree day yourself! At JUJA Wear, we want every generation to enjoy the sun responsibly. So, don't forget to return your PET bottles to the supermarket this week? We'll take care of the rest.