There is roughly as much men's swimwear on the market as there are types of swimmers. From long surf shorts that brush the knees to the minimalist Italian-style brief, by way of the in-between trunk that suits more or less everyone. The choice is wide, and the prices even more so.
Note: the reference price used for each brand is that of a single pair of swim shorts, or of the closest model if the brand does not offer any.
Our selection of the best men’s swimwear brands
1. Vilebrequin
Product range: Swim shorts (flagship), short trunks, swim briefs, beachwear
Reference price: ~€220
Composition: Brushed polyamide / polyester, Oeko-Tex® certified, a few models in recycled polyester (MAN line)
Country: French brand (Saint-Tropez), made in Europe (notably Italy and Portugal)
Website: vilebrequin.com
The French beachwear benchmark since 1971. Vilebrequin means Saint-Tropez DNA, tropical prints you would recognise anywhere and a level of finish that partly justifies the bill. The brand has recently developed a few lines in recycled materials. A good direction, then, even if they remain a minority within the overall range.
2. Orlebar Brown
Product range: Swim shorts (short, mid-thigh cut), a few briefs and trunks, polos and resort pieces
Reference price: ~€275
Composition: Technical nylon / polyamide
Country: British brand, made in the United Kingdom and Europe
Website: orlebarbrown.com
Founded in 2007 by Adam Brown, Orlebar Brown practically invented the concept of "tailored" swimwear. Short, well cut, offered in a carefully chosen colour palette, with all-over prints that recall the décor of palace hotels on the Côte d'Azur. The retro James Bond aesthetic is fully embraced, and it works.
A brand with a strong identity and genuinely successful cuts, although recycled materials are not the stated priority and the initial outlay remains substantial for swimwear.
3. BLUEBUCK
Product range: Swim shorts, swim trunks, swim briefs
Reference price: ~€89
Composition: 78% ECONYL® (recycled nylon made from marine waste) + 22% elastane for the swim trunks and swim briefs; 100% recycled SEAQUAL® for the shorts
Country: French brand, made in Portugal (100% renewable energy)
Website: bluebuck.net
Founded in France and made in Portugal, in workshops powered by renewable energy, BLUEBUCK first made a name for itself with underwear in GOTS-certified organic cotton, before extending its eco-responsible approach to a complete swimwear range. This is where the consistency of the approach really makes sense: no recycled material in the shop window and low-end synthetics for the rest. Here, the same standard applies from the first brief to the last pair of swim shorts.
The swim trunks are made from ECONYL®: a regenerated nylon made from abandoned fishing nets and plastic waste recovered from the sea, produced in Italy before being made up in Portugal. The swim shorts use SEAQUAL®, a recycled polyester made from collected marine waste. Both fibres offer the same technical properties as conventional nylon or polyester: quick drying, resistance to chlorine, salt and UV, and lasting shape retention.
Timeless collections, never on sale, with no oversized logos: colours inspired by the sea, clean cuts and full transparency on the production chain. The brand also donates 1% of its turnover to environmental organisations.
4. Rivea
Product range: Mainly swim shorts
Reference price: ~€159
Composition: SEAQUAL® (recycled polyester) + elastane
Country: Swiss brand, handmade in Switzerland
Website: rivea.co
Rivea is a small Swiss brand that has made eco-responsibility its underlying architecture. Each piece is made by hand in Switzerland from SEAQUAL®, the same recycled polyester made from marine waste mentioned above, with careful details right down to the button, made from ocean granules. The look is elegant and minimalist, with a clear coastal anchor.
A remarkable brand for its approach and the care put into each piece. Distribution remains very limited, and the price (most likely linked to handmade Swiss production) is not for every budget.
5. Faherty Brand
Product range: Swim shorts (short, mid-thigh cut), a few boardshort models
Reference price: €130-150
Composition: Recycled polyester
Country: American brand (New York)
Website: fahertybrand.com
Founded in 2013, the brand started directly in the eco-responsible swimwear niche, with a first collection made entirely from recycled polyester from plastic bottles. In terms of looks, you can choose between plain models and fine prints with real graphic quality. A kind of understated luxury that we appreciate.
The brand is a member of 1% for the Planet, which is a concrete long-term commitment. That said, transparency on the production chain is officially “in progress” and this information is not yet available to the general public…
6. Patagonia
Product range: Boardshorts (long, surf cut), a few shorter models
Reference price: €65-130
Composition: 87% post-consumer recycled polyester or 100% recycled NetPlus® nylon made from abandoned fishing nets, depending on the model
Country: American brand (California)
Website: patagonia.com
Patagonia. Again. Always. We are not going to pretend we have just discovered them: it is the world benchmark for eco-responsible outdoor clothing, and its swimwear range is no exception. 94% of its complete line is made from recycled materials, and its boardshorts use either post-consumer recycled polyester or NetPlus®, a regenerated nylon made from abandoned fishing nets and marine plastic waste. The factories are Fair Trade certified and the environmental commitment is hard to dispute.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a short cut and a simple print, the very "kayak hike" functional sobriety of the swimwear range may leave you wanting more.
7. Mackeene
Product range: Short-cut swim shorts
Reference price: ~€250
Composition: Polyamide / nylon
Country: Franco-Belgian brand, made in Europe
Website: mackeene.com
Mackeene is a young Franco-Belgian brand that stands out for silhouettes and prints that really are off the beaten track. Where many brands would recycle (figuratively, this time) the same tropical patterns, Mackeene offers something more unexpected: short cuts and colours with real character. A stylistic UFO in the men's beachwear landscape.
8. Outerknown
Product range: Swim shorts
Reference price: €100-190
Composition: Recycled nylon and polyester
Country: American brand (California)
Website: outerknown.com
Co-founded in 2015 by surfer Kelly Slater and designer John Moore, Outerknown is a good American reference in the eco-responsible beachwear niche. Its flagship material, NetPlus®, is made from abandoned fishing nets (more than 14 million pounds of plastic taken out of the ocean since the programme was launched). The shorts are made in Sri Lanka in Fair Trade certified factories, the production chain is mapped (and made public, hello Faherty), and they have measurable targets for 2030: the effort is there.
The brand is designed above all for technical performance, which is reflected in the price and in a very surf-oriented look: worth bearing in mind if you are mainly looking for well-made swimwear rather than competition gear.
9. Sundek
Product range: Swim shorts (boardshort and short cut), swim briefs
Reference price: ~€108
Composition: Nylon / polyester
Country: Originally a Californian brand, made in Italy
Website: eu.sundek.us
Created in 1958 in California before moving to Italy, Sundek is a historic name in surf and beachwear. The trademark Velcro fastening, the thick nylon that ages well, the intense colours. There is a real brand identity here, built over decades.
A safe bet for anyone looking for authentic surf style at a reasonable price. Eco-responsible materials are not the main selling point. Take it as it is.
10. Quiksilver
Product range: Boardshorts (long, surf cut), a few shorter models
Reference price: ~€30
Composition: Polyester / recycled nylon on some models
Country: Australian brand, made mainly in Asia
Website: quiksilver.ie
It is hard to review the market without mentioning Quiksilver. Born in Australia in 1970, the brand popularised the boardshort as we know it today. Affordable, widely available, often with very elaborate colours: it has been the most present surf brand in shops for 50 years.
Accessibility and reputation are there. The brand is making efforts on some lines, but production in Asia and long boardshorts put it in a rather different category from the rest of this selection.
How to choose men's swimwear?
Before settling for the first swimwear you come across, a few criteria really deserve to be put on the table. It is not an exact science, but it saves you from ending up with something you only wear two days a year.
The cut, first and foremost. This is criterion number one, the one that no recycled fibre or label will make up for. A swim brief, an in-between trunk and long shorts have neither the same use nor the same look depending on your body type. We have already written an article on the subject: Which swimwear for which body type?
The material: what you see on the label really matters. For swimwear, recycled materials such as ECONYL® (regenerated nylon made from fishing nets) and SEAQUAL® (recycled polyester made from marine waste) offer exactly the same technical performance as conventional nylon or polyester: quick drying, resistance to chlorine, salt and UV, and lasting shape retention. The difference is the impact. Swimwear made from ECONYL® saves up to 80% of energy compared with virgin nylon. A fairly measurable argument, then.
Durability: swimwear is not a consumable. Good swimwear, bought once and properly cared for (rinsed in fresh water after each swim, washed at a low temperature, dried in the shade), should last several summers without losing its shape or colour. Beware of very low prices: swimwear at €20 that loses its shape after three trips to the sea actually costs more over time than a €60 model that lasts five years.
Manufacturing: where and how it is produced. European manufacturing guarantees controlled working conditions, a shorter supply chain (fewer transport emissions) and often better traceability of materials. It is not an absolute guarantee of quality, but it is an indicator worth looking at in the same way as the composition.
The brand’s commitment: greenwashing or a genuine approach? A brand that uses a recycled fibre on a single model while producing the rest in conventional synthetics is different from a brand that has built its whole production chain around eco-responsibility. Consistency between stated values and the reality of the products is the real differentiating criterion, sometimes hard to assess at a glance, but decisive in the long term.
Price: neither the lowest nor necessarily the highest. The price of swimwear does not always reflect its intrinsic quality. Some brands charge above all for their name. Others offer a very honest quality/material/manufacturing ratio for €55 to €80. The right setting is the one that matches what you really expect: swimwear you will wear for a long time, in a serious material, made somewhere you would be happy to go and see.
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Good swimwear is first and foremost a cut that suits your body type and how you use it: pool, sea, beach-to-evening. But it is also, more and more, a choice of materials: recycled nylon or polyester, European manufacturing, brands that have thought about their production chain beyond next summer.
On this point, not all the brands in this top list are moving at the same pace or with the same arguments. It is up to you to decide what matters most and what you want to wear under the sun.