Having a love for wild swimming often means you love being in and around nature; immersing yourself in all that Mother Nature has to offer. This draw to swimming in wild places means we have a responsibility to preserve our wild swimming spots and the nature, habitats and wildlife that live there.
We know there is always more we can do and part of our journey in life, and as a business, is to always strive to do better. It is our duty to educate others and in turn learn how else we can protect our Planet.
Here at The Wild Swim Store we have listed 5 Ways to be a more eco Wild Swimmer, we would love to hear any other suggestions to add to the list so please reach out either here or on Instagram or Facebook.
1. Use cotton towels instead of microfiber towels
Cotton towels are a great alternative to microfiber towels, that shed tiny micro plastics in the washing machine which can then make their way back into our oceans and streams where fish and other marine species end up ingesting them.
Here at The Wild Swim Store we stock quick drying, 100% cotton hammam towels in a variety of styles and colours. Perfect for drying off after a dip at your favourite wild swimming spot, they are lightweight, quick drying and pack down small.
View the collection here.
2. Do a litter clean up at your swim spots
After you have had your swim in the sea, tidal pool, lake, river or whichever wild swim spot you like to dip in, a great way to warm up post swim is to carry out a litter clean up. You will not only be helping yourself to warm up but also doing your bit to keep the area free of rubbish and discarded waste which could end up back in our waters. 
Surfers Against Sewage have launched The Million Mile Clean where they are asking people to join in and help to clean a million miles of coastline, rivers, streets and mountains. Created in direct response to the pandemic, the Million Mile Clean will reconnect people with the ocean and their natural surroundings, whilst also restoring wellbeing as the UK emerges from winter and the recent lockdowns.⠀To find out more head to their website here.
Be sure to tag us in any photos of you carrying out clean ups on Instagram.
3. Say no to single use - use a reusable coffee cup and bottle
There is nothing quite like a hot drink to warm you up post swim, we love to have a hot chocolate with some ground ginger in it for an extra kick. 
These days most coffee shops and cafes accept reusable coffee cups and a lot of places also allow you to fill up your water bottle for free. City to Sea have the handy Refill App which allows you to see what local cafes will fill up your water bottle for free.
At The Wild Swim Store we stock reusable insulated cups and bottles by Smidge, they keep your drinks hot or cold for up to 12 hours.
4. Opt for swimwear made from recycled materials
In the past swimwear has been made from man made fibres, but now brands are opting to use different materials that are made from not only recycled materials, but discarded ocean waste and fishing nets. We stock swimwear that is made from ECONYL®, with the use of recycled nylon from ghost fishing and other discarded waste.
‘Ghost nets’ amount to over 600,000 tonnes of lost gear every year. The main hazard is to marine life – from invertebrates to large marine mammals. They continue to 'fish' long after they have been abandoned, and account for countless lives lost. The netting, which is very slow to degrade, scrubs coral creating a desolate seascape as it is dragged over the reef by shifting currents.
Now, all over the world, dive teams are removing these ghost nets from the wrecks and reefs, often at great depths, and bringing them up to the surface where they can be recycled and spun into nylon yarn.
Check out the swimwear collection here.
5. Choose silicone swim hats
Swim hats can be made from either silicone, latex or lycra. Silicone swim hats are made from silica, an Earth element that is found in sand and it can be recycled whilst other swim hats made from latex or lycra cannot be recycled.
The Wild Swim Store swim hats are made from silicone and although most local waste collection services don't usually accept silicone for recycling, the wonderful team over at Cool Bathing are up-cycling and re-cycling old swim hats in some creative ways. You can send your old swim hats to them over at: 2 Reservoir Cottages, Grantley, North Yorks, HG4 3PN.
Grab your swim hat from The Wild Swim Store here.
