How to Wash Your Wetsuit (The Eco-Friendly Way)
Share
How to Wash Your Wetsuit (The Eco-Friendly Way): Increasing Longevity and Protecting Your Investment
You’ve made the conscious choice to step away from petroleum-based neoprene and invest in a high-quality, sustainable Snawve suit. In an industry dominated by fast fashion and disposable gear, we don't want you replacing your suit every season. We want your gear to be your companion for years of Atlantic swells.
True sustainability isn't just about how a product is made; it’s about how long it stays out of the landfill. Here is the definitive, eco-friendly guide to wetsuit care designed to protect the integrity of your BIO-Foam.
1. The Fresh Water Rinse: Neutralizing the "Salt Knives"
It sounds simple, but it’s the most critical step. Salt is a crystal. When saltwater dries inside your suit, those microscopic crystals harden and act like tiny knives, physically cutting into the recycled polyester fibers and the internal BIO-Foam cells every time you move.
The Routine: Rinse your suit in cold, fresh water after every single session. Don’t just dunk it; ensure the water flushes through the interior and exterior. This prevents the salt from "eating" the suit from the inside out and keeps the material supple.
2. Avoid the "Wetsuit Killers"
Many people treat their wetsuits like gym clothes. This is a fatal mistake for technical gear.
-
The Washing Machine: Never, under any circumstances, put your suit in a machine. The agitation tears at the blind-stitched seams, and the spin cycle can permanently crush the air bubbles in the BIO-Foam that provide your warmth.
-
Standard Detergents: Modern laundry soaps are designed to strip oils. These chemicals will destroy the natural plant-based oils (like rapeseed and soybean oil) used in our BIO-Foam, causing the suit to become stiff, lose its stretch, and eventually crack.
-
The Solution: If your suit starts to develop a "funk," use a specialized, pH-neutral, and biodegradable wetsuit wash. These are designed to kill bacteria without compromising the natural rubber.
3. The Drying Game: Defeating UV Degradation
Direct sunlight is the primary "wetsuit killer." While it might dry your suit faster, UV rays are incredibly destructive to natural rubber. Prolonged exposure causes a process called "dry rot," where the material becomes brittle and loses its memory stretch.
How to Dry Properly:
-
Inside Out First: Always dry the inside first. This protects the outer jersey from UV and ensures the side touching your skin is dry for the next session.
-
In the Shade: Find a cool, well-ventilated spot out of the sun.
-
The "Hanger Method": Never hang a heavy, wet suit by the shoulders. The weight of the water will stretch the neck gasket and shoulders permanently. Instead, use a wide, plastic hanger and drape the suit over the middle bar (like a pair of trousers). This distributes the weight evenly and maintains the suit's shape.
Why It Matters
When you take care of your Snawve suit, you aren't just saving money—you’re honoring the resources that went into it. By doubling the life of your wetsuit through proper care, you effectively halve its environmental footprint.