Finnish Brand 'Halla Halla' is Turning Plastic into Swimwear

Sustainable bikinis by Halla Halla.
Sustainable bikinis by Halla Halla. | @nicolekayclark
Paula Hotti

Two Finnish women studying fashion design and dreaming of their own swimwear line are now living the dream with Halla Halla, a sustainable and fabulous swimwear brand for active beach lifestyle. The catch?

It took a couple of years to transform Halla Halla from an idea into reality, but when Finland’s first sustainable swimwear line was launched and the reception enthusiastic, there was no turning back for Hanna Chalvet and Salla Valkonen. Now, the two-year-old company has just finished their latest collection Lux – the most exclusive so far – and the future looks bright. “It has been hard work but we have enjoyed every moment of it and have loved the support we have received from Halla huns,” Chalvet and Valkonen sum up.

Halla Halla’s sustainable swimwear inspired by Finland and Bali.

The idea of a sustainable swimwear brand began to transform into reality while the two young designers were travelling and surfing in Asia. Not only was it difficult to find bikinis that pleased the recently graduated fashion designers, but the huge amount of plastic waste in the ocean alarmed them. The welfare of our seas is a global concern – it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans – but for these two women, this was a call to action. And after coming across an Italian fabric made of recycled plastic debris collected from the sea, the path was clear: “We wanted unique sustainable swimwear that fit our active lifestyles, so we decided to launch Halla Halla.”

Halla Halla’s stylish and sustainable swimwear.

Inspired by the beaches and saltwater of Bali and the green trees and clear lakes of Finland, Halla Halla’s two designers take inspiration wherever they ago and turn it into gorgeous swimwear. The plastic maritime waste is collected by volunteers, turned into a fabric in Italy and designed into fabulous swimwear by the two Finns.
Halla Halla’s sustainable swimwear is available online and sells out quickly. The two fashion entrepreneurs continues to work hard on their brand. “The world is full of possibilities for Halla Halla. We are always thinking about what we can do next, what more we can create and what we want for our Halla huns.”

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