FAQ about our eco friendly swim costumes

Xtra Life Lycra delivers the properties of Lycra, such as the soft feeling and beautiful fit but also gives swimwear a longer life with less fading and without becoming as baggy. Xtra Life Lycra is resistant to chlorine and pool chemicals 5 - 10 times longer than regular Elastane. This makes Xtra Life Lycra an excellent choice as fitness or training swimwear for male and females. But choose a swimsuit with a high Polyester content and less Lycra, for longer life. We sell Xtra Life Lycra swimwear in both www.acquawear.com (Korean Swimwear and Kneesuits) and www.curvybathers.com (Kneesuits) shops. Our Korean made Kneesuits Jkuss and Tornado are extremely popular, because of the outstanding prints, soft and body hugging fabrics and styles with Lycra content 20%, see individual listings.

100% Polyester and PBT swimwear fabrics are by far the most durable and long lasting. Although not as comfortable against the skin as Lycra based fabrics, Polyester/PBT blends are without a doubt the best training swimwear for men and women, due to their incredibly long lifespan. Chlorine proof swimwear has less stretch and thus provides a tighter fit and some people, maybe not as used to regular swim training, might find it constricting and need some time to get used to. The fabrics are less stretchy than Lycra so make sure that you check the size and measurements charts and read the advice of how the suits fit given by the seller, as they most likely have feedback not only from the manufacturer, but also from the customers. Swimsuits made of 100% polyester should retain their colour for at least a year of regular use, but most last much longer and are called chlorine proof for this reason. Chlorine resistant (proof) swimsuits also keep their shape because polyester isn't destroyed by chlorine like nylon or Spandex. Most of the top swimwear brands feature a range of durable PBT or 100% Polyester swimwear, and some brands manufacture exclusively their colourful swimsuits from durable fabrics. All our Delfina custom printed swimwear (except Kneesuits) for women or guys and for clubs are made out of chlorine proof fabrics and are the best choice for maximum swimsuit life and value for money. We stock also Korean brands in small sizes on our Acquawear website (Jkuss, Hoog and TSNine) chlorine proof swimsuits, just look for "T" in the product code and description (Tough, 100% Polyester).

Eco Fabrics - Carvico Xlance Eco For all our Delfina custom made swimwear (for Men and Women) SINCE 2021 (except Kneesuits), we use the Eco fabric Xlance, newly released by the Italian manufacturer Carvico. It is an eco-sustainable fabric designed to promote re-use, recycling and respect for our environment. According to Carvico, the fabric shows extraordinary performance in terms of resistance to chlorine, ensure perfect fit, exceptional comfort and a unique, contemporary and elegant ‘Made in Italy’ style, and they are revolutionizing the worlds of swimwear and sportswear. XLANCE fabrics put together XLANCE unique, high-tech elastomeric fibre and a selection of exceptional and eco-sustainable yarns to meet the requirements of the market and the latest swimwear and sportswear trends, Carvico explains. “Moreover, they are eco-sustainable. Carvico has always operated in the view to safeguarding the environment promoting a more sustainable fashion. XLANCE fabrics stem from a long and thorough research process for fully sustainable raw materials and production processes,” the company says. “XLANCE elastomer is produced without the use of solvents and can be thermoset at lower temperatures compared to fabrics containing standard elastomers thus reducing CO2 emissions and saving relevant amounts of energy.” “XLANCE elastomer is here mixed with several eco-sustainable yarns: ECONYL (used in XLANCE ECO), a 100% regenerated nylon yarn from pre and post-consumer waste materials such as discarded fishing nets, carpet fluff and tulle, and a regenerated polyester yarn from PET bottles (used in XLANCE PLAY).” ​ “XLANCE fabrics ensure a perfect fit and maximum comfort and fits the body like a second skin adapting and shaping its curves and offering athletes support and maximum freedom of movement, Soft and pleasant to the touch, all these fabrics are suitable for printing (sublimation and digital). ”Sport as a lifestyle, wellbeing as a state of mind “XLANCE World by Carvico offers a selection of high-performance fabrics ideal for training and competition swimwear, which can satisfy the needs of every athlete without forgetting about an exclusive 100% made in Italy style and glamour,” the company adds.

Lycra (also known as Spandex or Elastane) is always mixed with another fibre, usually polyamide (known also as nylon) to give it resilience and stretch. A Lycra swimsuit will generally last less than 2-3 months if exposed to chlorine regularly, it will fade and becomes baggy as the chlorine breaks down the fibres. Lycra swimwear is a choice for leisure swimmers and those who seldom visit the pool, swim in open water or take a dip on holiday. The material is soft against the skin, very comfortable and the prices are generally cheaper.

We use the Xlance Eco fabric for all new custom printed Delfina stock and the fabric has a great stretch, so please make sure the suit is not too baggy to start off with. It needs to be nice and tight on your body, to achieve the ideal shape in the water.

It is so easy to come home tired from the pool, lake, river or beach and just stick the swimsuit in the washing machine, together with the towel, and dry it after on a hot radiator or even stick it in the dryer! But please, DON’T DO IT!!! If you want your suit to last, keep its colours and shape, just DON’T DO IT! Remember to never wash your swimming costume with detergents or in a washing machine. Just give it a good rinse straight after exiting the pool and hang the suit to dry away from a source of heat, and this will ensure the longest possible lifespan for your swimsuit, whatever fabric it's made from. We have a lot of personal experiences in using swimwear, and if you think your suit has become a bit grubby with body oils or the algae from river / lake, just hand-wash it a bit more thoroughly in a basin, with some Fairy Liquid or any dish soap and hang it on a banister. Swimsuits that haven't been properly cared for, as per the manufacturer's label / seller's instructions - swimwear that has been machined washed, put in spinners, centrifuges, dryers will void any warranty.

The answer is a definite NO. We don't work with any other companies and our website doesn't let Google or any other companies advertise on it. The only personal data we use is for orders' delivery and replying to your questions. We email up to three newsletters / month, but if you don't want to receive them in the future, please unsubscribe at any time.

We take Credit and Debit Cards through our provider, Stripe. We sometimes add Paypal to the checkout, but as their fees are double and non refundable for returns we prefer the Credit Card payments which are as safe as Paypal. Yes, you can return for a product refund (postage will not be refunded) or exchange. We prefer if you can accept an exchange, especially if your return is after the 14 days. If you are in doubt of what size you need, please ask for more advice. If you change your mind, you have to let us know within 14 days.

The swimwear size on our website is the same as the Lingerie and Swimwear Sizing you use when buying a bra. We have measured some of the swimsuits (each individual style and size) and put them in a table for you to compare the measurements to the swimsuit you currently wear. Please see individual product for its own measurements chart. For all Waterpolo swimsuits, bear in mind that they are lined with the same fabric as the swimsuit, so that would make a difference to the fitting, so please allow an extra size up for the extra thickness. Manufacturer's chart with equivalent sizes also available for our eco friendly swim costumes.

Any past print can be made for you, but the minimum order is five pieces, so if you get together with friends and family, you can place this very small order together. It takes approximately 3 weeks to receive your custom suits. You can see the styles available on the Clubs page, but it is not possible to change or customise any of the features, except add personalisation.

Please read this note for size advice: eg. Someone who is a size 14 and about 1.58m tall fits in a size 34 in swimsuits and size 38 in kneesuits with extra stretch room at the straps, but no extra room on the body. A customer size 14 but tall 5'11" fits in size 44. Ideal suits for narrow and long bodies. When you look at the chart, please make sure you look at the kneesuit measurements in particular, as a size 44 is only 42 cm measured flat across the hips!!! If you received the kneesuit and you try it on, please note that they stretch a lot. It feels stiff, especially as it is fully lined (including the legs), but it does have lots of stretch in it! Please see equivalent sizes for different countries. See below also the Physical Measurements Chart for the Delfina suits. Each style was measured unstretched: full length; across the chest (under arm); across the hips (just above the leg gap). Let us know if you need any other measurements. Also chart available for the Korean brands. Our customer below is a clothing size 18 / 20 in clothing and fits in the kneeskin size 44.

The long lasting fabrics and designer unique prints, you know you're buying a knee length swimsuit you'll enjoy wearing. We are always aiming to give swimmers comfortable swimwear and long lasting kneeskins in exquisite prints. The knee suit’s full lining will give you confidence that your costume won't go see-through! The open back design and wide shoulder straps will offer the swimmer comfort, movement freedom and extra support. The Knee suits are a perfect choice for pool, sea or lake swimming training sessions!

Customers can purchase Delfina bespoke limited edition print kneesuits legsuits swimwear, which are very comfortable to wear and fully lined, including the legs. The Delfina togs are perfect for leisure swimming in the pool, rivers, lakes or sea. If you like ice swimming, open water swimming, sea swimming, then the Delfina costumes are a perfect choice. We also stock Korean made kneesuits which are silky, comfortable and long lasting, but unfortunately the biggest size they are made in is size 36 (Korean size 105). We also stock a few other makes, but again, available only in smaller sizes.

The thermal top is fleecy inside and will keep you warm while swimming, under a wetsuit or just put it on after the swim to warm you up. 100% polyester with a good stretch. Check out our cute Owls and Bluetits prints which match the swimsuits. Please make sure to check the measurements. Measurements are made for the flat, unstretched top and in centimetres. That means, when measured, the front and back are on top of each other so therefore you literally measure half of the top only, across the chest, just under where the sleeves are inserted. It is not a circular measurement. Length is measured from the highest part of the shoulder, just before the neck gap starts. Sleeves are measures from where the printed sleeve is sewn to the black panel. It's very hard to advise the sizing and we think you should go down from your swimsuit size by at least one size, but maybe even two sizes if you are short (eg. size 36 in swimsuits / size 30 in the top fits ok, nice and snuggly on). It is a personal preference how tight you want to wear the top, but if you want to wear it in the water for swimming or under a wetsuit, you should go for a small size. If you want to wear it after a swim, you would maybe be better with a slightly bigger size, but definitely not bigger than your swimsuit. Check out the Measurements Chart on each product page.

We offer you three types of bottoms: unisex shorts, aqua briefs and bikini bottoms. We stock the new Xlance Eco fabric for all the 2021 / 22 custom printed shorts in stock. The fabric has a great stretch, so please make sure the shorts are not too baggy to start off with. They need to be nice and tight on your body, to achieve the ideal shape in the water. The shorts and aqua briefs are front lined only. The Aqua Briefs and bikini separates are made out of 100% polyester, our old fabric but great quality nevertheless, and used for countless kits for aquatic clubs.

Bikinis are popular girls' bathing suits and, at the moment, are in the clearance prices. They are ideal for beach, swimming training suits, bikini sets for bodybuilders, or leisure swimming. We have two types of tops, Tank bikini tops and Bandeau bikini tops to fit the bikini bottoms. Buy our separate Bikini Tops and Bottoms. ​ You can also have the sports bikini tops and bottoms included in your customized team kit. See Clubs page for more information. There are no limits to your designs! Choose any combinations of our anti-fading colours and apply them with your patterns and text to create the perfect design. Min quantities apply​.

- To make you more streamlined when swimming, especially for competitive swimmers. A swimming cap should keep your hair out of your face when swimming and will reduce water drag. - To protect your hair from chlorine damage: Especially if you wet your hair before putting your cap on and go in the pool, the caps will prevent your hair from becoming saturated with the chlorinated water. - Hygiene: People who swim without a cap lose hair in the pool which in turn will clog up the filters. - Warmth: If you swim in open water a swimming hat will help to keep you warm in the cold water. You could also double up the caps.

They are not designed to keep your hair dry! If you read the instructions on our RAS swimming caps, they recommend you wet your hair before putting the cap on! Although some caps will do a good job keeping your hair dry, this is not their scope. If you want to keep your hair dry as much as possible, you can use a silicone cap which gives a tight fit and should keep most of the water out, or wear 2 caps.