The Best Non-Toxic Swimwear of 2026
188 of the 189 swimwear products PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 99.5% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 1 that passes. The highest graded is Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top at 90 out of 100.
Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.
Is swimwear non-toxic?
1 of the 189 swimwear products we graded clear our screen and 188 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on swimwear products in this category are microplastics, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals, undisclosed fragrance. The highest graded here is Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top at 90 out of 100.
Why Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini wins, and what it beats
Every grade on this page is one sum. A category starts from a baseline, each disclosed material or coating adds risk points, and each thing the brand or a third party has published takes them away. Below is that sum for the winner, then for 3 products it beats, so you can see exactly where the 70 points between the top and the bottom of this swimwear ranking come from.
The winner
Made of Nylon/polyester blend with elastane (standard swimwear).
- +30Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
- -10Brand-stated PFAS-free. The brand states this product is PFAS-free. We have not verified the claim.
- -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
10risk points in total, which is a grade of 90
What the grade does not fix. Nothing specific to this product adds risk, so what remains is the category baseline that every product here starts from. See the full breakdown.
What it beats, and why
What puts it behind. No PFAS disclosure, +15 points. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of Cotton/cotton-blend seersucker plaid.
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
- -10Base material not linked to PFAS
35risk points, a grade of 65
What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of Nylon/polyamide with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish.
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +30Category baseline
- -10Brand-stated PFAS-free
55risk points, a grade of 45
What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of Nylon blend with water-repellent coating finish (likely fluorinated).
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
80risk points, a grade of 20
No product on this page was physically tested by us. Every number above comes from published materials, ingredient and coating disclosures, certifications and brand statements, scored on one public rubric. Formulations change without notice, so check the current product listing before buying.
What to watch for in swimwear
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 189 swimwear products in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.
- Microplastics
Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.
Found on 60 of these swimwear products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 103 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Artificial dyes
Synthetic colours added to food, cosmetics and textiles, most of them petroleum derived.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 102 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA
- Formaldehyde
A preservative and resin ingredient that is also released slowly by a group of chemicals used in its place.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 72 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. NCI
- Heavy metals
Metals such as antimony, nickel and chromium migrating from a material into what touches it.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 27 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR
- Undisclosed fragrance
A single word on a label that can stand for dozens of undeclared ingredients, protected as trade secret.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 24 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA
The safest swimwear we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
- 1
Highest grade here
- Nylon/polyester blend with elastane (standard swimwear)
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Elastane (spandex) degradation under heat or chlorine
The swimwear we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 20Bad
- 20Bad
- 20Bad
What we check on swimwear
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The swimwear brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 24 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Aerie, Alo Yoga, Andie, Athleta, Billabong, COS, Gap, Hunza G, Iconisea, J.Crew, Lands' End, Lspace.
The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.
Common questions about PFAS in swimwear
Is swimwear PFAS free?
188 of the 189 swimwear products PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 99.5% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 1 that passes. The highest graded is Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top at 90 out of 100. The lowest graded is Hunza G Coverage Square Neck One-Piece at 20 out of 100.
Is swimwear non-toxic?
1 of the 189 swimwear products we graded clear our screen and 188 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on swimwear products in this category are microplastics, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals, undisclosed fragrance. The highest graded here is Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top at 90 out of 100.
What is the safest swimwear to buy?
On our grades, Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top at 90 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. These are model-based assessments from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and disclosures, not laboratory tests, so treat them as the lowest risk we can evidence rather than a safety guarantee.
Which swimwear grades best for PFAS?
Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top, at 90 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is nylon/polyester blend with elastane (standard swimwear).
Which swimwear should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Hunza G Coverage Square Neck One-Piece at 20, Hunza G Brooke Swimsuit at 20, Nike Women's Shoreline Scoop Neck One Piece Swimsuit at 20. The problem with the first is that elevated PFAS risk from DWR treatment; brand provides no disclosure or commitment.
Which swimwear brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 24 of the brands we scored in this category, including Aerie, Alo Yoga, Andie, Athleta, Billabong, COS. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test swimwear?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
More clothing and outdoor categories we have graded
Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to swimwear.
- Best non-toxic outdoor furniture cushion protectants357 graded
- Best non-toxic tents323 graded
- Best non-toxic ski jackets217 graded
- Best non-toxic ski wax210 graded
- Best non-toxic snow pants15 graded
- Best non-toxic softshell jackets15 graded
- Best non-toxic umbrellas15 graded
- Best non-toxic wetsuits15 graded
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Does a particular brand of swimwear have PFAS?
Brands we grade across the catalogue
Everything we have scored from these brands, not just swimwear.
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