Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top vs Women's Sunny Tide One-Piece Swimsuit: which is safer?
Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top is the clear pick. Patagonia Women's Sunny Tide One-Piece Swimsuit carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Patagonia
Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleElastane (spandex) degradation under heat or chlorine
Patagonia
Women's Sunny Tide One-Piece Swimsuit
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating treatment chemistry (undisclosed)
PossibleMicroplastics shedding
LikelyChlorine and UV degradation of elastic
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Elastane (spandex) degradation under heat or chlorine on the Patagonia and not on the Patagonia.
- We flag DWR treatment chemistry (undisclosed), Microplastics shedding and Chlorine and UV degradation of elastic on the Patagonia and not on the Patagonia.
- The Patagonia is Nylon/polyester blend with elastane (standard swimwear) where the Patagonia is Nylon/polyester blend with DWR treatment, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Patagonia is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Patagonia grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
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