How to Choose the Right Fabric for Swimwear: A Beginner’s Guide

Fabric choice matters the most when you’re sewing swimwear. Sure, a cute print is fun, but swim fabric has to do more than just look good. It needs to stretch, recover, support, and survive actual water time. 

Without the right fabric, your handmade swimsuit could turn into a soggy little regret – we’re not doing that!

So here’s what to look for when choosing the right swim fabrics, especially if this is your first handmade swimsuit and you want to sew swimwear with confidence.

What to Look for in a Good Swim Fabric

When you’re choosing fabrics for swimwear, there are a few details worth checking before you commit. These little details make a big difference in how your finished swimsuit fits, moves, and holds up after more than one swim.

Four-Way Stretch

As a golden rule, look for a four-way stretch, especially if you’re making a one-piece swimsuit. This means the fabric stretches both side-to-side and up-and-down, so it can move with your body when you swim, sit, bend, or walk around.

For swimwear, aim for at least 50% stretch with good recovery, so the fabric snaps back into shape instead of stretching out and staying there.

Quick-Drying Fabric

Quick-drying fabric is another big one. Swimwear that holds onto moisture can feel heavy, clingy, and uncomfortable, and no one wants to sit around in a suit that refuses to dry.

Fabrics that shed water well or have moisture-wicking properties help keep things more comfortable, reduce chafing, and make the finished swimsuit more practical for the pool, beach, or even the lake.

Durability

You’ll also want fabric that can handle real swimwear conditions. Sun, salt water and chlorine, as well as sand and rough pool edges can all be tough on fabric. A durable swim fabric should resist fading, sagging, pilling, thinning, and losing its shape after repeated wear and washing. 

Common Swimwear Fabric Types

Now that you know what makes a good swim fabric, let’s talk about the most common fabrics used for DIY swimwear:

Nylon Spandex

You’ve probably heard it from your favourite sewist, but it’s true, nylon spandex is one of the most popular choices for swimwear. This fabric usually has excellent four-way stretch, especially in blends like 80% nylon and 20% spandex, which means it can stretch with your body and recover nicely after wear. 

• Why you’ll love it: It feels soft and smooth against the skin, stretches beautifully, dries quickly, and creates a comfortable fit that moves with your body.

• What to keep in mind: Nylon spandex can be more sensitive to chlorine and long sun exposure than polyester blends. 

Polyester Spandex

Polyester spandex is also another common swimwear fabric type known for being durable, quick-drying, and more resistant to chlorine, UV rays, and fading compared to nylon spandex. The polyester helps the fabric keep its colour and resist damage, while the spandex gives it the stretch and recovery needed for a close, comfortable fit.

• Why you’ll love it: It holds its colour well, and resists chlorine and sun damage better than nylon spandex.

• What to keep in mind: It may not feel quite as silky-soft as nylon spandex, but it makes up for it with durability.

Textured Swim Fabrics

Textured swim fabrics are a fun option when you want your handmade swimsuit to feel a little more special. Instead of a flat, smooth surface, these fabrics have a raised or dimensional texture built into the fabric itself. Some of the most common types are ribbed fabrics, waffled fabrics, and jacquards.

• Why you’ll love it: Textured swim fabrics add interest without needing a bold print.

• What to keep in mind: Texture looks great, but make sure it has good stretch, recovery, comfort, and durability before using it for your swimsuit project.

Don’t Forget the Lining and Support Fabrics

The outer fabric gets most of the attention, but the inside of your swimsuit matters too. Enter the two most essential swimwear fabrics: swim lining and power mesh. 

Swim lining is the inner layer sewn between your main fabric and your skin. It helps with comfort, coverage, hygiene, and opacity, especially when your swimsuit gets wet.

Ideally, you should use swim lining when:

• Your main fabric is light-coloured, white, or thin and may become see-through in water.

• You want extra comfort in areas that sit directly against the skin, like the gusset or front panel.

• Your outer fabric has texture and you want a smoother barrier to help reduce rubbing or chafing.

If you’re making reversible swimwear, you can self-line by using the same swim fabric inside and out. But for extra support, use power mesh in targeted areas like tummy panels, underbust sections, bikini bands, or one-pieces. 

Common Beginner Mistakes When Choosing Swim Fabric

The quality of your swimwear will depend a lot on your fabric, and a few small choices can make a big difference in the final fit. Here are the common beginner mistakes to avoid before sewing your first swimwear, so you can start your project with fewer regrets.

• Choosing fabric by print alone: It’s easy to fall for cute swim prints, but swimwear fabric needs to do more than look good. When choosing your swim fabric, always check the stretch, recovery, weight, opacity, and fibre blend so your swimsuit actually works in water.

• Choosing the wrong fibre blend: Not every stretchy fabric works for swimwear! Avoid cotton, rayon, 100% nylon, or 100% polyester if they don’t have enough stretch and recovery. Look for nylon spandex or polyester spandex blends instead.

• Ignoring the spandex percentage: Too little spandex can lead to sagging, while too much can feel restrictive and harder to sew. A good range is usually around 15% to 25% spandex.

• Picking fabric that’s too thin: Lightweight swim fabric may become see-through when wet and may not offer enough support. For most swimwear projects, aim for around 200 to 250 GSM for better coverage and durability.

• Not checking how much fabric you need: For most swimwear, you’ll typically need about 1 to 2 meters of 60-inch-wide swim fabric. Bikinis usually need less, while one-pieces or fuller-coverage styles need more. If you’re lining the swimsuit, plan for the same amount of swim lining too.

Ready to choose your swim fabric?

If you’re ready to start shopping fabrics for your project, Fabric + Flow’s swim collection is a great place to start! You’ll find a range of swim fabrics, from solids to ribbed and textured fabrics, as well as fabric supports like swim lining, power mesh, and swim notions. 

And if this is your first time sewing, our Swim Kits make the process feel a lot less intimidating. We bring together those easy-to-forget finishing supplies in one place, so you can spend less time second-guessing what you need and more time sewing a swimsuit that looks beautiful, feels comfortable, and holds up beyond one beach day.