Swimwear Line

5 Swimwear Line Success Stories [2024]

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Updated: July 23rd, 2024

Are you interested in a textile business? If you live near a beach, a potential business idea can be swimwear. People wear swimwear when going for an afternoon of water activities. Therefore, starting a swimwear line can be a great business idea if you live near a beach or a swimming pool. Swimwear shops stock men’s and women’s attire.

In this list, you'll find real-world swimwear line success stories and very profitable examples of starting a swimwear line that makes money.

1. EPIPHANY LA ($480K/year)

Jocelyn Thompson, founder of Epiphany LA, came up with the idea for her business when she was disappointed with the quality and options of padding inserts for swimsuit tops. After ordering several different products online and finding them unsatisfactory, she saw a gap in the market for a properly designed insert that looked natural and provided the desired effect. With a check for $15,000, Thompson was able to start her business and launch her product on Amazon, where it quickly gained traction and success.

How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 0

How I Started A $12K/Month Business Selling Push-Up Padding Inserts

Epiphany LA's founder Jocelyn Thompson created a foam push-up padding insert to combat the market saturation of thick, pointy, and ill-sized padding inserts mostly offered in two sizes only, with her product currently patent-pending and earning around $12,000 a month mainly from Amazon USA, where customer reviews and organic SEO proved to be key.

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2. OceanZen ($300K/year)

The founder's passion for marine life led her to notice the environmental impact of plastic waste and fishing nets during her travels. Through extensive research, she found a sustainable way to dispose of these materials and established a swimwear company that uses fabric made from the waste.

How much money it makes: $300K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 0

Starting A Sustainable Swimwear Label As A Solo Founder

OceanZen is a successful sustainable swimwear brand that has manufactured and sold thousands of bikinis worldwide, after being launched by Steph with only $5000 in her final year at university.

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3. Junk In Your Trunks ($300K/year)

Evan Waldenberg, the founder of Junk in your Trunks, came up with the idea while brainstorming from a list of 300 dumb ideas. Initially a joke, the concept evolved into making swim trunks out of recycled plastic bottles to cater to a different type of guy who cares about both style and sustainability. With a successful Kickstarter campaign and an investment from Barstool Sports, the business is rapidly growing, earning up to $25k/month.

How much money it makes: $300K/year
How much did it cost to start: $9K
How many people on the team: 1

How I Started A $300K Business Selling Swim Trunks Made From Trash

Junk in your Trunks is a sustainable swim trunk brand that uses recycled plastic bottles, reporting up to $25K in monthly revenue and gaining traction with a Barstool Sports partnership.

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4. Amanda Louise Swimwear ($60K/year)

The idea for such a brand came when Ally had ordered a suit online for her bikini competition, but wasn't quite happy with it. This gave her the push to start Amanda Louise for herself and other athleyes.

How much money it makes: $60K/year
How many people on the team: 0

How I Started A Bikini Brand And Landed On Sports Illustrated

AmandaLouise started in 2014 as a fitness competition swimwear brand and has since broken into mainstream luxury swimwear, with the brand being featured in the 2019 Sports Illustrated Swimwear Issue and launching a couture made-to-order collection in collaboration with Gretchen Rossi of Bravo TV’s The Real Housewives of Orange County.

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5. BohoWrapsody ($9.6K/year)

Joseph Panetta, the founder of BohoWrapsody, came up with the idea for his fashion apparel brand after realizing that a lightweight, versatile garment based on his mother's concept could be a perfect beach accessory. He tested the concept on Facebook and found that it was well-received, prompting him to quickly produce the product and launch the business. However, sales have been slow, leading Panetta to reevaluate his marketing strategies.

How much money it makes: $9.6K/year
How many people on the team: 2

Learning How To Build A Brand Through Trial And Error

BohoWrapsody founder Joseph Panetta shares the cautionary tale of how he marketed and launched his DTC fashion brand, including the struggles of slow sales despite heavy investment in Facebook ads and other marketing efforts.

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