In celebration of PADI Women’s Dive Day, we talked to a selection of inspiring female-founded dive businesses that are leading the way with sustainable dive gear for women and innovative ocean conservation initiatives.

Every woman should have the opportunity to feel and look fantastic when scuba diving, and these founders are showing us how it’s done.

Batoko

“I've lived by the sea all my life. I don't realize how ingrained this is in me, until I go inland and feel a little trapped,” said Melanie, co-founder of Batoko, a UK sustainable swimwear brand.

Volunteering with a local beach clean-up group in 2017, Melanie was shocked by the scale of plastic pollution and turned her passion into action.

Already creating swimsuits from virgin plastic, she switched to swimsuits made from 100% recycled plastics and hasn’t looked back.

“There is nothing like a seemingly endless tide of plastic to wake you up…I decided to look at waste as a resource and turn the problem into a possibility for change”.

As well as having recycled the equivalent weight of 300,000 plastic bottles into swimwear so far, Batoko has a vegan supply chain, renewable energy workplace and offsets their carbon.

Featuring bold orca and shark designs amongst others, Batoko swimsuits are super-soft, flattering and fun.

Gemma Lee

Disappointed by the lack of wetsuits on the market for ethical and eco-conscious consumers – especially women – Gemma Cornish put her fashion degree and ocean obsession to good use when she created surf label Gemma Lee.

Her ethical and eco-conscious New Zealand brand offers vibrant swimwear and wetsuits that are unsurprisingly popular with divers, thanks to their eye-catching designs, durability and eco-credentials.

Crafted from limestone-based neoprene and recycled PET bottles, Gemma’s wetsuits are less environmentally damaging than traditional neoprene. No hazardous chemicals are used during the dying process and there is zero water wastage.

“I built my brand's values upon caring for people and the planet, with ethics and eco-conscious processes at the forefront. As my business grows, I want to educate, challenge and inspire other ocean goers to have these values,” commented Gemma, reflecting on her vision for the future.

Having launched a sell-out range of full-length wetsuits in June 2020, she is already busy crafting her next wetsuit collection.

Ocean Mimic

Ocean Mimic co-founders Emma and Chelsea didn’t let their lack of experience stop them from creating a sustainable dive brand for women, which evolved into an inspiring conservation movement.

Watching trash wash up on Malaysian beaches, Emma and Chelsea decided something needed to change. “I had no experience in manufacturing, marketing, sales, design and neither did Chelsea. We were simply fueled by our passion for the ocean," confirmed Emma.

They created eco-conscious swimwear brand Ocean Mimic, which features colorful bodysuits made from recycled plastics. Inspired by the creatures they aim to protect, they are available in various designs and are ideal for dive travel.

Encouraging us all to make a difference, Emma leads the way with beach clean-up events, by educating local children and by running online awareness campaigns.

“The most important thing is empowering people to believe they have the ability to change the world with their small actions. If everyone believed that, we would live in a different world. That’s why our slogan is It all starts with you”.

Shapes in the Sand

Studying fashion design and production in Australia, Alex realized the fashion industry can be a big polluter. Wanting to help restore the environment and represent the diversity of women, she founded Shapes in the Sand.

Alex’s range of on-trend swimwear and rash vests made from EVO® are a top choice for divers. EVO® is a totally renewable resource requiring little water, has no food chain impacts, and is quick-drying for post-dive warmth.

When it comes to sustainability, attention to detail is high on Alex’s list. “My vision will always be for Shapes in the Sand to be operating on the smallest footprint possible. It’s little things too that are all part of the bigger picture.”

Fabric remnants from swimwear production are turned into accessories and all packaging is recycled and sustainably-sourced – even the swimwear care labels. But Alex’s work doesn’t stop there.

Partnering with a variety of ocean conservation initiatives, she ensures Shapes in the Sand sales support beach clean-up events, shark conservation projects and more.

Waterlust

Run by a family team of four, including three women, Waterlust is a popular dive clothing brand known especially for its shark-themed leggings and crop tops.

Fueled by a passion for science and conservation, the Waterlust team designs clothing that highlights different threatened species and ecosystems, plus the research underway to protect them.

“We see the environmental crisis as the challenge of our generation. To address it, we need to bring science into the lives of the general public in impactful ways. If we can do that, we’re confident that brighter days are ahead for our natural systems and for the people that rely on them,” said Patrick.

The Waterlust team won’t let the pandemic stop them and are working hard to produce reusable cloth face masks; donating as many as they can to people who need them.

At a time when it would be understandable to focus on their own business, Waterlust is instead showing us all how to show up and make a difference for each other.

Kathryn is a travel writer, comms & content manager for the dive industry and an avid shark conservationist based in New Zealand. Keep up with her adventures on Instagram and Twitter.