SeaQual & Sustainability
SeaQual & Sustainability
Premium fabric. Up-cycled from the sea.
Every pair of Syd & Rex swim trunks starts with a problem worth solving. The Mediterranean Sea - the sea we swim in, the sea our brand was born beside, faces a growing plastic crisis. Our answer is SeaQual: a premium yarn woven from marine plastic recovered from the Mediterranean by fishing communities across Spain, Italy, and Greece.
What Is SeaQual?
SeaQual Initiative is a collaborative community that brings together individuals, organisations, and communities to help clean up our seas. The program works with over 3,000 fishing vessels across the Mediterranean, who recover marine litter during their daily fishing operations. This recovered plastic is sorted, cleaned, and transformed into high-quality recycled polyester yarn - SeaQual yarn.
It's not recycled bottles. It's not post-consumer waste from a factory floor. It's actual marine plastic, pulled from the sea, given a second life as premium fabric.
The Journey: Sea to Swim Trunks
1. Recovery
Fishing vessels across the Mediterranean recover marine plastic during daily operations. Over 3,000 boats participate in the programme.
2. Processing
Recovered plastic is sorted, cleaned, and processed into raw material. Each batch is traceable back to the recovery point.
3. Yarn
The processed material is spun into SeaQual yarn. A premium recycled polyester with the same performance as virgin fabric.
4. Swim Trunks
The yarn is woven into our signature quick-drying, UPF 50+ fabric and crafted into Syd & Rex swim trunks. Designed in Ibiza. Made for the sea.
Why It Matters
The Mediterranean Plastic Problem
The Mediterranean Sea receives an estimated 570,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year, the equivalent to dumping 33,800 plastic bottles into the sea every minute. As a semi-enclosed sea, plastic accumulates rather than dispersing, making it one of the most polluted bodies of water on Earth.
Fishing Communities Leading Change
SeaQual works directly with fishing communities - the people who know the sea best. By integrating marine litter recovery into their daily work, fishermen become active stewards of the waters they depend on. It's a circular model that supports both livelihoods and the environment.
No Greenwashing
We chose SeaQual because it's verifiable. Every batch of yarn can be traced back to the marine litter recovery program. It's not a marketing claim - it's a supply chain reality. We don't use the word "sustainable" lightly, and we don't pretend one pair of swim trunks will save the sea. But it's a start.
Premium Performance
SeaQual yarn isn't a compromise. It delivers the same quick-drying, UV-protective, salt-resistant performance as virgin polyester. Our fabric is UPF 50+ rated, lightweight, and built to last season after season. Doing good and looking good aren't mutually exclusive.
Beyond the Fabric
Our commitment to the sea doesn't stop at the yarn. Every detail of a Syd & Rex product is considered:
- ✓ Recycled cord tips : our signature drawstring finish, made from recycled materials
- ✓ Silicone logo patch : durable, salt-proof, no embroidery waste
- ✓ Minimal packaging : recyclable materials, no single-use plastic
- ✓ Durability by design : built to last multiple seasons, not one summer
- ✓ Designed in Ibiza, Produced in Morocco : close to the sea that inspires us
"We're serious about quality - from our up-cycled SeaQual fabric to our custom cord tips. We're not serious about much else."
Learn more about the SeaQual Initiative at seaqual.org. Syd & Rex is a proud partner of the SeaQual community.