Fair Harbor:
Even if an individual isn’t a board fan, board shorts are ideal for hanging out at the seaside or playing in the pool. Because of their free fit, secure design & soft material, most guys prefer wearing them for swimming rather than the standard swim trunk. Another advantage that board shorts have over regular swim shorts is the safe pockets that many feature. Fair Harbour states are one such manufacturer of boardshorts alongside other swimming wear. It would help to read honest customer reviews of Fair Harbour before considering investing in their products and services.
About Fair Harbour:
Fair Harbor asserts to be a manufacturer of a wide range of stylish designed clothing and swimwear from sustainable materials. The organization maintains to make boardshorts on earth while doing their part to keep the oceans they love clean from plastic waste. They boast that their boardshorts and swim trunks are made utilizing post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, transformed into functional fabric.
History of Fair Harbor Clothing:
Founded by Jake Danehy and his sister Caroline in 2014, Fair Harbor has become synonymous with comfortable yet stylish swimwear. Named because they grew up vacationing in Fair Harbor, New York, the brother and sister duo began the business with a 20k grant they won. While fashion is known as a filthy business, Fair Harbor was born out of caring for the ocean and our waterways. They work to keep oceans clean by recycling plastic bottles and making them into fabric for their suits. Each swim trunk has a different amount of recycled plastic bottles incorporated, and they inform you of the specifics in each category. They also practice what they preach regarding recycling and offer a swimwear recycling program. If you contact them, they will take back any swimsuit you are done with and give you $5 off your next Fair Harbor purchase, up to $25! They donate the used suits to 2ReWear, which uses them for insulation and rugs. While they work to be eco-friendly and sustainable, they also consider the fair trade aspect. Designed and headquartered in NYC, Fair Harbor manufactures its goods in the United States, China, Peru, and Pakistan. Through those partners, they prioritize quality, compliance with worker safety, fair wages, and benefits while furthering their mission to minimize environmental impacts (things like water waste and air emissions). I’m so impressed by them (they have sold over 18M), but I am even more so because they are both under 30!
Pros & Cons:
Before I get into the details of some of their unique products, in this Fair Harbor review, I’ll provide a quick overview of some of the brand’s pros and cons:
Pros-
- Sustainably and ethically made from recycled plastics.
- Free returns in the United States
- More affordable than competing swimwear brands
- International shipping is available.
- You can receive discount codes by recycling old bathing suits.
- 60-day return policy
Cons-
- Customer complaints about the unresponsive customer service team
Products and services of Fair Harbour:
Fair Harbour offers such products as shorts, skirts, corkcicle bottles, keep cups, masks,s and more. They offer free shipping for products over $75. The company sends a newsletter to keep its customers and prospects up-to-date on its assortment of products and services.
Why we like Fair Harbor swimming suits:
- Four-way stretch fabric (suitable for diving at the pool and playing volleyball on the sand!)
- Dries quickly (thanks to Durable Water Repellent)
- BreezeKnit liner (feels like underwear / not uncomfortable mesh and doesn’t cause chaffing. You can buy styles without a liner.)
- Upcycles plastic water bottles to make fabric (each swimsuit is made of almost 90% of these! Fair Harbor has removed over 7M plastic bottles from the ocean and used them for good.)
- Meant to wear from beach to boardwalk (aka not ugly or blatantly a swimsuit)
- Working side pockets and a hidden zipper pocket in the back
- Recycle program (so they don’t wind up in trash or a landfill and continue the upcycle)
Which Swimsuits does Nick have?
The Anchor (lined with 8″ inseam, 88% Recycled plastic bottles made from 12 plastic bottles, 12% spandex) in blue/grey floral with a flat drawstring, and The Bayberry (lined with 7″ inseam, 80% Recycled Polyester made from Eleven plastic bottles, 12% Cotton, 8% Spandex) in red mini floral with a round drawstring.
They also offer these:
- Ozone (lined or unlined with 8″ inseam / has a performance back band for HIIT / FH website exclusive)
- Nautilus Boardshort (unlined with 8″ inseam / for swimming, etc.)
- One Short (lined or unlined with 8″ inseam / not really for swimming / FH website exclusive)
- Sextant Trunk (lined with 6″ inseam / for swimming, etc)
How do they size:
They are available in sizes S – 3XL. Nick wears an XL in other swimsuits and athletic shorts, which fit his size. Note these include more American than European, so if you wear slim swimsuits, you will likely prefer to size down.
How we care for them:
The instructions say to machine wash cold and tumble dry low. We machine wash cold and hang to try, as line drying makes clothing last longer. I also don’t trust my LA community dryers and have ruined many things in them.
Where to Purchase:
You can purchase from the Fair Harbor website; however, I prefer Nordstrom since it has free shipping. Fair Harbor does offer free shipping if you spend over $75, which is at least two swimsuits. The Fair Harbor website has a more comprehensive selection and is less likely to be sold out, so there is a pro to ordering directly from them. Both vendors offer free returns.
Are Fair Harbor swimsuits worth the money:
In our opinion, 100% yes! I don’t have a negative thing to say about them. Because I saw them on an Instagram ad and then a Facebook ad, I did go and read the comments. The only bad thing people had to say about them was the price. Ringing in at $68, I could see how that is a higher price than many people want to spend. I am very pro-sustainability, ethically conscious, and aware that those two features often come with a higher price tag… one that I am willing to pay. It’s a little different for our situation since Nick wears one at least once weekly, but I’d still point out that the quality is there. Not only are these the most excellent swimsuits Nick owns, but they are also his favorite, AND they hold up. He wears his clothing pretty hard, so to say I am impressed is an understatement. You can also consider this two-in-one as they are versatile and can be worn for any athletic activity. Three-in-one, perhaps, since they are also cute enough to be worn on the street! I think they are reasonably priced, and we will buy more.
Overall, we cannot recommend them enough. We will get a Fair Harbor one once the baby boy arrives and is big enough to wear a swimsuit. They have a kid’s product line and other men’s options. Think pants and tees. We have not tried any of those but are open to them since we love the swim shorts. Such a great brand to support and purchase from!
Read also: Halara Clothing Reviews.
