Why I designed our Scoop swim costume with my sister, and why the cleanest fabrics matter most to the people who have been through the most.
Earthcove started in my garden.
Every hot day, my kids would pull on their swimwear to run through the sprinkler. And every hot day I'd look at them and wish they weren’t wrapped in plastic fabrics - all summer long.
As the founder of a plastic free kids' brand, you can imagine that it really didn’t sit well with me. After searching the internet for natural fabric swimwear, and not finding any, I took matters into my own hands and started designing organic cotton swimwear for my children.
That little bugbear has now grown into the world’s first organic swimwear range for the whole family. This October it includes something very close to my heart. Our Scoop swim costume is a post mastectomy swimming costume made from GOTS certified organic cotton, with discreet pockets that hold a swim prosthesis securely in place. I designed this costume for, and with, my sister. She tested every sample. And it's made for women of every age, from their teens to their seventies.
From the garden to the whole family
A year after the kids' range launched, the parents started asking. "Please make these for grown ups!"
Lots of you wanted the same organic swimwear for yourselves that your children were splashing about in. So we added a small adult range in 2025 and Earthcove became a family swimwear brand, with organic cotton swimwear for kids and grown ups alike.
The question from my sister that changed our range
About 20 years ago, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Alongside her medical treatment, she did what so many of us do when life turns upside down. She researched. She read everything she could find about what might have contributed to her cancer, and how she could support her body as it healed.
A lot of what she found pointed to environmental toxins. Research linking certain everyday chemicals with cancer risk, and the case for reducing our exposure where we can.
So when I was telling her about the swimwear, she asked me something I didn't have the right answer to. "Do you do anything for people who have had a mastectomy?"
I had to tell her we didn't. Not yet anyway.
Then she said something that stayed with me. It's often the people who have been through a cancer scare who look hardest for the cleanest fabrics. They want organic, natural fibres against their skin. Not plastic swimwear and the chemical finishes that can come with it.
She was right. And so I set about designing something for her, and for anyone else who’d been through a mastectomy surgery and wanted better options.
Why organic swimwear matters after breast cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK. 1 in 7 women will develop it in their lifetime, and a woman is diagnosed every 9 minutes. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is why I wanted to share this story now.
The science on chemicals is still developing. In 2024, researchers at Silent Spring Institute identified 921 chemicals that could potentially increase breast cancer risk, many of them found in everyday consumer products.
Most swimwear is made from synthetic fibres such as nylon, polyester and elastane, with chemicals like BPA, phthalates and PFAS added in production to enhance the fabric’s performance.. Earthcove wanted to change that and create safer options. Our swimwear is 98% GOTS certified organic cotton, with just 2% Lycra for stretch and shape. GOTS restricts harmful chemicals at every stage of production, from the field to the finished costume, so this accreditation was really important for us to show that our end products were as clean as they could be. Our fabric is free from PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde, BPA and azo dyes. And it's rated UPF 50+, so it protects skin from the sun too.
If you've been through breast cancer, or you're supporting someone who has, you'll know there's already so much to think about. Appointments, emotions, exhaustion, recovery. A body that might feel unfamiliar for a while, especially in summer clothes. Swimwear shouldn't be one more worry.
Designing a mastectomy swimming costume that fits beautifully
My sister became my fit model, my tester and my most important critic (in the nicest possible way!). She tried on every single sample.
Her feedback was focused around the prosthesis. The pockets had to hold the inserts securely, so nothing shifted when she swam, bent down or climbed out of the pool. They also had to be discreet, so no one would ever know they were there. And the whole costume needed to feel comfortable and fill her with confidence.
We went through quite a few rounds of sampling (and lots of back and forth!) before we got it right.
I didn't want a costume that only worked for one age group. Breast cancer can affect women at any stage of life. So the Scoop needed to feel as good on someone in their teens or twenties as it does on someone in her sixties or seventies.
Here's what we landed on. Discreet internal pockets that hold a swim prosthesis securely. A flattering scoop neckline with adjustable shoulder straps, a secure band under the breasts to add shape and definition, and medium coverage across the bottom to flatter but not expose. Soft organic cotton next to the skin. UPF 50+ sun protection. And a shape designed to suit women of all ages with three colours to choose between (her request was pink!)..
How can I choose the right post mastectomy swimwear?
Whether you're shopping for yourself or for someone you love, a few small things can make a big difference.
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Ask about a swim prosthesis. Many women use a lighter prosthesis made for the water. Your breast care nurse can talk you through the options.
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Check the pocket fit. Pop your prosthesis in at home and do a few test stretches and bends before your first swim.
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Think about what's against your skin. Skin can feel more sensitive after surgery and treatment. Natural fibres like organic cotton feel soft and breathable.
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Look for real certification. Words like "eco" and "natural" aren't regulated. GOTS certification is independently checked, from fibre to finished product.
Every small change adds up
If choosing a swimming costume made from plants rather than plastics feels like one small, kind thing you can do for yourself, I'd love the Scoop to be it. And if someone you love has been through breast cancer, maybe share this with them.
To my sister, thank you. For the question, the honesty and all those try ons. This one is for you.
Emma x
Find out more about our organic mastectomy swimming costume or explore our women's organic swimwear.
Your questions answered
What is a mastectomy swimming costume?
A mastectomy swimming costume is designed for women who have had breast surgery. It has internal pockets that hold a breast prosthesis securely and discreetly, so you can swim with confidence.
Is the Earthcove Scoop costume organic?
Yes. The Scoop is made from 98% organic cotton with 2% Lycra for stretch - the swimming costume is GOTS certified. It's free from PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde, BPA and azo dyes, and rated UPF 50+.
Does organic cotton swimwear contain any plastic?
Our swimwear contains 2% Lycra so it keeps its shape in the water. The other 98% is organic cotton, a plant fibre. Most conventional swimwear is made almost entirely from synthetic fibres like nylon and polyester. All our end products are GOTS certified to ensure they don’t contain any nasty chemicals in the final pieces.
Can I wear my breast prosthesis in the Scoop?
Yes. The Scoop has discreet pockets designed to hold a swim prosthesis securely. It can also be worn without a prosthesis so if you just like the style you can choose this too - with the option to add your own pads for a bit of a boost if you’d like. Or can be worn with a prosthesis in just one side if you’vve had a single mastectomy. Your breast care nurse can advise on the best prosthesis for swimming - we don’t provide these.
Who is the Scoop swim costume for?
Women of all ages who like the design, whether they’ve had a mastectomy or not, from teens to their seventies. It was designed and tested with a breast cancer survivor in her sixties. It’s also perfect for anyone who hasn’t had a mastectomy who is looking for a costume which has pockets for added pads.
About the author
Emma Bianco is the founder of Earthcove and Pure Earth Collection, and a parent of three children. Earthcove makes the world's first organic cotton swim range for the whole family, GOTS certified and UPF 50+, for kids, adults and babies.
Sources
Breast Cancer Now (2025). Breast cancer in the UK 2025: key statistics. breastcancernow.org
Kay JE, Brody JG, Schwarzman M, Rudel RA (2024). Application of the key characteristics framework to identify potential breast carcinogens. Environmental Health Perspectives. Summary: publichealth.berkeley.edu
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). global-standard.org
