About us
Flipflop and Treacle was established in 2009 by founder Jessica Tarr ( that's me ) on the sleepy dive island of Koh Tao, on the East coast of Thailand. With no swimwear brands or stores on the island at that time, I started by opening a little shop on the beach road and designing a collection of classic swimwear.
♥︎ Our Bali store ♥︎
The idea behind Flipflop and Treacle was to make a collection of timeless, classic bikinis and board shorts, in long lasting fabrics and some relaxed beach clothing. Sustainability has always been really important to us, and although ethical production and sourcing was always a non compromisable , and we have always produced locally, supporting tailors in our own country.... we didn't cross over to using only recycled and natural fabrics until 2018, when they became more available globally. The impact that the fashion industry has on the environment has always been at the forefront of our minds, but it has taken time to be able to do everything to the level we do now....without sounding too cheesy, it's been a journey! Our initial focuses were on quality swimwear that fit perfectly and that was resilient....as we design for scuba divers, surfers, open water swimmers, we needed to produce pieces that were anti-snag and held their shape over time. A truly sustainable piece is one that lasts for years and years.
We now only stock our swimwear collection in black and nude, hoping that we can be a part of your minimalist wardrobe. By making these simple classic pieces in two colours we are not contributing to landfill, and discarding old stock. From any cut off fabrics we make scrunchies and other small items, using every last inch of fabric to avoid waste. We stock the complete range of sizes from XS-XL
A little bit about me
♥︎ Me and Little Miss Wild ♥︎
I moved to Koh Tao in 2001 where I worked as a diving Instructor for 15 years and developed an obsession for all water sports and a passion for marine life, especially sharks! Now 4 years based in Bali and with a healthy addiction to surfing, I've seen the sad impact that single use plastic has had on the ocean and after thousands of dives over the last 20 years, I've seen the crazy amounts of damage that the reef and marine life has endured globally. With my brand now, I'm trying to grow awareness and am committed to protecting our coral reefs and marine life worldwide through donating 20,000 rupiah from the sale of every piece of swimwear sold to underwater conservation. Read more about that here
I'm avidly invested in keeping as Eco as possible, conducting beach clean ups and take huge measures in my personal life to be as eco friendly as possible, living a plant based diet, eating food grown locally, recycling and minimising use of single use plastic and rubbish.
OUR COLLECTIONS
Flipflop and Treacle’s collections are a range of one piece dive/surf skins, bikinis and rash vests in a premier swimwear recycled fabrics that are made with ECONYL® regenerated yarn from pre and post-consumer waste such as fishing nets and other nylon waste and fabrics made with plastic bottles that have been collected from the world’s oceans. We also make a curated selection of men's boardies from a local recycled microfibre, also made from plastic bottles.
Our flagship store is in Bali, in Canggu (Batu Bolong) where in 2022 we started making custom bikinis for customers, eliminating waste and dead stock , and delivering to our customers exactly what they want.
Where we started
Born in the tropics, designing for people who live and work in their swimwear.
We wanted to create swimwear as essential and loved as your favourite pair of denim cut offs! We started by going back to basics, designing that perfect little black bikini, simplicity at it’s best! This has developed into where we are now, where we have 26 women's swimwear designs that you can customise, 3 staple men's board-short cuts in quad stretch recycled microfibre, and an extensive organic, plant-dyed underwear and clothing line, and we have just launched our first line of surf boards. Our sister company Callakaii (which we also sell in our boutique), has just launched their recycled silver, and recycled silver plated with 24 carat gold jewellery range of sea goddess pendants and simple hoop earrings.
Who we design for
water sports addicts / travellers / explorers and anyone who wants to shop responsibly and ethically. We also design for small water sports companies, dive schools and sustainable brands who require a bespoke branded collection that is aware of it's impact on the planet. We are designing for people who want quality products from recycled/ organic fabrics that are sustainably sourced and produced using ethical practises.
Our cuts
Our swimwear focuses on perfectly cut great basics, classic swimwear with a tailored feel and fitness edge. Over the last 14 years we have perfected and perfected our designs, changing details by the millimetre to achieve what you see today. Our clothing and underwear line focuses on comfort and versatility.
Our colours
We stock all our swimwear designs in black and nude in store, ready to grab in all of our sizes. We also have a selection on 30+ recycled and regenerated fabrics in colours that we love and patterns we design.....inspired mostly by the nature we explore around us. Our clothing and intimates line is all plant-dyed, so our palette is either the natural colour of the fabric or soft earthy/floral tones.
Our quality
Our designs have been tested for stretch, hold, comfort and support.
We produce our bikinis using recycled fabrics made with REPREVE or made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon, and our clothing fabric from certified organic brands. We produce locally with our friends in Bali.
Our production
Designed on the island of Bali, and tested in our tropical waters…….our factory is actually a private house, a family run business of local tailors, read more about that here
Our inspiration
♥︎ Tropical living
♥︎ Simplicity and minimalism
♥︎ Exploring / travelling / freedom
♥︎ practical cuts for Fitness & Water sports
♥︎ Scandi influence
♥︎ “it’s most important to look your best when you are wearing the least”
Why are we different?
We focus on the classics, designs that will never age or go out of fashion. We produce pieces that can be paired with anything and will be a staple in your wardrobe that you can use time after time for years. We have customers who are still wearing pieces from our first season that was made 14 years ago.
Our bikinis are sold in separates so you can mix designs and sizes.
We care about the environment, and want to restore and protect our planet, we do this by giving back .
