Tag: chlorine-resistant swimwear

Research shows that Australians are continuing to pile on the kilos, but it doesn’t appear that clothing manufacturers are keeping up with the growth.
Four years ago, when the Australian version of “The Biggest Loser” first aired, the contestants stepped onto the scales in crop tops and shorts.The organisers faced a challenge of their own – trying to find plus size swimwear and activewear for the contestants – until an internet search led them to Viva Swimwear in Perth.  
Viva Swimwear was the only manufacturer who made swimwear in larger sizes – 32 and over – and who could custom-make the swimwear and the activewear to their specifications.And for the past four years of “The Biggest Loser:, Viva Swimwear has provided plus size contestants with fashionable and functional swimwear and activewear.
Founder and owner of Viva Swimwear, Julie Wiggins, is modest about the endorsement, saying her company’s philosophy is to provide women of all shapes and sizes with swimwear that is comfortable, supportive and long-lasting.”Confidence is a key aspect of swimwear, so it is important that the garment not only looks good but makes the wearer feel good,” she said. 
Viva Swimwear manufactures the majority of its products locally using imported fabric, which allowed quick turnaround time for the specially-designed range for “The Biggest Loser”.As quickly as the contestants lost the weight, we had our own challenge to face in quickly producing new garments to fit them!,” Julie said.
Viva Swimwear isn’t limited to plus size swimwear, but offers a wide range for men, women and children of any size and shape.The range includes chlorine-resistant swimwear as well as a kids and babies range of swimsuits, swim nappies, rash tops, shorts and tankinis. 
Julie has sewn up the niche market for plus size swimwear, selling online via her website across Australia and through her two retail outlets in Perth.There has been a growing demand for plus size swimwear according to Julie, which in line with figures that show that Australians are gaining weight.  
In 1980, a study showed that 25% of the population was overweight, compared to the 60% – or seven million – adult Australians (aged 25 years and older) as shown by the 1999-2000 Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study.  Another recent conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a sample of 22 000 people for the 2007-2008 National Health Survey revealed that 62% of the population was either overweight or obese.But is the clothing trade keeping abreast of these changes ?
People of all sizes want equal treated, believes Julie. “Many suppliers and manufacturers have a separate plus size section – we don’t.We don’t want to draw distinctions between sizes.We stock our full range of swimwear in sizes up to 32, and we are able to custom-make our standard range in larger sizes if necessary.We cater for all shapes and sizes – from plus size swimwear, to crop tops and racers, cover-ups and rash tops, baby swimnappies to tankinis.Whilst we support the Biggest Loser – with us, everybody wins !”