We had a conversation with Kathleen Sheppard, the founder of Tiller Swim, to bring you all of the insider information behind this phenomenal (and refreshingly ethical!) new swimwear brand. Their latest collection drops on July 1st, and we have all of the details here!

Photo: Tiller Swimwear

Can you tell us what you did before starting Tiller Swim?

I launched Tiller Swim in 2019, a year after graduating from Babson College where I studied Business Management with concentrations in Entrepreneurship and Marketing. After graduation, I began working in digital marketing for an ad agency in Boston, while simultaneously beginning the process of launching Tiller.

When did you start designing swimwear?

I began toying around with designing swimwear during my Junior year at Babson, more for fun than anything else. At that point, I was in the very early stages of researching to start an apparel/swimwear brand, so it was more about getting my footing and understanding what products I wanted to create. I started to sketch designs and create mood boards for fabric inspiration which ultimately led to creating line sheets and patterns in Illustrator. As a business student, I am not specifically trained in swimwear design, so it’s something that was fully self-taught!

What was the inspiration behind Tiller Swim’s creation?

Growing up by the ocean and sailing competitively from a young age, I’ve always had a connection with the water. Not only that, but it was basically my home away from home, and swimsuits were worn more frequently than regular clothing! Initially, I wanted to start the brand because I personally was unable to find cute, comfortable, durable, and long lasting swimsuits that didn’t absolutely break the bank - nothing checked all of the boxes for me. As I got deeper and deeper into the process of launching the brand, I realized how harmful so much of the fashion/apparel industry is and knew that I needed to be a part of making a change and shifting the norms altogether.

How have your previous experiences shaped the brand and what makes Tiller Swim unique?

The most unique part of Tiller is that it bridges the gap between quality, longevity, sustainability, fair pricing, ethical practices, and actually good-looking products for the everyday gal. In my experience, with every brand there is a “but” for one of the above boxes to check. With Tiller you don’t need to choose, and this largely shapes the brand’s identity. The pieces are sporty yet feminine, durable yet comfortable, and classic yet unique.

Photo: Tiller Swimwear

The root of the brand is different from the vast majority of swimwear brands because we focus on putting people and the planet at the forefront over growth and “trends”. From a customer standpoint, Tiller’s pricing is affordable, and I hope in this next line to be more transparent so people know exactly where their money is going. From a supply chain perspective, we will prioritize the treatment of every person involved over margins, profit, or meeting deadlines. For the planet, keeping the brand as “slow fashion” truly is at the forefront and is far more important than growing quickly and becoming a trend.

What’s been the hardest thing about starting your own company?

The hardest part has definitely been finding people in similar shoes and being able to seek guidance from others. Every single business owner or entrepreneur has their own unique experience, and while this has been one of the joys of starting Tiller, it has also been a challenge. All advice must be taken with a grain of salt because everyone’s successes and failures come from a whole storm of different factors. No two journeys can be the same, and it is a learning experience each and every day!

Can you tell us a little bit about your manufacturing process?

We currently produce all of our swimwear in Bali with a manufacturer that supports sustainable and ethical production. All Tiller suits in the first collection and the next collection launching July 1st are made with a fabric using 78% Econyl thread, which is completely regenerated from nylon waste, such as abandoned fishing nets and post-consumer product disposed of. Our manufacturer prioritizes treatment of all employees at every step of the process. All employees are paid above wage standards and are given top of the line equipment and work stations. Additionally, employees are offered an abundance of workshops and resources in order to learn more about the sustainable fashion industry and are encouraged to utilize these tools for career development and personal fulfillment. We know exactly who made your swimsuit and how they were treated, and it is one of our main priorities to not only uphold these standards, but to support initiatives that continue to exceed and promote personal and career development. All of our swimsuits in the first line and a portion of the second line are reversible (one side solid, one side printed) so that you are able to wear one piece multiple different ways, increasing the usability and ultimately the longevity of each item. In this new line, the pieces that are not reversible are designed in a way that they will be multi-purpose as wear. There are pieces that double as bodysuits and tops that can be worn as bralettes, giving each piece additional value and purpose.

How often do you release new styles?

So far we’ve only released one collection (August 2019) after launching our Kickstarter campaign to start the brand in April 2019. We’ll be dropping the next line of swimwear on July 1st. In the future, we hope to expand into clothing and accessories which will align drops to the different seasons year round. As we grow, these timelines may change, but we are focusing on growing with quality customers and taking care of them first before expanding too far.

Of all of your designs, which Tiller Swim piece is your favorite?

sustainable-swimwear-tiller-swim-interview

Oof this is a tough one! I love all of our current and upcoming designs for their own purposes, but I’d have to say the Laguna Top and Lido Bottom in our ‘Radiant Giraffe’ color really surprised me! The neon yellow solid side and the yellow giraffe print definitely were the most out-there and I wasn’t sure how people would react, but that colorway ended up being easily one of our most popular. This sort of got me comfortable with taking chances and sticking with my instinct when it comes to future designs. In the new collection, we’ll be bringing back the Laguna Top and Lido Bottom as it was highly requested but will be introducing the pieces in different colors and patterns.

What should we be looking out for from Tiller Swim in the future?

In the short term, Tiller will be launching the brand new line next month, so you can look forward to grabbing some more unique, sustainable bikinis and one pieces! In the future, Tiller will be introducing new product lines (clothing and accessories) and more innovative fabrics (biodegradable) to the mix. We’ll be working to grow and continuously improve our supply chain and sustainability efforts while continuing to put the planet, our people and our customers at the forefront of everything we do now and in the future.

Lastly, as sustainability is part of the core of your brand, what advice do you have for people to live a more sustainable lifestyle on a daily basis?

In my own life, I try to practice being a conscious consumer. So much of what people at home can be doing is so simple and not far from their current routines, which is something that I’ve been consciously changing over the past few years. Changing your everyday norms is easily the biggest thing people can do - even if you take it one step at a time. The world is not going to change overnight, so taking these small actions is so much more valuable than trying to make a huge life-altering change all at once. The main things I do personally are: identify my essentials, cut out any extraneous spending/shopping for things that do not actually serve a purpose for me, make use of what I already have, eliminate the use of single-use plastic and paper products by using reusable products, switch to natural fibers where applicable, support small and sustainable brands, reduce energy/water usage when possible, and significantly reduce consumption of meat. I'm definitely not a perfect vision of sustainability, but starting with small steps has made such an impact on my life for the better!

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.