Why are bathing suits so expensive

Okay, but a bikini is just triangles and string, right? Fit and production size, got it. Why else are they expensive? What about the materials? So with swimwear, you kinda, mostly get what you pay for? The reason your bikini costs more than two triangles cut out of that really nice sweater you just bought from Zara?

It's because a lot more science has to go into the production of your swimwear material in the first place. The thing with swimwear, is if you want high quality material, you have to pay for it. The manufacturing process is also a lot more complicated and therefore takes much longer with swimwear than with other clothing. Of course you can buy your swimwear from cheaper high street stores but the chances are it won't last as long as a bikini bought from a more luxury label.

Workers make swimsuits on assembly lines where they cut, sew and finish each one to the design specs. In order for companies to sell swimwear cheap, the wages they pay to the workers who make them must be low. Often times when the wages are low, it means that the workers don't receive other benefits - like health care.

Working conditions in some of these factories tend to be less than ideal. Cheap supply chain makes for a less expensive end product. Remember this anytime you buy something such as clothing or swimwear at a bargain price. Country of origin. The country where the swimwear is sown and shipped from has an effect on the price.

The same is true for the county where the fabric is from. These 3 reasons affect the price of a swimsuit from another country:. Higher labour costs. Some countries pay their workers higher wages. This increases the cost of the product. A swimsuit made in China for example, is usually less expensive than one made in the US.

Trade agreements. Signed trade agreement between countries helps keep costs in check. Import duties and fees are much higher from countries without trade agreements. This can add dollars to the cost of your bathing suit. Currency exchange rate.

There is a cost to exchanging currencies when buying foreign products. Sometimes this exchange can be significant. For example the cost of one US dollar at the time this post is being written is 1. This exchange cost adds to the price of the swimwear. Since most swimwear is sold during the summer, designers need to figure out the most efficient and economical way to manufacture something that'll only really be on store shelves for three or four months of the year.

For a lot of companies, that means working with factories closer to home say, in the U. What do you think?