thaikila
Swimwear With a Soul: Conscious Select × Thaikila
Marie Laure Becquelin founded Thaikila in Paris in 1989 with a clear conviction about what swimwear could be: beautiful, considered, and rooted in craft rather than fast production cycles. In 2002, the brand relocated to Bali — drawn by the island's textile traditions, artisan community, and the particular quality of light and water that has always shaped its design sensibility. It has been there ever since, building one of the most vertically integrated swimwear operations in the region.
Today Thaikila retails in over 105 countries and operates 20 franchise stores under the brand name. The scale has grown. The founding philosophy has not.
The Swimwear
Thaikila's collections move in two registers: Tralala for the maximalist, Essentials for the minimalist. Both are conceived and made entirely in-house at the brand's Bali studio and production facility — a self-owned operation spanning over 50,000 square feet, divided between a creative design loft, factory floor, and in-house marketing studio.
The signature fabric is its own development — an ultra-soft, stretchy material made from recycled plastic bottles, engineered to resist sand, chlorine, oil, and water while maintaining a second-skin feel. Hangtags are made from upcycled paper documents collected directly from the brand's own office. Packaging is reusable rather than single-use. The brand develops its own elastic that resists chlorine and maintains its integrity over years of use — a material investment that prioritises longevity over cheapness.
The silhouettes are designed for bodies that actually exist — pieces with genuine structure and support, built to move with the wearer rather than require constant adjustment.
Why Thaikila is a Consciously Selected Swimwear Brand: CS Signal
CS Verified | Vertically integrated, entirely in-house production in Bali since 2002. Fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles. Plastic-free, reusable packaging throughout. Hangtags from recycled office paper. A brand operating at genuine scale with documented sustainability commitments embedded into its production model from the beginning.
Frequently Asked Questions about Thaikila
Where is Thaikila made? Every Thaikila piece is designed and manufactured entirely in Bali, Indonesia, at the brand's own vertically integrated production facility. The in-house operation spans over 50,000 square feet and includes design, production, and marketing under one roof, allowing complete quality control at every stage.
Who founded Thaikila and when? Thaikila was founded in Paris in 1989 by Marie Laure Becquelin. The brand relocated to Bali in 2002 and has been based there since, growing into a global swimwear brand retailing in over 105 countries with 20 franchise stores worldwide.
Is Thaikila sustainable? Thaikila's core fabrics are made from recycled plastic bottles, packaging is reusable rather than single-use, and hangtags are produced from recycled office paper. All production is in-house and vertically integrated, giving the brand direct control over working conditions and environmental practices. The brand does not currently hold formal third-party sustainability certifications.