oy-surf

The siblings Zelia and Dario Zadra, both surfers for over 20 years, run the company. Oy was founded in 2012 in Bali and Switzerland, after they discovered that there was no surf bikini on the market that met the needs of Zelia.

The siblings Zelia and Dario Zadra, the founders of Oy

"The occasion for the foundation for Oy was, as so often, a frustrating experience. ... Either the bikini slipped, was uncomfortable, made of cheap material or just looked terrible. We got tired of compromising and decided to take matters into our own hands."

Oy focuses on functionality, quality and flexibility. Most tops have fixed and crossed straps at the back. This eliminates pressure on the neck, leaves the shoulder blades free for the perfect range of motion and ensures that the bikini stays in place. The pants can be tightened as needed by practical hip bands. In addition to bikinis and swimsuits, Oy also offers leggings and tops for yoga and workouts.

Initially, production began in Bali. In 2018, Zelia and Dario decided to reduce the transport distances and move their production facility from Bali to Europe. The production facility, a small family business where production takes place under fair working conditions is located in Portugal about 40 minutes north of Porto.

All fabrics are made in Italy and the recycled raw material is sourced from Slovenia. Oy Surf uses only the most resistant and highest quality fabrics, mostly made of recycled materials such as Econyl® and recycled polyester. When using Econyl®, the impact on global warming is 80% less than nylon, which is made from petroleum. After blending with elastane, it is woven into a very high-performance fabric. This way they make sure that the surf bikinis will last for a long time without losing shape and color.

The production facility of Oy, a small family business in Portugal.

The goal is to produce products with the smallest possible impact on nature, ideally based on renewable or natural resources. In the future they want to achieve a circular economy where the products can be 100% recycled.