17-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Wall Street Journal
Why Swim Trunks Made of Wool Might Be the Ultimate Beach-to-Bar Shorts
Since about the mid-1900s, men's swim shorts have typically been cut from lightweight nylon, polyamides and polyesters that dry fast and let you sport about freely, despite some drawbacks. Now a cadre of brands, from preppy J. Press to chi chi St. Tropez label Vilebrequin, is trying natural textiles again, offering trunks in cotton and even wool—just like 70-plus years ago.
One reason: However sleek a pair of polyester trunks are, they look like they only belong in the deep end. These natural trunks—most lined; some treated to dry faster—often resemble regular shorts, making them far more versatile than their synthetic peers. Non-synthetic cloths also earn environmentally friendly marks (though some of these shorts do retain elasticized waistbands and synthetic lining).
