As a female founder of a sustainable swimwear brand, building this from scratch has been a challenge—but doing it while traveling full-time in a van, working part-time to fund it, and handling every aspect alone? That’s the reality behind COCOU Conscious Couture. I didn’t just want to create a bikini brand. I wanted to solve a dilemma I had struggled with for years: how to love bikinis without harming the planet.

Bikinis have always been part of my daily life. I wear them at the beach, for yoga, surfing, swimming and diving, as underwear, and anywhere else they fit into my routine. But I also deeply care about the planet, and I couldn’t ignore the waste and pollution caused by fast fashion.

I didn’t want to choose between something I loved and something I believed in—so I decided to create a brand that could be all, super comfortable, as sustainable as possible and empowering women to express themselves. COCOU was born from the idea that ethical swimwear should be a standard, not an exception.

For the past five years, I’ve lived full-time in my van, and for the last 1.5 years, I’ve worked on COCOU every single day (and some nights), from wherever I was on the road. I’ve traveled to meet manufacturers in Italy, conduct photoshoots in Portugal, and work on all aspects of the business from remote beaches and mountain hideaways. To support myself while COCOU grows, I also work as a programming teacher for children, balancing my time between funding my dream and building it into reality.

Before diving into fashion, I studied Wildlife Management (BSc) and Ecology & Evolution (MSc), driven by a deep passion for conservation and sustainability. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding remote jobs in biology became nearly impossible, so I pivoted to learning programming. This shift allowed me to save up, develop technical skills that became essential for running COCOU, from managing online sales to optimizing digital marketing.

Launching COCOU alone, as a female founder of a sustainable swimwear, alone means wearing every hat in the business.

I need to stand up for myself and the brand, research sustainable fabrics and ethical manufacturers, handle financial planning and brand strategy, and oversee marketing, photography, artist collaborations, and conservation projects.

I personally design every bikini pattern, ensuring they flatter and adjust to different body types. To optimize each pattern, I sewed every style at least 10 times myself, a skill passed down from my two grandmothers, who are with me in spirit every time I work on new patterns.

For the manufacturing however, I chose to partner with a small, female-owned atelier in Italy—a country known for its historical swimwear expertise—to ensure the highest standards of quality and durability.

Being a female founder in sustainable swimwear, fashion and business means constantly proving yourself in an industry that often overlooks women-led businesses. There’s the shaming of women for wearing smaller bikinis, the dismissal of women’s capability and ideas in business, and the patriarchal structures that limit self-expression. But COCOU is here to challenge that.

Your value is not defined by how much skin you show or what you choose to wear. Women are capable of running businesses, making decisions, and changing industries. In fact, we’re often more capable—we juggle multiple tasks, think ahead, and build with care. COCOU isn’t just about bikinis; it’s about reclaiming confidence and breaking outdated rules.

COCOU isn’t just a business; it’s a way of life. Every day, I wake up in my van, work from different locations, and build this brand alongside my two dogs, who have been with me every step of the journey. They sit next to me as I research sustainable fabrics, plan new launches, or sew test samples. They are part of the heart of COCOU, a reminder that this brand is about freedom, nature, and making conscious choices.

COCOU is just the first step in a much bigger plan.

Once the brand is financially stable, my goal is to start a conservation project that receives nearly 50% of COCOU’s annual profits.

The vision?

To buy land, reforest it, and give part of it back to the community while preserving the rest for wildlife. This project would be based on permaculture principles, focusing on ecological restoration. The exact blueprint is still forming, and I’m searching for like-minded people who want to brainstorm and bring this dream to life.

But one thing is certain—this is one of my biggest dreams, and I won’t stop until I can save pieces of land and rewild them for nature and animals.

As a female founder of sustainable swimwear, I want COCOU to be more than a brand—it’s a movement—a statement about the future we want to create. It’s about women owning their power, about fashion being responsible, and about businesses giving back to the earth. It’s proof that you don’t have to choose between loving what you wear and caring for the planet.

My journey—from living in a van, teaching programming, managing finances, designing every detail, and pushing for women’s empowerment—is just one example of how we can create change from anywhere, with anything we have.

At COCOU, we embrace agility and continuous improvement. We understand that the fashion industry is ever-evolving, and we’re open to exploring alternative solutions that align with our commitment to sustainability. Constructive feedback is not just welcome but encouraged: