On the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, it's easy to get intoxicated by the vibrant cultural vibe. From the funk music blasting from portable speakers, to the grilled cheese simmering on a vendor’s grill, to the caipirinha vendor's incessant catcalls, or to the beautiful men and women parading down to the water’s edge, bronzed and confident, you long to be part of it. You want to be immersed in the Brazilian beach culture. On my first trip to Brazil in 2010, I quickly learned that wearing my full-coverage American bikini bottoms were definitely off-limits. Compared to the Brazilian women’s cheeky bottoms, I looked prudish!

But what I came to appreciate was that a cheeky bikini bottom didn’t over-sexualize the woman’s figure; it highlighted her curves in all the right places and turned an average bunda (booty) into a work of art. I instantly fell in love with buying colorful bikinis from the beach vendors and filling up a suitcase to take back home to give as gifts or to sell. Any proceeds I made from selling bikinis went back to my young friends in the largest favela, Rocinha, where Pipoca still contributes 1 in 3 net profit dollars from each sale. Today, we design and craft our swimwear ourselves using only sustainable and up-cycled fabrics and shipping materials, while employing and empowering women in all facets of our business. We're so grateful you've found us and hope you'll feel as beautiful outside as you are inside in our Brazilian-inspired eco swimsuits.

-Annie, Founder