Xcel Wetsuits said it plans to take its entire wetsuit range neoprene-free by 2026, which would mark the final step in its path toward making eco-friendly suits.

The target is based on current-day technologies and testing and could very well be adjusted to come to market sooner.

The company has spent the last few years transitioning to eco-friendly processes. Xcel wetsuits already use dope-dyed yarn to reduce water use; water-based glues instead of solvents; and eco carbon black made from recycled tires and oyster shells, both of which are used in the process to create neoprene. Several years ago, Xcel wetsuits made the move away from petroleum-based neoprene to limestone neoprene.

Xcel wetsuits are currently comprised of 80% eco-friendly components, which took about five years for the company to achieve.

“Over the years, we’ve been addressing [eco materials] and it’s always been at the forefront of the development phases, from glue to fabric technologies to production facilities and packaging materials,” said Xcel Head of Product Lance Varon. “We’ve checked a lot of the boxes off, so the neoprene-free would be that final box to check.”

The company’s update comes as it rounds the final stretch on the testing of a few different iterations of a particular neoprene-free material it’s confident will deliver performance that’s, at minimum, equal to the performance of its current material.

Xcel developed a suit last year close to the performance criteria the company wants to see out of a neoprene-free wetsuit. That achievement is what gave management the confidence to estimate 2026 as being the likely time frame to go neoprene-free, given the long production cycle of wetsuits and the sheer breadth of styles Xcel would be changing.

“At every product meeting we task the team to make the best wetsuit and then to make it as green as possible,” said Jarka Duba, CEO of Xcel owner Wedge Brands, in a statement. “Based on current testing, we believe the next generation of neoprene-free material will be up to our standard by 2026.”

Varon added all products go through an “Xcel filter” before becoming available to consumers.

“We’re a technical company, meaning everything is tested far beyond the normal use to meet those needs,” Varon said. “We are function over fashion.”

The company’s wetsuits are priced in tiers, ranging from entry level to premium. The aim is for price points in each tier to not be impacted by this move, according to Xcel Chief Marketing Officer Ian Stewart

“We don’t want to end up charging a premium to be environmentally responsible; that’s not the goal,” Stewart said. “We want to be at price parity or better than what we currently sell at, and we want the performance to be the same or better than what we currently provide.”

The move keeps Xcel at pace with a conversation in the broader garment industry and many others who remain focused on going green, from sourcing to final mile delivery methods. It also keeps Xcel relevant to the segment of consumers who are more mindful of the brands they buy from.

“There is an argument across all categories on this topic that if your price is comparable and your performance is the same or better, you’re not going to lose customers by going greener; you’re going to get incremental business,” Stewart said. “There are increasing numbers of consumers who are looking for a more responsible solution, so it should be a net-net gain if the price is equal and the performance is equal.”

Kari Hamanaka can be reached at [email protected].