Can you tell us about how Kaanda Beach Life started?
I had good friends visiting who complained that there was no swimwear to buy when I lived in Thailand. It was then the husband of my friend, who worked with clothes in Borås, suggested that I meet his friend Erik in Hong Kong. I flew there and Erik encouraged me to sell his brand first, so I did, but after a year I wanted to take the step to start my own business.
How did you get established in Sweden?
In 2019, I moved back to Sweden. When we arrived in Sweden, I didn’t really know anything about the industry, so everything was very new. For example, selling to retailers was new to me here because we have our own stores in Thailand.
The signature swimsuits are the ones with wave-shaped edges in different models and with different edges, it became a bit of our door opener in Sweden.
Another route to the success was that Amelia liked the swimsuit and put it on the cover of an Amelia magazine in 2021. At this time, Amelia also had its own online store that sold Kaanda Beach Life’s swimsuits. Many people also choose to shop more than once because we offer matching cover-ups, such as dresses, shorts and tunics.
How do you work with sustainability?
We have made a conscious commitment to sustainability. The swimsuits are made in China with recycled polyamide and elastane, and for the last five years we have been using recycled materials. Our cover-ups are mostly made in India, as well as the dresses and shirts.
Kaanda Beach Life has been a member of Trade Partners since 2019 and participated in Fashion Week Trade for the first time last August and will be participating again this August. With a strong understanding of the market and a growing customer base, the future looks bright. Katarina Bonér, founder and owner of the company, has not only managed to fill a niche in the market but has also helped to raise the standard for sustainable and stylish swimwear.