Let’s Build A Community
Why I Started Cunningham Conscious Fashion
It didn’t start in a boardroom or a design studio; it started underwater, surrounded by silence and salt, where the only thing clearer than the ocean was my calling.
As a child who grew up on the beautiful spring-fed waters of Florida and as an avid scuba diver, the sea has always been a place of clarity, creativity, and connection for me. It’s where I go to feel alive, to feel whole. But it’s also where I started to feel something else: an unease about the impact my work in fashion was having on the very ecosystems I loved most. I design the very clothes we wear in the oceans, how could I make them without hurting her?
The Start of My Fashion Career
I spent over 12 years in the fashion industry, designing swimwear and resort wear for some of the biggest names in the game, Revolve, Beach Bunny Swimwear, Fabletics, Walmart, and Target. I climbed the ranks, led teams, and produced major shows at Paraiso Swim Week in Miami. By all accounts, I had "made it."
But success came with a growing awareness. I began to witness firsthand the darker undercurrents of fashion production. One memory stands out vividly: watching dye waste being poured down drains, directly feeding into our waterways and eventually, I knew, seeping into the water table. It was jarring. I started asking questions: What chemicals were being used? How were workers being protected? What did this mean for the environment, and for the people wearing these garments?
My Personal Turning Point
Around the same time, I started seeing a functional medicine doctor for my own health challenges, stomach sensitivities, autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, fatigue, and brain fog. As I researched more, seven years into my health journey, I discovered Alden Wicker’s work on the connections between fashion and health. Her reporting opened my eyes to something I could no longer ignore: the unregulated chemicals in our clothing, including harmful substances like AZO dyes, which can release carcinogenic amines and are banned in the EU but still used in many parts of the world.
I realized that if my body was reacting to the clothes I was helping bring into the world, what about the people sewing them? What about the water sources downstream from the factories? What about the animals that call these waterways home? What about the customers who are wearing them? I had so many more questions!
A Shift in Purpose
These revelations sparked a deep shift. I couldn’t go back to business as usual.
I returned to school and earned an MBA in Sustainable Fashion Management from SUMAS (Sustainability Management School). I began working behind the scenes to shift brands toward better practices, introducing recycled fabrics, improving fit and function to reduce waste, and sourcing certified mills and factories that were doing things right. I helped transition 90% of one of the brands I worked with to recycled fabrication alternatives for their swimwear collections.
Still, I felt like I was plugging holes in a ship that needed a redesign. So at the start of 2025, I launched Cunningham Conscious Fashion.
What Cunningham Conscious Fashion Stands For
This isn’t just a design services company. It’s a mission.
Cunningham Conscious Fashion was built to help emerging and established brands make swimwear that’s not only stunning but smarter. I work at the intersection of creativity, functionality, and sustainability, helping brands design pieces that flatter the body, perform in real life, and reduce harm to people and the planet.
From initial concept to pre-production samples, my process is both collaborative and transparent. Whether a client needs a few CAD sketches, a full capsule collection, or sustainability consulting, they walk away with the tools to make informed decisions every step of the way.
I believe in:
Educating designers and founders on the risks of conventional production practices
Vetting vendors for certifications and ethical transparency
Choosing better fabrics and trims, including non-toxic dyes and OEKO-TEX, GOTS-certified materials, and recycled materials.
Designing for longevity, not just aesthetics
Making sustainable design attainable, not just aspirational
Who I’m Here to Serve
I created this company to serve brands that want to do things differently. Brands that are passionate but overwhelmed. Founders who care deeply about their product and its purpose but need help navigating the complexity of responsible design and development.
You don’t need to have all the answers. That’s what I’m here for.
Whether you’re:
A new label, building your first swimwear line from scratch
An established brand seeking to clean up its supply chain
A founder who wants to connect your product to a bigger mission
A consumer who wants to be more informed
I bring the technical expertise, creative vision, and sustainability know-how to bring your ideas to life, responsibly.
The Bigger Picture
The fashion industry is one of the most resource-intensive and polluting sectors in the world. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With thoughtful design, ethical sourcing, and honest collaboration, we can create clothing that celebrates beauty and responsibility.
My work is rooted in the belief that good design isn’t just about what a garment looks like, it’s about how it’s made, how it performs, and what kind of world it helps shape.
This blog is the beginning of a conversation, a space to explore what it means to design consciously, lead with intention, and build a future for fashion that is rooted in care. It’s here to demystify sustainable fashion, to share resources, and to uplift each other along the way.
Sustainability isn’t a fixed destination; it’s an evolving, imperfect, and deeply human journey. This is a space for learning and growing together, asking questions, and having thoughtful discussions without judgment. We won’t always have perfect answers, but we can strive to make progress with honesty and intention.
Whether you’re a designer, founder, student, or simply someone who loves the ocean and wants to shop more thoughtfully, you’re welcome here. Together, we’ll unpack everything from sustainability myths to swimwear design tips, share behind-the-scenes processes, and uplift ideas that move our industry forward.
If you're curious about sustainability, passionate about beautiful design, and ready to be part of a community committed to doing better, join me on this journey.
Follow along on Instagram @cunninghamconsciousfashion and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/katelyn-cunningham-451b9514.
Let’s learn, grow, and create something beautiful together.