Saturday Swimwear

Like many women, Emily LaPlume could never find a swimsuit that was both comfortable and cute, so she decided to make one. That was in 2015, when she was a junior at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. When she won a scholarship to study abroad in New Zealand, LaPlume decided to bring some of her creations with her, trading her swimsuits for accommodations. “I was just handing out suits along the way to women in these really amazing, beautiful places, and they started documenting it and sending me pictures,” said LaPlume, age 29. Instagram was just becoming popular, and after she began posting the photos, her swimwear started trending too.

Back at college, LaPlume sought out a mentor, fared well in collegiate “Shark Tank”-style competitions, and a few shops began selling her creations. After graduation, she debated whether to continue with the business or pursue her passion for traveling. She chose the latter and witnessed global pollution’s glaring impact on Southeast Asia’s coastlines and the exploitation of low-wage workers.

A breakthrough came in Byron Bay, Australia, a surfing town that promotes sustainable businesses. “That totally reignited something in me—to completely shift the focus of the company toward sustainability—for everything from hangtags to hygiene liners to packaging,” explained LaPlume. She began using regenerated nylon made of industrial waste, such as fishing nets, and in 2019, launched Saturday Swimwear. Returning home to Allenstown, New Hampshire, LaPlume and her father converted a van into a mobile workshop and home for her new company.

Driving west, LaPlume discovered Bend. Since then, sales have doubled annually, confirming the market for her product. The suits are sewn in Portland, then sold online, at LaPlume’s shop in downtown Bend and in boutiques across the United States. No longer sewing the suits herself has freed up time for LaPlume to focus on other aspects of the business. She enjoys commissioning women artists to create nature-inspired prints for her swimwear, that swimmingly continue her goal of embracing aesthetics, adventure and comfort in a sustainable way.

Ahoya Float Tubes

Whenever Emily Hoy and Justin Novicky finished floating the Deschutes River, their mood would quickly go from elated to deflated upon seeing trash cans filled with ripped, flattened, round tubes—yet more plastic destined for the landfill. This inspired Hoy, age 48, a senior graphic and color designer at Hydro Flask, to engineer an adventure tube that’s more durable, functional and has some flair. Riffing on her name and the seafaring exclamation–Ahoy matey!–Hoy and Novicky launched the Ahoya all-season adventure tube for snow tubing and river floating.

Ahoya tubes boast an array of well-thought-out features addressing Hoy and Novicky’s mission. An inflatable backrest doubles as waterproof storage. Strong “daisy chain” webbing lets users carry the tube, connect with other tubes and attach a reusable water bottle. There’s no rope to fall off in the river and no cup holder, features designed to minimize trash and de-emphasize drinking alcohol, which is illegal on the Deschutes River. “It’s our answer to the fast fashion of tubes,” said Hoy. 

After testing their fourth prototype, sample tubes are available this summer, with sales beginning in spring of 2025. The couple bootstrapped their startup–and credits Bend Outdoor Worx accelerator with the mentorship they needed. “We’re so thankful because we’re getting our brand voice dialed, our value propositions, our core beliefs, our ‘why’ before we release it,” Hoy said. “We want to change the way people float the river—we want to create a river-lution.”

Pick Fresh Local Products of the Season

Zealios Sunscreen

For a high level of sun protection, without painting on a coat of thick white paste, this athlete-focused brand based in Bend promises SPF performance that’s completely clear.

Sea Salt Surf Car Freshener by Broken Top Brands

Is that the scent of beachy ocean air with notes of jasmine? No, it’s the inside of a Subaru. Hang an air freshener made with just two ingredients—essential oils and paper— from your rear view mirror.

“No Bugs” Spray by Lotus Naturals

Turns out that mosquitoes, gnats, fleas, horseflies and ticks are turned off by some scents we love. Wear this blend of essential oils, with cedarwood, lemongrass, geranium and peppermint, to keep bugs away while you play.

Lemon Citronella Candle by Broken Top Brands

This vegan, paraben-free, phthalate-free soywax candle will keep your deck, patio and dinner party bug free, too.

Meet LaPlume and Hoy on The Circling Podcast with Adam Short. Listen at BendMagazine.com/podcast.