Fabric Test #1: How Bright does “Bright” Need to be?

The Question: 

Armed with the knowledge that bright colors (pink, orange, yellow and green) are more visible in the water than other colors, we wanted to understand how bright the color really needs to be to make a difference in visibility. Are all bright colors equally visible? Or are some much better than others? 

The Test: 

We purchased swimsuit fabric in a variety of colors and patterns, all very bright, and tested them at different depths in a pool. The pool was dirty and murky, which mimics a lake or ocean condition. 

The fabrics - which do you think will be the most visible?

All fabrics were placed in the pool in the same order at 23.5”, 33” and 43.5” deep. The results were astounding.

 23.5” Deep - most fabrics are still visible but the orange and dark pink are starting to disappear

33” Deep - The patterns are almost totally gone. The darker yellow is much less visible than the brighter yellow next to it, and the orange is faint too.

43.5” Deep - Neon yellow, green and pink are the clear winners. The orange is a runner up.

The Take-Aways: 

1. There is absolutely a difference between how bright a fabric is and how visible it is under water. The yellows did not seem very different from each other when they were dry, but the more muted option disappeared at the bottom of the pool, while the brighter option was clearly visible.

2. Darkness matters. The two pinks were not dramatically different either, but the darker one started disappearing at 33” while the lighter one was still visible at 43.5”.

3. Blue is a no-go. The two tie-dye fabrics had a lot of bright in them, but were still at least 50% blue. They basically disappeared at 33”.

4. The most visible colors in water are yellow, green, pink and orange. But, the brightness of these colors makes a huge difference. Neon / fluorescent versions of these colors are much more visible than duller or darker versions.

So, for safe swimming go as bright as you can!

Next Steps / Future tests:

We’re just beginning with our tests! Next we’re going to start looking at different patterns and how they impact swimsuit visibility. We’ll also keep testing different shades of the same fabric and look at pool vs. lake vs. ocean. Stay tuned!