Iconic Aussie swimwear labels, Funky Trunks and Funkita have long been a hit for squad swimmers in Australia since their origins in 2002 but are now expanding their colourful, crazy patterns around the world and don’t we love it!
Think back over a decade ago and there wasn’t much choice in the prints and colours that made up your standard chlorine resistant swimwear range. It was that lack of imagination from the big swimwear companies that gave Funky Trunks the perfect opening to appeal to a market tired of black and blue. With bright pinks and florals – and that was for the guys of course – the swimming community got excited and the Melbourne-based label was on its way. With vocal demand from the girls for their own range, Funkita was launched in 2004 and the two labels grew with the support of club swimmers across the country.
The labels followed on the bums of Aussie swimmers around the world and wherever they caught an eye, a new market opened. France, Germany, Poland even the normally conservative Brits became export destinations for Funky Trunks and Funkita. Now in the US with their first retailer Element H20 in Kentucky, there’s no doubt the Down Under invasion is well underway.
And looking at the prints there is little wonder why Funky Trunks and Funkita are catching on. Just browse the websites and scroll through the ranges and you’ll see print after print after print (www.funkytrunks.com and www.funkita.com). Apparently they’ve been releasing around 50 prints a year for 10 years! But if you want the latest and greatest print you have to be quick, as they only run their prints once and popular colors can be gone within days of release.
As products for swimmers, Funky Trunks and Funkita have been huge supporters of swimming in Australia, supporting over 100 up-and-coming swimmers and clubs around the country. Christian Sprenger, the former World Record breaststroker started as a Funky Trunks athlete before moving to the bigger dollars when he hit the world stage. Now there’s Jayden Hadler, the Sydney-based butterflyer ranked 11th in the world this year and medley swimmer Travis Mahoney. Plus Blake Cochrane, one of Australia’s leading multi-class swimmers with a 100m breaststroke world record and London Paralympics and World Championships gold medals.
Funkita has current Commonwealth Record Holder and Brit-turned-Aussie Ellen Gandy as part of their team, one of the favorites for the 200m butterfly titles at the Commonwealth Games in July. Ellen’s training partner and World Championship silver medalist, Belinda Hocking, ranked 1st in the world for the 200m back is also a Funkita athlete as well as Taylor McKeown, the young Queensland swimmer that scorched the field at Australian Champs in the 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:22.10 (ranked 4th in the world in 2014). Other young stars include Alanna Bowles with a junior World Record in the 800m freestyle (ranked 11th in the world) and Kotuku Ngawati, set to represent Australia in the 200m IM in Glasgow.
It’s exciting for us when an awesome line of swimwear crosses our desks, especially one from Down Under. It’s a real story of swimmers creating a business that swimmers have supported the whole way and we can’t wait to see more Funky Trunks and Funkita prints hitting the warm up pools here. Check out the ranges at www.funkytrunks.com and www.funkita.com and take advantage of the free international shipping from Australia to the US and Europe that’s currently on until May 18.
Also use the discount code SWIMSWAM to get your very own 25% discount courtesy of us at Swimswam. Let’s get funky in the pool!
FUNKY TRUNKS & FUNKITA PHOTO VAULT
Australian National swimmers showing off in the latest prints from Funky Trunks.
Australian backstroker Belinda Hocking (ranked 1st in the world this year) is sponsored by Funkita
Funky Trunks underwater
Commonwealth Record Holder Ellen Gandy (200m butterfly) is sponsored by Funkita
Funky Trunks underwater
Olympic K4 Champion Murray Stewart is sponsored by Funky Trunks
Ellen Gandy, Funkita
Funkita underwater
Australian breaststroker, Taylor McKeown is sponsored by Funkita
Australian breaststroker, Taylor McKeown is sponsored by Funkita
Funky Trunks and Funkita sponsor Diving Australia and the Youth Development Team.
Olympic K4 Champion Murray Stewart is sponsored by Funky Trunks
Facebook links:
https://www.facebook.com/Funkita
https://www.facebook.com/FunkyTrunks
Instagram links:
https://www.instagram.com/funkitaswimwear
https://www.instagram.com/funkytrunks
Twitter handles:
https://twitter.com/funkitaswimwear