It all started with a camper van and a year of freedom
Tumla was started by Josefin in 2022, but the idea of Tumla has been around for a long time in various guises. Josefin grew up with a lot of ideas and visions, and has had a life in constant motion. When she found an interest in surfing, everything changed. Suddenly, the sea and the waves had a permanent place in her mind and heart.
The idea of creating something for active women had been around for a long time, and in 2020 the idea of Tumla began to emerge. For a year, she travelled back and forth along the coasts of Europe with her boyfriend (now husband) in a camper van to surf and be close to the sea and nature.
Now, five years later, she sits in a cottage on the Bjäre Peninsula with her son Frans and husband Alex, sewing together life as a mum with being an entrepreneur and surfer.
What inspired you to start Tumla?
I've always been the active girl who has a hard time finding swimwear that fits everything I want to do and looks stylish at the same time. If you're going to swim or surf, you often need to have a bikini or swimsuit adapted for that, and often that type of swimwear is covered in some pattern or in overly sporty designs. If I then want something more stylish and classic, I have to have different kinds of swimwear for each activity. Many of these products are also created by large fast-fashion companies, and as a surfer, I care about the ocean and want to try to reduce my climate impact as much as possible. Having to buy lots of different products didn't feel right, and I wanted to make it possible to reduce the number of swimwear in my wardrobe. I try to buy as much second-hand as possible, but with swimwear it's difficult. So I thought that maybe others think like me, and have the same problem!
Good for you, and good for the environment.
What is it about Tumla that you think is crucial for women's needs?
We have developed the swimwear with functionality as the starting point, and have designed all cuts and seams with that in mind. We want to make swimwear based on women's needs, so we chose to start at that end instead of focusing directly on appearance.
You say style is important, how do you integrate it with functionality?
We want all our products to be timeless and classic in their designs. Not only for the sake of appearance, but also to be as sustainable as possible, both in terms of the environment and quality. We want our swimwear to be able to live with you through different seasons and trends, without going out of fashion. The functionality of our swimwear is very much in what we use for materials in our swimwear. Everything from which seams are used, to which fabric and which elastic bands. So you could say that our swimwear are technical products disguised as stylish garments with timeless design.
What are your plans for the future with Tumla?
We have so many plans and dreams with Tumla, everything from product development, more work with sustainability and materials to building a larger community with femals loving the sea. We want to be one of all amazing companies who show the way forward, and show that it is possible to create fashion that both works and looks good, while contributing to a better world without overconsumption and bad materials.
