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Andrew wearing Fair Harbor's Kismet Shirt and One Short (left) and Anchor Trunk (right).
Kara Thurmond/Business Insider
Fair Harbor, which launched in 2014, makes classically stylish beachwear using modern, environmentally friendly materials. And while it has some West Coast vibes, it's a New York brand inspired by Fire Island off the coast of Long Island All the clothing I tested for Business Insider Reviews from Fair Harbor got high marks for style, performance, comfort, and durability. This includes the Anchor shorts — swim trunks with compression liners, which ranked among the best compression-lined swim trunks we've tested.
Sustainability is a big part of the brand's image. It's a Certified B Corp, meaning it has to adhere to high standards in areas like the materials it uses, supply chain practices, and transparency, among other benchmarks. Good On You, an organization that rates the sustainability of fashion and beauty brands, lists the company as "good" in the area of the environment for using recycled materials and limiting its use of resources to make its clothing.
All the pieces I tested were crafted mainly using recycled polyester made from plastic waste. In some cases, the fabric also included other eco-friendly materials like organic cotton or Tencel, a synthetic cellulose fiber made from wood pulp. I was surprised at the range in the appearance and handfeel of its fabrics that are all mainly made from this recycled polyester, from the heathered look of the One Shorts, which also has a compression liner, to the ultra-soft feel of the Seabreeze Hoodie. I also loved that all of Fair Harbor's various clothing items work well with each other, so you can look put together without having to think too much about it.
Fair Harbor Anchor Swim Short
Kara Thurmond/Business Insider
Fair Harbor's Anchor Shorts are one of the brand's signature products beloved by customers (they have a 4.9 rating based on more than 22,000 reviews) that come in a whopping 22 different colorways, and three inseam lengths, from a contemporary 6-inch for folks (like me) who like to show some leg to a 10-inch, which hits nearer the knee and offers a more conservative look. I found these swim trunks to provide ease of movement in the water when actually swimming and a stylish look for when you get out (and they dry fairly quickly as well).
Fair Harbor One Short
Kara Thurmond/Business Insider
The One Short has a timeless design, comes in two different inseam lengths (6- or 8-inches) for a contemporary feel or something with a bit more coverage, and features a built-in compression liner for added comfort that will get you from the beach to brunch. They're very breathable, have a good bit of stretch, and come in a range of five colors and sizes up to 3XL with a drawstring elastic waist (I'm 6-feet-tall and weigh 175, and the medium size fit me perfectly). They're very adaptable — I've used them for swimming and running, but mostly I wear them as everyday shorts, and in all three cases, they performed well.
Fair Harbor Kismet T-Shirt
Kara Thurmond/Business Insider
The first thing I noticed about the Kismet Tee was the super supple handfeel. The fabric is a blend of organic cotton and recycled polyester that has the right amount of stretch, is breathable, and does a good job of staying crisp-looking without a lot of care. The Kismet Tee comes in 16 colorways, from multi-striped fabrics to nautical-themed graphics and beyond.
Fair Harbor SeaBreeze Hoodie
Kara Thurmond/Business Insider
This is the perfect lightweight hoodie to throw on when the sun goes down, but you're not quite ready to leave the beach. Fair Harbor makes it from recycled polyester and Tencel for a breathable and ultrasoft shirt that comes in five colors, but the Navy Ombre Stripe with its throwback '70s vibes is a standout. The SeaBreeze has become my go-to summer hoodie.
Cons to consider
There aren't many cons to consider here. Everything I tested from Fair Harbor performed extremely well. Be sure to follow Fair Harbor's laundering instructions to keep your clothes looking better longer. The only con I can see is that because the one Short has a built-in liner, you're going to have to wash them more often than if they were simply shorts, but it's a small price to pay for how comfortable they are.
The bottom line
All the Fair Harbor clothing I tested was well designed, worked as advertised, and was both comfortable and stylish, making for products worth the price. Additionally, there were no issues over multiple washes or flaws like loose threads that might hasten the clothing's demise. If you're looking for beach-ready clothes that are stylish, comfortable, and perform well, Fair Harbor is a shining light in a murky sea of fashion.