FAQs

A swim parka is a hooded long coat that typically has a water-resistant / waterproof shell and a warm fleece lining. It is loose fitted and comfortable.

Traditionally, a swim parka is worn during at a swim meet when the swimmer is out of water. Many swimmers wear it to and from their daily swim practice, because it is so warm and convenient.

The swim parka is useful for pool swimming, open water swimming, other water sports, and non-water sports (think of it as an athletic parka).

tingting's swim parka, aka sPARKA, has thoughtful style elements added to it. It resembles an oversized coat that could be styled up. You could wear it to the movies or brunch too!

The features of a swim parka (water-resistance, warm fleece liner, hood, full zipper) are appreciated when you're cold and damp after swimming or other sports.

Whether you swim easy or hard, you're losing heat to the cold water. Once you're out of water, you're losing heat through the evaporation of water from your breath, wet hair, skin, and swim suit. It can get chilly and uncomfortable quickly.

The fleece lining, hood, and full zipper can help retain heat. It's especially useful for competitive swimmers, because there's a fair bit of waiting at a swim meet. You might have seen elite athletes that bundle up in a sweater, joggers, beanie, and a swim parka until right before the race. They're trying to keep their body warm for fast swimming!

The water-resistant shell of a swim parka protects you from splashes and sneaky puddles. Have you accidentally sat in a wet chair?! The shell also protects you from the wind and rain.

tingting's swim parka, aka sPARKA, is different from the traditional swim parkas in these ways:

• achieves a slimmer fit that feels comfortable and allows room for layering,
• thigh-length instead of knee-/ ankle-length,
• ribbing elements in the hem to hold in heat,
• resembles an everyday coat, so it could be used outside the pool,
• offers two looks, because it's reversible,
• extra soft fleece lining that is made from 100% recycled polyester,
• the hood opening contours your face to keep out the wind and rain (this eliminates the need for drawstrings, bungee cords and stoppers.)

Yes, tingting's swim parka is rain-resistant.

We use a waterproof /breathable softshell fabric to make the outer shell. It is coated with Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finishing, and bonded to a waterproof membrane. The waterproof membrane blocks out large water droplets while allowing tiny water vapors (sweat) to escape. It should keep you warm and dry, unless you spend an extended time period in a heavy storm.

During sewing, a threaded needle pushes through the fabrics to join them together, forming a seam. As a result, tiny holes are made. If you did get caught in a heavy rain storm, you may notice some water seepage through the seams.

Tingting's swim parka can be machine washed and dried on low heat setting.

Follow the easy care instructions:

• Wash cold inside out with like colors
• Fully zip before wash
• Tumble dry low, or hang to dry
• Do not iron / bleach / dry clean

Tingting's swim parka is designed to be machine washable. Its construction is sturdy and the fabrics used to make the parka are long-lasting. It can be cleaned as frequently as you wish. Simply put it in the machine to wash and dry on low heat setting.

If you swim 4-7 times a week, you could let it air dry after each use, then wash it once every two weeks or every month.

White is such a beautiful color! To keep it looking white, make sure to wash it with similar colors.

You can machine wash it as frequently as you wish. You can also spot clean it to save some water and energy!

If you track dirt on the shell fabric, simply use a wet cloth to spot clean it. Dust and dirt come off of this fabric easily.

• We purposely lay down on a wet lawn to track some giant mud marks on the elbows/ sleeves and coat front.
• We're happy to report that 99% of mud came off the fabric by spot cleaning with a wet cloth. The 1% of mud left was trapped in the seam between the cuff and the sleeve. We scrubbed it about ten times under running water and that effectively washed away the trapped mud.

If the stain involves grease, add a bit of soap and scrub it with a wet cloth.

• We wore the swim parka out for a bike ride and tracked some dirt on the back side (probably dirt + bike chain lube). We used a small amount of hand soap and scrubbed it moderately. We're happy to report that all the marks came off. The swim parka looks great!

After washing, the swim parka will be very wet and heavy because the fleece lining is highly absorbent. You can put it in the dryer to remove any excess moisture. Use a low heat setting (permanent press) to dry. If it comes out slightly damp, simply hang it up to air dry.

Dirt and grease can affect the effectiveness of the Durable Water Repellent (DWR). To maintain the water repellency of your swim parka, wash it regularly and tumble dry on low heat setting for 20 minutes to reactivate DWR.