Aquatic & Recreation Institute

"Royal Life Saving does not have any guidelines that specifically state that cotton t-shirts should not be warn in the water.  Some aquatic facilities throughout Australia have indicated that cotton apparel  / cotton fragments get caught in their filtration systems.  Therefore decisions on cotton clothing are best left to the individual aquatic centre.

There are many infant programs that suggest the carer (mother / father etc) wear a t-shirt when in the water as it assists the young child to grasp and hold.

The only concern that Royal Life Saving would have is that cotton clothing does retain significant amounts of water and therefore can add weight.  Where this individual is a non or weak swimmer it could lead to flotation and buoyancy problems and thus make swimming more difficult.  There has also been instances where clothing has been caught in spa suction units and pool filtration systems which can also lead to safety concerns."

If you require any additional information please do not hesitate to contact the ARI Office on 02 9804 1720 or email your enquiry via the Contact Us form on this site.