Riz boardshorts - bright sunny designs for summer

OK, I'm going to admit that I love bright tropical and Hawaiian prints. One day I may show you a few of my Hawaiian shirt collection.

So, when I saw a picture of these shorts on Facebook, I fell immediately and  hopelessly in love. They're from Riz (from whom many other designs are available), set up in 2010 to give a British twist, inspired by William Morris, to tropical designs. Ten percent of the £80 price goes to the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust.

The fabric is printed in the UK and the shorts made in Portugal.

Never fear, these aren't the below knee boardshorts of the type worn by teen beach bums. Here Riz Smith, founder of the business, explains what he aimed for in designing their shorts -

It all started with a boardshort dilemma. I had been designing boardies and swimwear for large brands for years and was frustrated by what was on offer and the ethics behind it all. It was either baggy, brash and too young, or boring, blue and too ‘dad’. There didn’t seem to be anything that mixed surf, sustainability and menswear together. Boardshorts are one of the coolest items of clothing you can own, period. The symbolize good times and beach trips. They are an instant holiday and freedom. I think that helped swing what type of company we started. A brand you want to live.

The shorts are made with obsessive detail from recycled materials. Riz explains -

We use a 100% recycled and recyclable polyester to make the shorts.  This fabric was originally plastic bottles. We offer a ‘Rizcycling’ scheme which encourages our customers to return their shorts once worn out. We will recycle the shorts for them and in turn give them a percentage off their next Riz purchase. Essentially we want to focus the entire product life into a perpetual 360 degree process. 

For me, these are a must-buy. If you agree, you can buy online here or go to a pop up shop open in London until the 30th June at -

1st floor above

Ben Sherman

108 Commercial St

London

E1 6LZ