Sukumizu (スク水), short for School Mizugi (スクール水着, sukūru mizugi, lit. "school swimsuit"), is a variant of swimwear intended for use by school students during swimming lessons in Japan. They can come in the form of either a one-piece or a two-parter swimsuit for girls, the latter of which corresponds to a sleeveless shirt for the upper part; boys on the other hand generally wear swim trunks. They are usually coloured in a dark blue hue, are closely fitting, and have typical seam lines that run laterally across the chest for girls. The material is generally a mixture of synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester. The sukumizu emerged in the late 1950s as nylon became available, which allowed for flexibility and stretchability. Until then, suits consisted mainly of cotton and acetates. With the opening of the first factories that were able to manufacture using the new material, a lucrative business was formed, and many traders formed a direct relationship with school...