Second Skin
- Hannah Tapping
- Aug 1
- 2 min read
Words by Hannah Tapping
Driven by experience and designed for women, Fulmar redefines what wetsuits can be.
When Jenna Goldsack set out to create Fulmar, her Cornwall-based wetsuit brand, she wasn’t following trends, she was fixing a problem. Years of renting wetsuits for cold-water dives had left her with raw, inflamed skin and no answers. “I’ve always suffered from eczema,” she explains. “Petroleum-based neoprene just didn’t work for me.” A chance switch to limestone neoprene, a softer, more flexible alternative, changed everything. No reaction, no hives. Just comfort followed by a lightbulb moment.
Drawing on her background in fashion and her upbringing in Cadgwith, the tiny fishing village on the Cornish coast, Jenna began designing wetsuits with women in mind: suits shaped to fit the female body, made from gentler materials, and field-tested in Atlantic waters. The full-length version includes reinforced knee pads, a practical back zip and a fit that’s close but not constrictive. “Most wetsuits are designed for men,” she says. “That’s why they feel frumpy. You end up with saggy knees and bunching under the arms.”
Fulmar launched with two carefully considered styles, a long suit and a lighter spring version, in just two colours and a modest run. Production is handled by a specialist factory in China, while fulfilment is done by Jenna and her family in Cornwall. “I didn’t want to overproduce or be stuck with excess stock,” she explains. “Everything’s small batch. I want to know every suit has a home.”
While Fulmar wetsuits aren’t marketed as sustainable, Jenna is clear about her priorities. “It’s about longevity. Better materials last longer, so you’re not replacing them every year.” Recycled yarns, headbands made from offcuts, and early experiments with Yulex, a plant-based alternative to neoprene, underscore her considered approach.
Fulmar’s focus is resolutely female. “Some men ask why I don’t make suits for them,” Jenna says. “But there’s already a whole industry doing that. I want to make something that fits women properly and performs under pressure.”
As the brand grows, that principle will remain the same. “I don’t want to produce thousands of wetsuits. I want to create ones that people buy and cherish,” she says. “It’s not about chasing numbers. It’s about making something that endures.”