This swimsuit was made by Canterbury. Christchurch manufacturer, Lane Walker Rudkin, first started making swimwear in the 1930s when Ernest Rudkin, son of one of the original founders, started to experiment with swimsuit fabrics. The prestige that LWR enjoyed in the 1930s with the Pacific Swimwear by Canterbury brand was due mainly to his ability. One of his major triumphs was the production of the first elasticised woollen swimsuit fabric in New Zealand. By the 1970s when this garment was made, swimsuits were made in bri-nylon. This became the default option for swimwear in New Zealand in the 1960s and 1970s. With its quick-drying properties, its durability and colour fastness, and variety of textures, patterns and rich colours, Bri-Nylon surpassed anything that had come before.