11 Sustainable Underwear Brands For The Conscious Woman

The people at Pact have kept it simple since the start. Their ingredients are more biodegradable than your average undergarments, and the manufacturing process features no toxic pesticides or dyes. The company produces an “impact” report showing its energy and water use, all to highlight how much water and power the company is saving.

Pact mostly focuses on sports underwear, and it sells up to very large sizes for larger women. This brand’s offerings for men are a little thin on the ground, but what is available is organic and fair trade. In comparison to some of the other sustainable underwear brands, Pact might seem a little underwhelming, but it certainly deserves credit for trying, even if the results are not always top-notch.

When most people think of sustainable underwear brands, they think about sourcing, carbon footprints, and so forth. Yet, Organic Basics puts a larger emphasis on usability and lastability. This brand’s premise is that you should spend a lot of money on underwear that lasts a very long time.

Organic Basics spins organic silver into its fibers, which makes the underwear far stronger than your average cotton underwear, and gives it an antibacterial element too. The metallurgical experts among you will know that the addition of silver means the underwear will degrade, especially if washed because silver biodegrades quicker than most metals.

Yet, in comparison to the average lifespan of your underwear, your expensive part-metal panties will last far longer. According to Organics Basics, the silver is sustainably sourced too.

This lingerie company uses organic bamboo in a very clever way so that no chemicals are released into the environment when it is processed. The bamboo also has ECOCERT and Oeko-Tex certifications. Like many sustainable companies, this one uses things like nylon and spandex in places but is mostly to keep the underwear affordable.

Unlike regular lingerie brands, Boody doesn't use metals or plastics. All of its products are free from clasps and underwires, which both lowers the amount of difficult-to-biodegrade components and lowers the overall amounts of chemical output and industrial waste. Boody also donates 1 percent of its profits to charity.

Underwear is perhaps the most important type of clothing and, therefore, it is essential to have an option to shop quality and affordable sustainable underwear brands. Everlane is among the most prominent proponents of sustainability in the clothing industry and its underwear collection for women and men is second to none.

The women’s section offers supportive and soft bras, made without wires and padding, several types of panties, including thongs. There’s also a range of body suits with both long and short sleeves. The men’s section features long and short boxer briefs. All items in the underwear collection are simple, stylish, and above all functional. They’re also affordable and available in many sizes.

Everlane supports radical brand transparency and is very open about the conditions its employees work in, the supply chain, and the methods and technologies used. The company uses organic and responsibly sourced materials.

Reformation is among the most dedicated sustainable clothing brands out there. It is all about the empowerment of women, environment consciousness, sustainable production, and ethical business practices. Also, it’s one of the oldest sustainable brands.

The brand’s catalog is completely dedicated to ladies who want to wear good-looking and well-made clothes without having to feel guilty. The Intimates collection offers polka dot pajama sets, basic bras, panties, thongs, bralettes, and slips. All are made of eco-friendly materials, and available in sizes from XS to L.

Reformation has an ethical factory in LA, where the employees work in safe and clean conditions, and earn living wages. Excessive overtime work has been banished from the factory.

Talking about sustainable underwear brands, we have to mention Wama. While not exactly as famous as Everlane or Reformation, this underwear-oriented brand is certainly among the most original.

Instead of cotton, Wama makes its underwear from hemp. The company explains that this great material is organically grown, eco-friendly, and can help us save the Earth. Wama also emphasizes the anti-odor and anti-bacterial properties of Hemp.

What’s more, all Wama underwear is made in China, where the company sources most of its hemp. All workers, regardless of their gender, are treated equally and paid living wages. All Wama underwear is PETA-approved and the company has the Green America certification. The company also has counters on its official website that track how much drinking water days and lightbulb hours it has saved thus far.

Tomboy X is there for the bold and adventurous ladies who refuse to conform to gender stereotypes. If you feel like wearing boxers, boy shorts, or trunks under your daily outfit or when you go to sleep, be sure to check out this brand. Of course, the catalog also contains  a wide range of bras, bikini bottoms, and thongs.

The most prominent feature of the Tomboy X underwear is the Pride Rainbow pattern that adorns a wide range of models. Tomboy X is also aware that women come in all shapes and sizes. Thus, the underwear is available in sizes from XS to 4XL.

Tomboy X emphasizes that its agenda has nothing to do with labels, initials or politics. The brand’s focus is on the fact that we’re all human, and that no one needs to apologize for who they are. The company is mostly owned and run by women, and it uses eco-friendly materials, such as MicroModal and Oeko-tex™.

Tomboy X makes its underwear in ethically run factories, and supports a wide range of causes and initiatives. It supports LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, equal wages and treatment for all people, and many others.

Etiko is among the most popular sustainable underwear brands from the Land Down Under. It offers both women’s and men’s underwear, as well as tees, bags, shoes, and other stuff. The company also has a dedicated kid’s collection.

Etiko underwear features completely organic and responsibly grown and sourced cotton. In the women’s section, you can find bikini bottoms, briefs, and singlets. At the moment of writing, there were no bras on the menu. The men’s collection features classic trunks, all made of cotton.

Etiko makes Fair Trade clothing that’s also organic, and eco-friendly. All items are made in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India, in ethically run, safe, and clean factories. All workers receive living wages, and are treated respectfully. The company has Fair Trade, GOTS, B Corporation, and many other sustainability certifications.

Even among sustainable underwear brands, unique companies are somewhat rare. However, Thinx approaches underwear from a completely different perspective – their focus is on women and girls on their periods.

That means that Thinx underwear is stretchy, comfortable, and made of high-quality materials. Depending on the model, they can hold between two and four tampons-worth, while still looking, and most importantly feeling like your regular undies.

Thinx makes its underwear in Sri Lanka, in a sustainable, ethically run factory. The factory is female-led, and the employees work in a safe and clean environment. All employees receive fair wages. Also, there’s free transportation, free meals, and regular fitness sessions.

Thinx plans to go zero waste in the next five years. Also, it recycles industrial sludge and makes it into paving bricks (more than 220,000 bricks have been made by 2020).

CUUP belongs to sustainable underwear brands oriented strictly towards women. The main characteristic of the CUUP bras is that they’re unlined and minimal in design. They’re also stylish and modern looking, as well as truly figure flattering. What’s best, CUUP offers them in sizes ranging from A to H.

CUUP bras are also free of padding, and feature significantly more discreet silhouettes. That means you can wear them under any clothes without having to worry about them.

CUUP also offers a range of bottoms. Four standard varieties are included – briefs, bikinis, high waists, and thongs. Similar to bras, they’re made of natural and eco-friendly materials. They’re also available in plus-size options.

The company uses sustainable and eco-friendly materials. It makes the clothes in safe, clean, and worker-friendly conditions.

Lara Intimates approaches sustainability from an alternative angle. Instead of the usual organic cotton/recycled nylon and plastics approach, Lara Intimates uses deadstock fabrics for its bras. All clothes is made in all-female production facilities in London.

The accent is on the comfort and proper fit, instead of flashy looks. That means that Lara bras don’t feature metal wires or padding-stuffed cups. Straps are made with quality hardware and offer ample support, while being tender to your skin. Band sizes go from 26 to 36, while the cup sizes range from A to I.

Briefs, thongs, high-waist briefs, and hipster briefs are also available. They’re made of eco-friendly and soft materials. Available sizes go from S to XL, meaning that even the ladies with more generous figures can find a good fit.