We found the best ethical and organic underwear brands for every day – and every body type!
By Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi
Let’s be honest – we all have two sets of underwear in our drawers. One set is gorgeous. Delicate. Sexy. Lacy. It comes in siren hues like hot pink and scarlet red. It’s not sustainable underwear for every day, oh no. This is lingerie, worn on date nights, or special occasions like Valentine’s Day. Or when you just want to feel super sexy! It’s not practical. You need to wash this stuff by hand. But oh my – it has the power to take someone’s breath away!
The other set is humble. Basic. It comes in plainer colours, like black, nude or grey. It’s familiar; comfortable. We use it every day, so it needs to pretty much disappear under clothes. It’s possibly the most essential item in our wardrobe. It keeps the rest of our clothes cleaner, for longer. It makes us feel more at ease.
But are you wearing organic underwear brands?
Why Organic Underwear Is Important
You really should be. Undies – whether bras or panties – are clothes that are held tight against your most intimate places. Places with a lot of lymph nodes and sweat glands.
Why is that important, I hear you asking? Well, because some clothing has highly toxic stuff in it that your skin absorbs. Stuff like chemical dyes and finishes, which can include the carcinogen formaldehyde. These chemicals give off gases that can get into our bodies, as well as the water supply when we wash our clothing.
In short, conventional clothing—particularly underwear that sits right on the skin and on particularly vulnerable parts of the body—may also not be good for the wearer.
What To Look For
Be sure that your undies avoid the most toxic chemicals throughout the supply chain. These could be everything from fabrics to dyes to washes and finishes. Your best bet is to look for underwear certified through the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Keep in mind that smaller companies may not be able to afford certification, so they may simply advertise as being GOTS-compliant. In that case, look for Green America Green Business Network® Certification (greenpages.org).
Also look for companies that use low-impact, eco-friendly, water-based, vegetable-based, or clay dyes. Some may even obtain GOTS certification for their dyes. And of course, ensure your sustainable underwear was ethically made!
Too daunting? Don’t worry. We’ve saved you the work and found some of the best organic underwear brands for you, below.
The Best Organic Underwear Brands
1. Nudea
Understanding that a good day starts with good underwear, Nudea has created a line of B Corp certified organic cotton underwear that will be a staple in any conscious wardrobe. Whether you’re hitting the gym, lounging at home or hitting the town with girlfriends, their underwear has been designed to be functional and comfortable, sculpting your body to be supportive and flexible.
Made with 100% OEKO-TEX certified ribbed organic cotton, the range has everything you’ll need for daily living, from underwear and bralettes to a gorgeous cotton body suit.
Prices: From around $30
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Buying in multiples. Their 3 packs save you money!
2. Wama
Hemp needs little to no pesticide to grow, and is fully biodegradable. Not only that, but it’s soft on the skin, and has natural anti-odour and anti-bacterial qualities too! No wonder it’s becoming so popular in the form of underwear, as Wama knows well.
The goal of this sustainable underwear brand is to move the hemp industry forward, because Wama is truly passionate about all the beneficial qualities of the plant.
They provide hemp briefs, thongs, bikinis and boxers for both men and women that are perfect for everyday use. But what we love the most about Wama is their money-saving undies packs, which make a great gift!
Prices: Around $20 for a pair of briefs.
One of the best organic underwear brands for: The softest hemp you’ve ever felt, for men and women.
3. Boob
Boob isn’t just an organic underwear brand. It’s a platform for sustainable fashion for mothers all around the planet. There’s advice on what to pack for the hospital before giving birth; guides on how to buy nursing bras; a section on inspirational moms and so much more.
Yes, this brand is focused on moms (think: bras for leaky boobs, undies that support saggy tums), but there’s also something for every woman, no matter what their size or maternal status.
Fabrics include loads of organic and recycled cotton, Tencel, modal, and even recycled organic wool.
Prices: Around $59 for a nursing bra
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Moms and moms to be.
4. Organic Basics
This organic underwear label keeps ethical textiles and workmanship very much in mind. In fact, Organic Basics is partnered with factories that are committed to reducing environmental footprint, whilst providing fair labour to its workers. The use of organic cotton and PETA Approved fabrics are part of the identity of the brand’s underwear, which envelops the silhouette with a firm waistband and comfortably classic designs.
There’s more than just organic bras and panties available though: you’ll also find underwear packs, tees and tops, dresses and pyjamas, as well as a men’s underwear line.
Image credit: @jodeacxn on Instagram
Prices: Around $60 for a bra
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Women of all sizes. You’ll find sizes from XXS to XXL here.
5. Groceries Apparel
Oh, how I adore this label! I think it’s my favourite of all the organic underwear brands. But they make SO much more than undies!
In fact, Groceries Apparel is your one-stop shop for everything you need in your wardrobe, from tops and bottoms to outerwear or a gift for your guy.
And the company could not be more eco-friendly! They trace all their fabrics (including organic hemp and cotton) from the farm to factory, and only use 100% GMO-free, pesticide and herbicide-free, fabrics. And get this: they use vegetable based dyes, too!
And as if it couldn’t get any better, let’s talk about their designs. Their ethically made underwear is so stylish, you can literally wear it outside. Just look at that gorgeous tie-dye bra, below. Would you want to cover that up?
Prices: Around $40 for a bra.
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Buying all your clothing. From tights and tees to bras and panties, everything is ethically made from organic materials and dyes.
6. Le Buns
Clean, beautifully designed organic underwear is what Le Buns specialises in. Or, as their founder, Keisha Dessaix says: “Making beautiful garments without compromising the environment or people involved in the process is at the heart of everything we do.”
The Aussie-based label uses only GOTS-certified organic cotton to create its bras and knickers, which carry no toxic dyes or finishings, and of course, zero pesticides, too. Le Buns only uses thick, double ply fabrics to ensure your body gets the support it needs every day.
Prices: Around $40 for a pair of briefs, $80 for a bra
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Beautifully designed intimates.
7. Brook There
Beautiful basics with a twist is how I would describe the organic underwear brand Brook There. Only the noblest of materials – namely organic cotton and natural silk – are used. All of their garments are designed, cut, and ethically created in the USA, and when you make your order, it’s sent in Eco-Enclose recycled poly bags and recycled tissue paper. Another goal of the brand is to avoid single-use plastics at every turn. Great news!
Their styles are a notch above ‘basic’ – expect to find feminine details like bows and lace on these intimates.
Prices: From $28 for a panty
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Loungewear, as well as everyday underwear.
8. Aikyou
Are you a member of the ‘itty bitty titty committee’? Join the club! Aikyou defines itself as the “lingerie brand for small busts.” Which is quite welcome – for those of us with smaller chests, it can actually be hard to find adult underwear. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to buy a ‘training bra’ for lack of other options!
Of course, Aikyou’s elegant lingerie items are made with organic materials that are FairTrade certified, and align with the GOTS seal requirements as well as the Oeko-Tex Standard.
Prices: Start around $59 for a bra
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Petite figures.
9. Pact
Pact truly cares about providing access to an organic lifestyle for all people in society. That’s why they offer organic underwear, home items and clothing for both men and women at prices pretty much anyone can afford.
This certified B Corp works hard to ensure its entire supply chain – from the growing and harvesting of the organic cotton to the final sewing and all the processes in between – is as clean and responsible as possible.
Their organic underwear is minimalist, sturdy, affordable, and soft on the skin.
Prices: Start at $12 for panties
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Those on a budget.
10. Knickey
Knickey specialises in panties. They are all made in FairTrade certified factories from 100% certified GOTS organic cotton. Free from toxins, carcinogens, and other harmful chemicals, this is exactly the kind of fabric you want right against your most intimate parts all day!
Created by women for women, this is one of the best organic underwear brands for offering plenty of features that others don’t. For example: there’s a subscription service, bundle packages, and get this: a recycling program! Yep, that’s right – send Knickey your used knickers so they can be recycled, and you’ll get a free pair in your next subscription box.
Prices: Start at $13 for a thong
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Saving money when you recycle.
11. Skin
New York-based label Skin creates perfectly and beautifully cut tanks, pajamas and lingerie. While many organic underwear brands tend not to offer much enhancement to the chest, Skin makes flattering and elegant everyday basics that include padded bras. Yay!
Of course, natural materials and organic Pima cotton are the brand’s calling card. But they’re also well-known for their reversible designs and multi-way bra straps. That means you get ‘two’ bras and panties for the price of one. Bargain!
Prices: From $60 for a bra
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Getting two bras or panties in one, thanks to their reversibility.
12. Boody
Boody champions the benefits of bamboo yarn, since the plant produces one of the finest organic fibres for the skin. Simple, comfortable, and ethical are the characteristics that define this organic underwear brand. What I personally love amongst their offerings is the Padded Shaper Bra, which is easy to pull on, feels as comfortable as your own skin, and provides gentle support.
This is one of the few organic underwear brands that has thought a lot about what women don’t want in a bra. For example? Tight straps that dig in, tricky fastenings and wires – and just got rid of them. But if you’re looking for a bit of form, there’s plenty of padding – which you can also remove, if you so desire.
Prices: Bras start at around $16
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Pure comfort.
13. Araks
New York-based Araks uses the most luxurious Italian fabrics to create effortlessly chic lingerie. This is one of the most popular organic underwear brands with celebrities like Michelle Williams and Sofia Coppola. In fact, Coppola chose the label’s sexy briefs to star in the opening shot of her movie Lost in Translation.
Araks has received approval by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for many of their organic cotton styles, including this ‘Antonia’ bra set, below. In addition to both new and upcycled organic cotton, Araks also uses REFIBRA™ is a 30% mix of upcycled cotton and wood pulp that comes from sustainably managed forests.
Prices: From $22 for a panty
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Gorgeous colours!
14. Kent
This Californian label creates plant-based undies that gently caress your skin, since they are made out of compostable organic Pima cotton, blended with ZERO synthetic materials. All their dyes are even plant-based, which means only the most natural of materials caress your most intimate of places.
Kent has recently launched various shades, inspired by flowers, such as dusk purple (made with lavender flowers), field green (made with pomegranate) and sky blue (made with indigo). And did I mention that the brand uses zero plastic, anywhere?
Prices: Around $18 for a pair of knickers
One of the best organic underwear brands for: Being totally plastic free.
Did we miss any of your favourite organic underwear brands? Let us know in the comments, below!
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