Seven years. That is all the time we have left to meet zero emissions across the globe. Six years, 332 days and 19 hours, to be exact, until the Earth is beyond repair. And while 71% of global emissions come from just 100 companies, it doesn't look like they're listening, so it's time we take matters into our own hands.
The importance of cutting down on waste has only grown over the last year, as the use of disposable products increased enormously. Masks, wipes, plastic cups and cutlery, and god knows how many sheets of paper towels have piled up in our bins, much to the dismay of climate experts around the world.
Now more than ever, we must work hard to reduce our carbon emissions in any way possible. But you already knew that, or you wouldn't be reading this article.
One of the worst contributors to greenhouse gases - an ultimate cause of global warming - is the fast fashion industry, which accounts for 10% of all global carbon emissions every year. And at the rate the industry is going, carbon levels are expected to rise by 50% by 2030. In other words, drastic action needs to be taken.
There are plenty of ways to escape the claws of the fast fashion industry, such as thrifting or buying secondhand, making your own clothes, or swapping clothes with friends for a whole new wardrobe. All of these are great for the environment and are often better for your wallet too. In fact, if you double the number of times you wear a piece of clothing, you could reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by 44%. However, for anyone already dedicated to eradicating fast fashion from their lives, there is one area we are most often left stumped: underwear.
Underwear is one of those things you buy as and when you need it. Whether you've just found a hole in your lucky pair of undies, or you need to buy something sexy for your new beaux, purchasing underwear isn't something that is given a lot of thought - in terms of what you're wearing and where it comes from - or a lot of room in your budget. And even if those ideas are at the forefront of your brain while shopping, consumers can often fall prey to greenwashing: when a company uses certain language or visuals to trick customers into thinking the business is doing more for the planet than they actually are. In fashion, this is often seen when clothes are labeled with 'organic,' 'sustainable' or 'eco-friendly,' when really only a percentage of the material used is sustainable.
So what can you do? You go onto google and search "sustainable underwear." But there are so many contributing factors to remember when shopping sustainably:
"What is it made from?" "Where is it made?" "Who is it made by?" "Is the business ethical?" "How do they treat their staff?"
What a headache, right? So we've done you a favor and found the best on the market for you:
There is no surprise that Organic Basics is at the top of this list, as the brand is a visionary when it comes to sustainable clothing. Organic Basics have a persistent focus on ethical production, constantly finding new ways to better than they already are.
What are they made from?
Organic Basics create their products with organic cotton, which is grown on the coast of the Aegean Sea in the Mediterranean. The cotton is produced without insecticides and pesticides to avoid nasty chemical effects. They also use TENCEL™ and recycled silver for extra softness.
How are they sustainable?
The brand uses eco-certified processes to eliminate harmful chemicals and is completely transparent with its production line, from start to finish. They also set up the 'Organic Basics Fund,' which aims to give direct funding to projects which address environmental and social injustices and help fight climate change.
Where are they made?
Organic Basics make their clothes in factories across the globe, specially picked for their efforts in reducing their energy footprint and reducing waste. These are located in Austria, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, and Scotland.
Price
Men’s underwear starts from $20
Women’s bras from $50
Women’s underwear from $20
Colors and Style
The brand's underwear sticks to earth tones, with plenty of nudes. Each piece utilizes the traditional Organic Basics sporty style: simple yet comfortable.
Curated in Australia, Bare is committed to transparency and ethical production, as well as inclusivity in their actual designs. There is something for everyone on their site, regardless of size or gender.
What are they made from?
Bare uses bamboo to make their underwear, which is considered one of the fastest-growing plants globally. Bamboo requires no chemicals to grow and biodegrades much quicker than other fabrics. It is also antibacterial, keeping your nether regions clean in a safe way.
How are they sustainable?
Because bamboo needs less water and no fertilizer, this makes it a much more sustainable plant. Also, Bare products are Oeko-Tex 100 certification, which means the fabric used is totally free from harmful chemicals.
Where are they made?
Bare underwear is made in Bali, Indonesia. They have partnered with a factory that invests in sustainable practices to make products that are good for their customers and the planet.
Price
Bras start from $55
Underwear from $40
Colors and Style
While the design of Bare underwear is fairly basic, their inclusivity is not. Each piece is made for anyone to feel comfortable in, regardless of body type. The underwear is available in a collection of nude colors and a bright yellow too.
Born and raised on the West coast, Knickey underwear provides sustainable underwear basics at an affordable price. More importantly, they have now partnered with a local non-profit organization so that people across the US can safely recycle their old underwear, regardless of the brand, rather than them ending up in a landfill.
What are they made from?
Knickey underwear is another on the list that utilizes organic cotton, as well as 5% elastane for a little stretchiness.
How are they sustainable?
They don't use any harsh chemicals, including bleach or chlorine, and their GOTS (Global Organic Textiles Standard) certified cotton has a quarter of the environmental impact of regular cotton found in high street stores. The company is also a certified Fair Trade business.
Where are they made?
Knickey's underwear begins as non-GMO cottonseed handpicked in India, where it is then spun into yarn and crafted into underwear. However, all their products are designed, packed, and distributed from New York City, baby.
Price
Underwear starts from $13
Colors and Style
Knickey only makes panties, so if you're looking for a full set then this isn't the one for you. However, they have a range of different styles, and there is an option to save money when you buy a pack. The Knickey colors are also beautiful, with mainly brown and pink tones like 'butterscotch' and 'peachy keen'.
Lara Intimates Ava bra in olive
UK-based brand Lara Intimates takes girl power to the max, as they utilize a fully female workforce to make their beautiful mesh masterpieces. "It helps to have boobs," they say. Can't say we disagree there.
They also offer one of the world’s widest range of sustainable bra sizes, from 26A-36GG.
What are they made from?
Lara underwear uses deadstock fabrics to create their underwear and reduce material waste. This is all sourced from local, eco-friendly suppliers, who provide unused luxury lingerie materials that would have otherwise gone to landfill.
How are they sustainable?
The company saves all unused fabric to be recycled and also gives wonky or imperfect pieces a second chance at life through their 'Factory Seconds' range. They also use recycled material that would otherwise be left to decompose in landfills for hundreds of years.
Where are they made?
Everything is designed, crafted, and shipped from their studio in London.
Price
Bras cost $65 (approx)
Panties cost $27 (approx)
Colors and Style
Lara's distinct style incorporates the use of mesh paneling, giving customers the best kind of peek-a-boo there is. They create flattering lingerie in a range of colors, including olive green, cobalt blue, and blush pink. With Lara, it really is sexy to be sustainable.
Y.O.U are notorious for NEVER airbrushing their images, as the brand is committed to body positivity. This is reinforced in every part of Y.O.U production, even down to the little inspirational messages hidden inside the label (cute)!
As well as this, Y.O.U has a buy-one-give-two model, which allows shoppers to donate underwear to Smalls for All - a Scottish charity that aims to increase access to education and employment for vulnerable women and girls across the UK and Africa. So far, Y.O.U has donated 12,000 pairs of underwear.
What are they made from?
GOTS certified organic cotton. (*DJ Khaled voice* another one)
How are they sustainable?
Y.O.U are Peta approved, meaning they are a completely vegan company, as well as Fair Trade and GOTS certified. They will soon be introducing a new scheme for customers to recycle their Y.O.U underwear too.
Where are they made?
Y.O.U underwear works with India’s leading sustainable and ethical manufacturer to ensure everyone producing their underwear is paid and treated fairly.
Price
Panties start from $18
Bralettes start from $31
Men undies cost $23
Colors and Style
Y.O.U sticks to the basics, providing minimal designs for both men and women in predominantly neutral colors. They sell men's boxers, women's bralettes, and 4 different types of panties.
Wama is the only brand on this list that makes their underwear out of Hemp: a variety of the Cannabis plant species grown specifically for industrial use. Hemp is naturally antibacterial, meaning you can keep your privates clean without any effort. You should still wash, though...
How are they sustainable?
Wama is Peta approved and Oeko-Tex Certified, however, they are also a member of the National Hemp Association, meaning they support the growth and development of all aspects of the industrial hemp industry. As well as this, they are certified as a Green America Business, which means they have committed to making a positive social and environmental change.
Where are they made?
All of Wama's manufacturing is done in China, which is the world's leader in hemp textile production. However, Wama has partnered with factories that improve their employees' lives with fair wages and quality working environments. In fact, they even have a WAMA team member based in China to oversee the production.
Price
Men’s from $24
Women’s undies from $20
Bras from $38
Colors and Style
The brand boasts a plethora of different styles, particularly in their menswear. Sticking with the hemp theme, their color range is confined to green, black, and a light beige.
This brand offers something completely different: underwear made out of seaweed. Seaweed can offer a whole range of benefits when used as a fabric, as it is rich in essential vitamins and amino acids. In fact, seaweed can even help relieve skin diseases and soothe itchiness, making it the perfect substance to cover your nether regions.
Now, at first glance, it could be suggested that taking seaweed from the ocean isn't very sustainable. However, Alexander Clementine only harvests every 4 years, which allows the plants to fully regrow before each harvest.
How are they sustainable?
One benefit of using seaweed is that no chemicals are released as waste in the production process, meaning the company can claim high resource efficiency and low environmental impact. Not only is their fiber carbon neutral and completely biodegradable, but it is also Oeko-Tex Class I certified, so it's completely void of nasty chemicals.
Where are they made?
The brand sources its seaweed exclusively from the Icelandic Fjords, where there are minimal water contamination and zero pollution from ship traffic. In other words, the seaweed is thriving. After that, all Alexander Clementine pieces are designed and made in London.
Price
Bras start from $48
Panties start from $48
Colors and Style
The iconic Alexander Clementine bralette comes in the colors lilac, light blue, green, and black, each embellished with the famous brand patch to give each piece that extra bit of authenticity. They also offer high-waisted undies and thongs in the same colors.
Mary Young Remi Bra in black
Made from an organic bamboo knit, Mary Young underwear celebrates the natural human shape in all of its glory, with body positivity lying at the heart of the company as one of its main principles.
However, Mary Young is about more than just underwear. They recently launched the Self Love Club to open up a conversation about self-love and acceptance, and encourages everyone to love their body as much as they like dressing it!
What are they made from?
Mary Young uses organic bamboo knit, soft mesh, and custom elastics to offer stylish and stretchy underwear. However, not every fabric is accounted for on their website, so they're completely transparent as a brand.
How are they sustainable?
Mary Young is also OEKO-TEX® certified, and none of their fabrics include chlorine, bleach, or dyes. Although their bamboo is sourced from China, all of their garments are produced in a Canadian factory committed to ethical wages and working conditions.
Price
Women's underwear starts from $38
Women’s bras start from $50
Men's underwear from $34
Colors and Style
Mary Young is not just about sustainability or practicality, but also about sexuality and feeling confident in your underwear. Their styles are sexy and come in a whole range of colors - from reds and blues to greys and beiges. They also offer bodysuits, for customers who want to take their lingerie out of the bedroom...
Boody underwear was founded by two Australian besties 9 years ago and remains a family-owned business with sustainability and simplicity at the core. Boody's seamless designs and breathable bamboo fabric make their undies perfect for sports enthusiasts, busy bees, and people constantly on the go.
How are they sustainable?
Boody underwear is made from sustainably-grown bamboo, the wonderful self-replenishing plant which is popping up everywhere you go. It requires a fraction of the amount of water used to grow cotton, and Boody's bamboo has been certified as organically grown by Ecocert. They are also OEKO-TEX, PETA and WRAP certified.
Where are they made?
The brand's headquarters are located in San Diego, however, their products are sold from 14,000 retailers across 15 countries. The bamboo used to make their underwear is grown in China by the Hebei Jigao Chemical Fiber Company. This company has its own plantation in the Sichuan Province in China, to ensure each bamboo stalk is 100% naturally grown and free from chemical pesticides.
Price
Women’s panties from $12
Women’s bras from $17
Men's undies from $15
Colors and Style
Bamboo utilizes minimalism to bring you functional underwear that's kind to the earth. Sticking to neutral colors and sporty styles, nobody does basic better than Boody.
JoJoe Collective JJ5 Brief in forest green
JoJoe Collective reigns from the UK and offers affordable underwear without the high environmental impact. They also offer student discount with Student Beans, for anyone in need of a bargain.
How are they sustainable?
JoJoe Collective solely use recycled and recyclable materials to reduce waste, making the most of already-bonded seams and printed care labels and incorporating them into their underwear. What's more, all of their packaging is made entirely from recycled plastic.
Where are they made?
All JoJoe designs are created in the UK, then crafted in china. So if you're cautious about air miles, this might not be the brand for you. However, the factories they use are fully accredited to the highest ethical standard and are regularly inspected for conformity.
Price
Bras from $19
Pants from $11
Colors and Style
Focusing on bralette-style tops, JoJoe combines simple and sexy with cutouts and bright colors. Choose from greens, reds, blues, pinks, and black.
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