The foundation to a wardrobe that makes us feel confident and comfortable.
Whether it’s luxurious lingerie, supportive comfort or something in between, finding ethical and sustainable underwear that feels good, looks good and does good can be a challenge. Fortunately, we’ve spotted a few we thought were worth sharing.
Whilst the majority of brands lean towards naturally dyed crop tops and briefs in soft organic cotton, some have got innovative with deadstock and recycled fabrics to create more colourful and eye-catching designs. It can often be difficult to prioritise our underwear - if you’re anything like us that means the same 2 or 3 bras on rotation for longer than we’d care to admit… it’s good to remind ourselves that underwear is something we wear everyday. It’s the first thing we reach for when getting dressed and can empower the way we feel about ourselves, so it’s worth investing in from time to time.
Browse our Conscious Underwear Edit or read on to discover more about our shortlisted brands. Also view our Sustainable Underwear category on the Directory.
Vegan friendly, Renue combine comfy boyfriend shapes using innovative fabrics including TENCEL™ Lyocell and TINTEX (made from 90% Recycled Polyester and 10% Elastane using recycled consumer waste). Tops range from simple, soft triangular bras to thicker strapped, more supportive designs.
Renue are also transparent about their factory, providing the name as well as information about the demographic of the workforce here.
The Nude Label makes comfy basics in a range of shapes, sizes and earthy tones. Their underwear is all locally made in a family factory in Valencia from a mix of elastane and soft GOTS Certified organic cotton. Their evocation to natural beauty can be seen through their use of soft materials for that second-skin feeling. The Nude Label stock bodies, bras, briefs as well as mens options.
Organic Basics does what it says on the tin. Each piece in their growing collection of functional and sustainable basics is made from natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable and or low-impact materials. Although they don’t use wire, their designs cater for a good range of sizes and come in a range of muted colours, with prices starting from around £35.
Pico work directly with a small fair trade factory in southern India to produce their simple underwear, using organic cotton sourced from farmers’ cooperatives. Crop tops are designed with a covered underband and adjustable straps for extra comfort, coming in a lighter design for those who require less support, as well as a more supportive style with wider straps and fuller coverage at the sides and front. Mens jersey trunks are also available.
Pansy’s designs are minimal yet sturdy. No padding, no underwire, just organic cotton & elastic. Operating a transparent approach to production, Pansy’s organic cotton is grown in Texas and milled in North Carolina. The natural rubber/cotton elastic is made in South Carolina. The underwear is garment dyed with fiber-reactive dyes in a factory in Novato, CA before being sewn in a factory in San Leandro, CA, just a fifteen minute-drive from co-founder Laura's apartment.
Alongside bras, high-rise and low-rise briefs, the range also now includes sports bras, t-shirts, drawstring trousers and socks in their range of beautiful colours.
Lara Intimates offer one of the world’s largest range of sustainable bra sizes, from 26A-36GG. Their inclusive and colourful range, made from responsibly sourced deadstock fabric, is designed to give all women access to good fitting, sustainable bras - they have a size calculator and a virtual fitting option available to help you choose the right size for you. They operate a zero-waste policy for offcut materials and all of their bras are made at their all-female factory in London. Price start from £48, and their wide range of shapes, sizes and beautiful bright colours makes it easy to find something you’ll love wearing.
An early adopter of ethical practices when it comes to underwear, Copenhagen brand Underprotection make stylish, exciting underwear (as well as loungewear and swimwear) from recycled fabrics and organic cotton. Now a certified B Corp, founders Sunniva Uggerby and Stephen Rosenkilde started Underprotection to challenge the belief that sustainable fashion is dull, and their bold prints, bright colours and unique designs certainly do that.
Whilst their products are made in factories across the world, all are certified meaning they can guarantee proper working conditions and a fair wage - you can find lots more about their factory and production policy here.
Finisterre have a small collection of mens underwear and base layers, designed for those who spend even the coldest winter days outdoors. Their underwear is made from functional and sustainable materials, mostly Merino wool or bamboo. Now a certified B Corp, Finisterre are committed to making informed decisions about their impact on the environment and are constantly pushing boundaries with their products.
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