Hands up, who’s found it difficult to find good, ethically-made lingerie? Yeah, me too. My collection started slow, with a few underwear sets in sustainable fabrics, but thankfully the number of ethical undie makers has grown, and I’m excited to finally bring you this much sought-after guide!
As I’ve said in my previous sustainable shopping guides, it’s easier to make an ethical t-shirt than it is to create a more complex piece, like shoes, or a bra. If you think about it, a bra is actually quite technical! You’ve got to think about the fabric, the elastic, the clasps, the straps, the cups… Oh and the fit!
I believe this is one of the reasons why there’s been a general lack of ethical options out there, but with some fervent searching, I’ve now been able to curate a full underwear-drawer full of fairly made pieces, and with it, this guide of the best places to update your underwear sets.
What To Look For In Sustainable Underwear
So, when it comes to sustainable fashion in general, there are a few things to look for:
- Publicly-available information on fair labour practices, wages, and treatment of staff
- US and European factories (although this doesn’t always guarantee fair labour)
- And of course, knowing that you really need a new piece – overconsumption isn’t ethical either
Alongside looking for all the above, it’s quite important to choose underwear made from natural materials. My reasoning is two-fold: first, save the planet. Natural materials are renewable and biodegradable. Second: these materials will be against your skin all day, so you probably want something that’s natural and more breathable than plastic-based fibres.
For me, the best sustainable fibres found in underwear are:
- Organic cotton
- Wool (or like Organic Basics, recycled wool)
- Silk (although there are issues around how silk is sourced)
Of course, there are plenty of other fibres that you’ll find being used too. Make It Last created a great guide to viscose, modal, lyocell, and Tencel, which all creep up under the natural fibre category, but in fact use a lot of chemical processing to turn wood and bamboo into these fabric threads.
So perhaps the middle-ground is recycled materials. They’re low in their environmental impact, and they tend to be recyclable once they’ve reached the end of their lifespan too.
And of course, there will usually be some kind of stretchy material involved too. These are complex pieces after all, so I’ll leave it to you to decide which materials you prefer.
What’s In My Lingerie Drawer…
So, while I tend to be quite a private person, I’ve dared to “bare all” in this post. I’ve shared my first ever photos that show my underwear (stretch marks and all) and I’m also going to talk about my own underwear collection.
Black basic bra and briefs from Boody
Boody was my first foray into sustainable undies, and I started with a basic black set. Made from bamboo-based lyocell-fibre, I was torn about the material, but three years later and I’m still wearing the set, and they really are as good as new! If you’re looking for long-lasting underwear, I’d highly recommend them. In fact, the grey set shown above is also Boody, which I invested in a few years later (and am wearing now as I type this!)
Lingerie set from Wildness
My latest lingerie set comes from Wildness, a new ethical underwear brand that started up last year. They’re based in Brighton, and even took part in Sustainable Fashion Week Brighton 2024! This independent brand produces beautiful, plastic-free underwear. I have the Spirit set and can attest to its style and comfort.
Thong set from Organic Basics
Organic Basics is one of my favourite brands for basics, and that goes for their underwear too. I have recently invested in a new set of thongs* from them, these are some of the comfiest I own. I really like that these are 95% organic cotton for both breathability and sustainability!
17 Of The Best Sustainable Lingerie & Underwear Brands
Alongside my own favourites, here’s a run-down of the best ethical lingerie brands available in the UK:
Ayten Gasson: Luxury handcrafted lingerie and nightwear, designed and made in their Brighton studio.
BAM*: Bamboo-based briefs alongside their yoga wear and crop tops.
Bedstraw + Madder*: Colourful underwear made from traceable cotton with non-toxic dyes.
Boody*: Underwear basics made from bamboo fibres (rayon) and nylon. Read my full review →
ColieCo: Ethical lingerie with playful and cheeky prints, made in Portugal.
Eno: Eco-friendly bras for people with one breast who do not wear a prosthesis.
Gilda & Pearl: Luxury lounge clothes and lingerie by a B-Corp Certified brand.
JulieMay Lingerie: Ethically made, pretty bras and briefs made with sustainable materials that are allergy friendly.
Nudea: Sumptuous sustainable sets at mid-range prices, with their own bra-recycling scheme.
Organic Basics*: Underwear essentials made fairly from sustainable materials.
Peachaus*: Pretty lingerie sets made with recycled nylon and recycled Italian lace.
Pico: Organic cotton underwear, focusing on traditional artisanal techniques and supporting those communities.
Semi/Romantic: Italian-based lingerie brand working with European producers to make soft and cup bras in dreamy pastels with eco-friendy lace.
Stripe + Stare*: B-Corp certified underwear brand making super soft knickers with Tencel!
Subset*: Everyday bras and briefs in a range of colours and sizes from 2XS – 3XL.
Wildness: Elegant, elastane-free underwear in classic styles, made thoughtfully in Europe.
Y.O.U: Organic, Fair Trade certified and PETA approved vegan underwear, giving two pairs to charity for every purchase.
What About Period Pants?
A little extra note on period pants – which are something I get asked about a lot! While I haven’t been able to find any ethically-made period pants (the majority are made overseas, without much clarity around their labour practices), I do use period underwear which are washable and reusable.
Period pants are a sustainable alternative to mainstream period products, so if you’re set on having greener periods, try my faves – ModiBodi – which were kindly gifted to me, or another product such as a menstrual cup, or organic cotton products from Grace & Green or TOTM*.
