When shopping sustainably, the number one rule is to buy less overall. But there’s one clothing category where this rule can be a bit more difficult to live by: underwear.
We all wear it (unless you prefer going commando, no judgement here). But it’s one of those items, like socks, we hate spending money on. Secondhand underwear probably doesn’t sound very attractive for hygienic reasons, so to help you and your butt live a more sustainable life, Stitch Up! has rounded up our favourite affordable sustainable underwear brands.
Mighty good basics
The main focus for this brand is not just providing organic and fair trade underwear for men and women, but also making it affordable. Using Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified cotton for all of its products, we can tell they love the planet. They also love their employees, going the extra mile to ensure good labour conditions. Women’s briefs are currently on sale and only £9, and tops a decent £12. Men’s boxers, extra fabric and all, are slightly more expensive at £15 – but still a fair price for good quality. Sizing ranges from 6/8 to 20/22 for women and XS to XXL for men.
Saint Basics
This Dutch brand will make your eco-friendly heart beat a little faster. They use organic cotton and renewable energy and are also listed by PETA as vegan. While sticking mainly to the basics, they offer a few more colourful and patterned options. Women’s briefs cost €20 (£17) and bralettes are set at €39 (£33). Men’s underwear ranges from €22-€25 (£19-21) depending on length. Their products are available from XS to XL for women and S to XXL for men. The downside? We believe their sizing could be more inclusive and their social media pages lack a body positive branding – leaving room for improvement overall.
Knickey
This Australian brand focuses on women’s underwear only. Their cotton briefs are up to the GOTS and renewable energy is used throughout the supply chain. What’s also worth a mention is their Fairtrade International certified factories. All briefs – whether they’re thongs or high-waisted – are $14AUD (£7.64) and bras go for $48AUD (£26.21). Its sizes range from XXS to XXXL, making it more inclusive than some other brands on this list.
Honest Basics
Why do all these brands have “basic” in their name? Who knows. But there’s nothing basic about this German brand’s love for the environment, going above and beyond to limit their impact. They’re also dedicated to monitoring health and safety issues in their supply chain. They sell male underwear only and a three-pack costs €18 (£15). Unfortunately, again, their body positive branding on socials… not so great. Is it really that difficult to do it all?
Organic Basics
It’s all in the name. This brand offers a sustainable collection of the basics, as you can tell by their colour scheme of black, white and nudes. The Denmark-based brand ships internationally. In their products, they use a high proportion of eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton – limiting their use of chemicals and water in the production process. Within their supply chain they use renewable energy to reduce their impact on the environment as much as possible. For women, briefs are sold in £30 packs of two and bras start at £30, with sizes ranging from XS to XL. The male collection, consisting of darker coloured boxers, offers £35 packs of two.
Etiko
This Australian designer brand’s underwear is ethical through and through. Their materials are sustainable, they limit their textile waste and are Fairtrade International certified. What’s not to love? Men’s underwear might seem expensive at $22.50AUD, but that’s only about £12. Women’s on the other hand, are only $13.50-$17.50AUD (£7-£9), a bargain if you ask us. Sizes for men are S to XXL and for women 6 to 20.