One of the things I’ve really struggled to find eco-friendly alternatives for is underwear! Alongside eco-friendly footwear it’s just difficult to find and not many companies seem to be making much effort to produce it. Having searched and searched my quest for eco-friendly underwear has not been that successful so far in high street shops, however there are a few great options available online.
What is eco-friendly underwear?
- Plastic Free (ideally)
- Made from sustainable, natural materials, organic… preferably
- Ethically made (fair wages, good working conditions etc)
One thing to bear in mind when buying underwear is that elastene (spandex), or something similar, is likely to be included. And unless you’re happy for your underwear to be loose it’s not hard to see why, even though elastene itself might not be classed as eco-friendly.
What is Elastene Fabric?
“This textile is composed of a long chain polymer known as polyurethane, and it is known in technical circles as a polyether-polyurea copolymer. Elastane is an entirely synthetic fabric; no organic materials are used to make this substance, and it does not exist anywhere in nature.” – Sewport
If you purchase anything after using one of the links below then I may earn a small amount of commission at no extra cost to you.
Women’s Underwear
Bra’s / Bralette’s
I’ll be honest, the options listed here are probably not so great for the larger breasted women out there… You won’t see many eco-friendly bra’s with underwire.
TENCEL™ Lite Bralette
- Material – TENCEL™ is an eco-friendly fibre made from ethically sourced wood pulp. These bralettes are made from 95% lyocell TENCEL™ and 5% elastane. TENCEL™ is softer, more breathable and more absorbent than cotton because it’s composed of very small fibres.
- Ethically made
- Peta Approved Vegan
Organic Cotton Triangle Bra
- Material – These bralettes are made from 95% GOTS organic cotton and 5% elastane.
- Ethically made
- Peta Approved Vegan
SilverTech™ Active Sports Bra
- Material – These sports bra’s are made from 88% recycled nylon and 12% elastane. They are treated with a safe, permanent, bluesign® approved recycled silver salt called Polygiene® – which stops the growth of odour causing bacteria on the fabric.
- Ethically made
Bottoms
Thongs are certainly not my knickers of choice these days. Give me a big pair of pants and I’m happy. If you prefer briefs, big pants or thongs there are eco-friendly versions for you.
TENCEL™ Bottoms
- Styles – Tanga and Lite Briefs in a variety of colours
- Material – made from 95% lyocell TENCEL™ and 5% elastane.
- Ethically made
- Peta Approved Vegan
Organic Cotton
- Styles – Briefs and Thongs in Black & Rose Nude
- Material – made from 95% GOTS organic cotton and 5% elastane.
- Ethically made
- Peta Approved Vegan
Invisible Cheeky
- Styles – Briefs, thongs, high rise and 80’s briefs.
- Material – made from 82% recycled nylon and 18% elastane. They “use recycled materials because they save water and energy. They also help divert waste from landfills and prevent CO2.”
- Ethically made
- Peta Approved Vegan
Eco-Friendly Lingerie – Recycled Materials
I think you’d be hard pushed to find eco-friendly lingerie made of natural materials at the moment, but I’m sure there are a few companies that are beginning to look into making more choices available. However there is some eco-friendly lingerie available in the form of recycled materials.
The following bras and knickers are made of recycled polyester material which would otherwise have gone straight to landfill.
- 91% Recycled Polyester, 9% Elastane
If it’s important to you to have an eco-friendly wardrobe at least you do have some eco-friendly underwear options available.
Make sure you check out the shop for links to more eco-friendly clothing suppliers for women, men and children.
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