What we wear every day changes all the time: hoodies, t-shirts, crop tops; it is never the same. However, there is one thing that we wear constantly: underwear. Underwear should be of high quality and comfortable, and – of course, ideally – be sustainable.
There are a growing number of brands that are now making sustainable and ethical underwear. Let’s take a look at some brands
Woron
Let’s start off with the first brand: Woron. This brand is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and is a collaboration between two sisters – Arina and Anya Woron.
This brand keeps sustainability in mind throughout the whole production process; from the design up until the transportation. Slow fashion is at the core of their design process. Woron creates timeless pieces that are meant to last for a long time, and the brand does not adhere to the trend cycles. Additionally, the brand is completely plant-based and cruelty-free.
The brand does not use any toxic chemicals or toxic dyes. The dyes that the brand uses are certified, and are non-toxic and allergy-friendly.
For the fabrics of the underwear, the brand uses GOTS certified organic cotton and Lenzing Modal. Both these materials have been discussed in previous posts so I will only discuss them shortly (as will be the case for most of the materials of each brand). Organic cotton is free from any toxic substances and is grown with less water than regular cotton. The GOTS certifications ensure that the cotton is sustainably and responsibly produced. Moving on Lenzing Modal is a fiber made from Beechwood. Beechwood is sourced from a sustainable plantation. The fibers used for Lenzing Modal are produced in a carbon-neutral way.
If you want to shop at Woron please take a look at their website by clicking here.
Organic Basics
Another Copenhagen-based underwear brand is Organic Basics. This brand makes super comfortable everyday underwear from organic materials (as you might have guessed seeing the name) for both men and women. As stated on their website sustainability is the core mission of the brand.
The brand has what they call a “low impact website”. This concept was previously unknown to me, but it is very interesting. The website does several things to ensure the lowest impact including not loading pictures unless the visitor requests them, and minimizing the power consumption of the device of the user. For more information on this low-impact website of Organic Basic please click here.
To ensure sustainable and responsible practice Organic Basics works with trusted and certified factories. These factories are focused on continuously reducing their environmental footprint and ensuring safe and healthy working environments.
Moving on, let’s take a look at the materials that Organic Basic uses in their underwear. The brand works a lot with recycled materials including wool, cashmere, and nylon. Just like Woron, Organic Basic also uses organic cotton. Two materials are used by the brand that have not been discussed before: SilverTech™ and Polygiene®. These materials are primarily used to keep the products odorless and fresh for longer which allows you to wash the product less (which is intended only for their t-shirts and socks). These materials also do not contain any nanoparticles that can be washed off and end up in the environment.
To shop Organic Basics please visit their website.
WAMA
The next sustainable underwear brand that we will discuss is WAMA which is founded by Shakib Nassiri and is located in the USA. This brand makes underwear for both men and women.
WAMA is a pioneer in using hemp in underwear. All their underwear contains hemp because of the amazing materials the fabric has. The fabric is naturally antibacterial, soft, and breathable. Moreover, hemp is one of the most sustainable fibers to grow, seeing as it uses little water and pesticides, and returns valuable nutrients back to the land. Besides, hemp also uses relatively less land to grow compared to other crops such as cotton, and it can grow under most circumstances.
The underwear of WAMA is made out of a blend of a combination of hemp and organic cotton, and in some pieces, a little spandex is used.
The products are manufactured in China where the hemp is grown on small family-owned farms. All the factories that the products are made in need to uphold the strict code of conduct to ensure safe and healthy working conditions.
WAMA ensures the sustainable and responsible production of its products through the use of different certificates.
If you want to shop WAMA please visit their website by clicking here.
Uye Surana
The fourth brand that we will discuss falls more in the category of lingerie instead of comfy underwear. This brand makes lingerie for women. Uye Surana is founded by Monica Wesley and is based in New York City. Monica established Uye Surana as a means to express her artistic nature. The pieces are of high quality and the brand has a very inclusive size range.
Uye Surana has partnered with a small family-owned farm and factory in Columbia. There the ethical standards are upheld and safe and healthy working conditions are ensured. Once the pieces are manufactured, they are transported back to New York so the design can be printed. This is done through a process that does not use any water or excess dye.
The brand also creates lingerie only in small batches to ensure that there is no overproduction. For the shipping of the products, Uye Surana uses recycled materials in order to minimize the impact of the brand.
If you want to shop Uye Surana please visit their website.
Saint Basics
The last brand, Saint Basics, is a Dutch brand chosen specially for the boys and those who like to wear boxers (because I do), but the brand also has women’s underwear. The brand’s mission was to not only create comfortable and feel-good underwear but also to try and change the textile industry.
The products of Saint Basics are 95 percent more environmentally friendly than other brands and products. Moreover, the brand is 100 percent pesticide-free and uses no child labor, sweatshops, and unfair trade.
Some of the materials that the brand uses are organic cotton and TENCEL Eucalyptus.
If you want to shop at Saint Basics please visit their website.
