Our Favorite Sustainable Lingerie Brands Offering Ethical Underwear
It’s what’s underneath that counts.
by W&S Staff
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When it comes to sustainable and conscious fashion, many tend to forget how important our undergarments are. They’re nicknamed intimates for a reason, as they adorn some of our most sensitive parts. They are the first and last things we put on each day. Yet, they never seem to be at the forefront of conscious living discourse.
We’re here to change that. Learn why investing in sustainable lingerie when you can matters for both the planet and your vaginal health. Also, be sure to stick to the end to browse through our favorite ethical lingerie brands, perfect for your next restock.
What is Sustainable Lingerie?
So many of you might be asking yourself: what exactly is sustainable lingerie? Well, sustainable lingerie is undergarments that are made with the planet and people in mind. They are garments made with regenerative textiles and materials throughout the entire design process.
This type of sustainable underwear is always created under equitable conditions in which workers at every level of the supply chain are treated with the humanity and respect they deserve. This is where companies making ethical lingerie differ from established lingerie brands that have been routinely criticized for their unethical behavior.
With sustainable lingerie, you don’t have to worry about your underwear contributing to unethical business practices. This is because most sustainable underwear brands, like most sustainable fashion brands, tend to have these four things in common:
Fair pay and proper working conditions
Ethical lingerie brands NEVER participate in unethical practices like sweatshops or child labor. They intentionally build their businesses from the ground up with an inherent respect for human rights.
Use of biodegradable, natural, or recycled fabrics
When deciding whether a brand is truly committed to sustainability, look at the materials they use. The best materials are natural, plastic-free, and healthy for our waterways.
Cruelty-free and animal safe practices
Some of you might be surprised at the fact that many lingerie brands and fashion brands offering undergarments are not animal friendly.
Although some significant labels may not use animal-sourced materials in their products, they may still participate in “negative citizenship”, in which they lobby against calls for safer, more transparent animal welfare legislation within the fashion industry.
We define ethical underwear brands as those who not only refuse to harm animals in making their clothing but also won’t accept that behavior from others within the industry.
Why is Sustainable Lingerie Important?
The importance of sustainable lingerie might seem obvious to some, but it’s essential to go into the data on ethically made underwear regardless. For starters, underwear is a need, unlike other types of clothing.
This fact means buying, thus producing underwear, is not something that we can actually cut back on. Therefore, investing in ethical lingerie might help curb the fashion industry's current norms of excessive greenhouse gas emissions.
To explain, it’s currently estimated that the fashion industry produces about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and around 30% of global wastewater. The lingerie industry is a massive contributor due to the widespread use of non-renewable textiles such as polyester. What’s more, these numbers are only projected to increase.
Due to a shift in industry standards of size inclusion and overall representation, the industry has seen a considerable increase in Americans’ willingness to spend on intimate wear. This isn't a good thing if fashion standards aren’t radically shifted.
As explained by fashion expert and founder of EDGE magazine Rhonda P. Hill, the aforementioned massive waste output from the fashion industry is due to most brands opting into a “linear” supply chain model. This linear model encourages brands to operate as if there are unlimited resources by which products are made to be disposed of with no concern for their impact on the environment or the people who inhabit it.
In contrast, sustainable lingerie is created within circular supply chains. These supply chains are regenerative systems “in which garments are circulated for as long as their maximum value is retained, and then returned safely to the biosphere when they are no longer used”. As a result, producing ethical lingerie is less destructive to the natural environment and vulnerable communities than standard lingerie brands.
Another reason sustainable underwear is important is that the materials from which your underwear is made are essential in determining how healthy it is for your vagina. While many women are hyper-focused on how often they should change their panties, it’s not that important.
According to experts, factors such as fabric breathability are essential for ensuring our underwear allows for proper vaginal health. Therefore, natural fibers like cotton, common to ethical lingerie brands, will discourage moisture build-up and decrease our risks of infection.
There is a small caveat to cotton, though—it’s very water-intensive. Therefore sustainable underwear comes in handy as you can ensure your cotton underwear is good for you and the planet.
Further, ethical and sustainable underwear brands use less harsh dyes and chemicals in their fabrics. This is another health benefit, as these ingredients sometimes contribute to vaginal irritation. Thus, women with vaginas would do well to invest in ethically sourced underwear as much as possible.
Our Favorite Sustainable Lingerie Brands
The lingerie industry doesn’t have to be as destructive to our environment as it currently is. We suggest checking out these fashion brands pioneering better ways to meet consumers’ needs.
Proclaim
Why Proclaim?
Proclaim is an inclusive nude lingerie line made in Los Angeles from earth-conscious fabrics. They are founded on the principles that fashion should represent all women and can be made in a way that does good for people and the planet. Proclaim is expanding the definition of nude, one ethically made bra at a time.
W&S Approved Favorite from Proclaim:
3-PACK HIGH-RISE BRIEF IN BLACK, $88.00
2. KOTN
Why KOTN?
KOTN is a brand on a mission to change how things are made. Better for the people, better for the planet. Their products are made with the principles of considered design, relentless quality, honest value, and positive impact.
W&S Approved Favorite from KOTN:
Lounge Bra, $32.00
3. Cosabella
Why Cosabella?
Everything at Cosabella is hand-crafted by the finest artisans sourcing and producing the highest quality materials, a single Cosabella thong can take up to 10 hours to create. With roots in Italy, their deeply ingrained relationships with local experts have sustained since the brand's inception, over 3 decades ago. Through this, the Italian tradition of timeless quality and incomparable construction has been ceaselessly threaded within their lingerie.
W&S Approved Favorite from Cosabella:
Khana Longline Underwire, $120
4. Girlfriend Collective
Why GirlfriendCollective?
Girlfriend Collective views themselves as “the earth's number one fan”, so being eco-friendly is at the top of their priorities, as is giving you as much information as possible. Their clothes are made from recycled materials like post-consumer water bottles, fishing nets retrieved from the seas, fabric scraps, and other waste. What’s more, you can find the breakdown of each product’s makeup on the product page.
W&S Approved Favorite from Girlfriend Collective:
Copper Classic Thong, $18
