This post shares the best ethical and sustainable underwear brands including period underwear. Brands that focus on environmentally friendly fabrics and practices, treat their workers with respect and still create high quality panties, bras, lingerie and underwear. There are options here for men, women and kids.
Wearing underwear and undergarments including bras, lingerie, and underwear can make you feel more comfortable, more beautiful and more confident. But choosing the right underwear brands is important.
More and more people are starting to look for ethical and sustainable fashion and clothing brands. But most people don't think about their underwear when it comes to these issues. Unfortunately, the fashion industry is notorious for being bad for the environment. The clothing industry produces a lot of waste and pollutants. It also relies on child and slave labour and often exploits workers by paying them extremely low wages while having them work in poor and sometimes dangerous conditions.
When it comes to the environmental impact, synthetics fibers like polyester and nylon that are commonly used in the fashion and underwear industry shed little plastic fragments called microfibers and microplastics when they are washed. In fact, in 2016, we released 1.3 million metric tons of microfibers and microplastics into the oceans. By weight, that’s equivalent to 141 billion plastic water bottles. You can help with this problem by choosing brands that use organic natural fibers instead of plastics-based polyesters.
The other huge issue in the fashion industry is how the workers are treated and the conditions they work in. That's why it's so important to look to brands who are using ethical and sustainable practices. Fortunately, in recent years there have been more and more underwear brands committing to ethical and sustainable methods. So you do not have to sacrifice fit, looks or comfort for your values.
In this post I will share 16 ethical and sustainable underwear brands including ethical and sustainable period underwear brands who are committed to treating their workers right and lowering their environmental impact by using environmentally friendly practices.
And if you are interested in ethical and sustainable clothing you will want to read my review of ethical and sustainable loungewear brands too.
Disclaimer: some of the links in this post are affiliate links where I make a small commission if you purchase the product through that link. This does not cost you anything extra and helps me keep this website running.
Table of Contents
16 Ethical and Sustainable Underwear Brands
1. Organic Basics
Organic Basics is one of my personal favourite sustainable underwear brands. They design all of their products to be durable and long lasting so that you don't have to discard them after a few years like most bras and underwear. They only work with trusted, certified factory partners who are also working to reduce their environmental footprint. These factories also ensure that their workplace is free of child labor and forced labor, their workers are surrounded in a safe working space, paid a living wage, offered employee perks like free lunch and childcare - and of course, they are treated with respect at all times.
Best For: Affordable underwear. Wide range of sizes.
Materials: GOTS certified organic cotton which is grown on the coast of the Aegean Sea without the use of harmful insecticides and pesticides to help prevent soil contamination and other harmful chemical effects. They also use recycled nylon, TENCEL™ lyocell, recycled wool, and minimal elastane.
Size Range: 28A–40C. Men’s sizes include XS-XXL and women’s sizes include XS-XXL.
Prices start at: $10 for underwear, $26 for bras
Green business practices: They partner with One Carbon World to be carbon-neutral. They are also working on reducing their carbon emissions and the goal is a 50% reduction by 2025.
Ethics and certifications: Certified B Corp. Vegan. Cruelty Free.
The brand works with European factories certified by GOTS, BSCI, and/or SA8000, and they regularly visit their factories to ensure worker safety and ethical treatment.
They also work with 1% for the Planet as a charitable partner, donating to Nordic Ocean Watch, Rewilding Europe, and the World Wildlife Fund’s regenerative organic cotton pilot project in Turkey.
Recommended products: Naked rib bralette, core rib thong, naked rib hipster, soft touch bralette, smooth bralette.
2. Parade
Parade is a brand that makes lingerie, underwear and bras as well as loungewear and body suits. They make products for both men and women. They use recycled materials to make their products including recycled yarn and organic cotton. They also use compostable packaging. They also have further goals to make their brand even more sustainable and eco-friendly.
Best For: Affordability. Comfort. Styles for men and women.
Materials: Their products are made of 80%-95% recycled materials with the goal to get to 100% by 2024.
Size Range: XS-5XL
Prices start at: Underwear starts at $8 and bras start at $32.
Green business practices: Parade produces limited quantities of products to prevent excess waste. All their packaging is either biodegradable or recyclable. They have a recycling program, Second Life, where they recycle as many pairs of underwear as possible—not just Parade’s, but any brand’s.
Every Parade product comes with a score between 0%-100% that shows its environmental, social and circularity impact.
They also have an actionable plan to be climate positive by 2025.
Ethics and certifications: All of their factories are WRAP, Fair Trade or SA8000 certified. All of their fabrics are OEKO-TEX certified.
Recommended products: Some of their most popular items include their triangle bralettes, ultra soft briefs, plunge bralette, and ultra soft thongs.
3. Pact
Pact clothing makes sustainable clothing as well as underwear for both women and men as well as bras for women. They use organic cotton which uses no toxic chemicals and 81% less water than non-organic cotton. They also work with fair trade factories to make their underwear and clothing.
Best For: Everyday cotton underwear. Mens and women's styles.
Materials: GOTS certified organic cotton.
Size Range: XS–XXL
Prices start at: $30 for bras, $14 for underwear
Green business practices: Carbon neutral. They use responsible packaging. They partner with Give Back Box® to provide an easy, zero-cost way to ship your charitable wearables
Ethics and certifications: They partner with Fair Trade USA, Global Organic Textile Standard and SimpliZero to ensure their products, and their processes, support both people and planet.
Recommended products: Everyday Classic Fit Bikini, Everyday Boy Short, Everyday Thong, Everyday Classic T-shirt Bra, and Everyday Double Scoop Longline Bra.
4. Boody
Boody is a sustainable brand for both men and women. They focus on sustainable materials by using organic bamboo. As well as cruelty free practices that do not harm animals. They also minimize as much waste as they can through innovative practices such as kitting their garments in tubes resulting in very little waste compared to traditional cut-and-sew manufacturing. Bamboo is great because it doesn’t require pesticides, fertilizers or irrigation to enhance its growth. Their packaging is also made with recycled, post-consumer waste by FSC-certified suppliers.
Best For: Bamboo bras and underwear. Mens and women's styles.
Materials: Organic bamboo.
Size Range: XS–4XL
Prices start at: $20 for bras, $14 for underwear
Green business practices: They only rely on rainwater for their bamboo and all water used in the production process is recycled and reused. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world and it also helps to prevent soil erosion by promoting better soil health and restoring its nutrients.
Ethics and certifications: Vegan. FSC certified. Ecocert certified. OEKO-TEX certified. ISO 14001 certified. ISO 9001 certified. Their suppliers have to sign a Code of Conduct to ensure fair, safe and sustainable work environments.
They test their products for heavy metals and other harmful contaminants to ensure product safety.
Recommended products: For women: Padded Shaper Bra, Hipster Bikini, Shaper Bra and Lyolyte G-string. For men: Men's Boxer, Men's Original Boxer, Men's Brief .
5. Subset
Formerly called Knickey, Subset make bras and underwear for women and men. They focus on sustainable materials and their certified organic cotton underwear uses non GMO cotton that is free from fungicides and toxic insecticides. The cotton is free to bloom naturally without intervention and is handpicked in India, creating jobs for local communities and preventing high energy use from traditional machinery like combines that is used in tradition cotton production.
Best For: Organic cotton underwear and bras. Styles for men and women.
Materials: Organic cotton.
Size Range: 2XS-4XL
Prices start at: Underwear starts at $18 and bras start at $48.
Green business practices: They are carbon neutral. Their orders are packaged and shipped from New York using plastic free packaging. They have a take back recycling program. They take returned under garments and turn them into new materials like insulation, carpet padding and furniture batting.
Ethics and certifications: Climate Neutral certified. Their organic cotton supply chain uses only Oeko-Tex certified dyes in processing which means the dyes are free from harmful chemicals, bleach, and heavy metals. Other certifications include: Global Organic Textile Standard, Oeko-Tex, Fair Trade International, and Forest Stewardship Council seals.
Recommended products: Low Rise Thong, High Rise Thong, The Triangle Bralette, The Tank Bralette.
6. TomboyX
TomboyX makes size- and gender-inclusive undergarments that are extra comfortable and come in a variety of styles, colours and patterns. Whether you’re looking for cute sports bras for working out, boxer briefs for lounging around, period underwear, TomboyX has you covered.
Best For: Gender inclusive underwear. Rainbow prints.
Materials: TENCEL™ Modal, OEKO-Tex certified cotton, and recycled polyester blends.
Size Range: 3XS–6X
Prices start at: $24 for bras, $16 for underwear
Green business practices: Biodegradable packaging.
Ethics and certifications: Certified B corp. Woman owned small business. BCI-certified suppliers. OEKO-Tex certification for all cotton products. The majority of their facilities are certified by WRAP and the Fair Labor Association, two of the leading organizations guaranteeing fair treatment and competitive wages for factory workers.
Recommended products: Modal thongs, Iconic briefs, boy shorts, boxer briefs, v-neck bralette.
7. Hu-Ha
Hu-Ha makes eco-friendly underwear that are really unique because they’re infused with zinc oxide, a natural anti-bacterial that aims to keep your genital area (ie. huha) healthy by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi.
Best For: Mineral bras and underwear.
Materials: TENCEL™ and smartcel™ which is derived from sustainably sourced wood pulp.
Size Range: 2XS-3XL
Prices start at: $24 for underwear and $37 for bras.
Green business practices: Plastic free shipping.
Ethics and certifications: They have partnered with Beam to donate 1% of every order towards four hand selected organizations.
8. Cosabella
Cosabella is well known for their beautiful bras, underwear and lingerie. This Italian brand launched in 1983 and their pieces are handmade in family-run workshops by local artisans using Renaissance-era techniques. If you are looking for something special for your wedding night or honeymoon, Cosabella lingerie would be perfect.
Best For: Luxury lingerie. Size inclusive.
Materials: Eco-friendly dies. Cotton, elastane, viscose, polyamide, polyester.
Size Range: 30A–40DD, 0–24
Prices start at: $28 for bras, $20 for underwear
Green business practices: Produce products in small batches.
Recommended products: Comfie thong, Forte bikini, Allure bralette, Allure Sleep Romper.
9. JulieMay
JulieMay makes high quality eco-friendly bras and underwear from certified organic pima cotton and 100% pure silk. This is one of the softest collections of eco-friendly bras and underwear available. In addition to their briefs, JulieMay carries a wide variety of bra styles including supportive underwire, sport, front fastening, and bralette. JulieMay designs are also made for sensitive skins and are certified Allergy Free UK.
JulieMay also focuses on unique issues that other brands tend to ignore including bras specifically designed for after surgery including post-surgery designs for those who have had surgery for breast cancer, cosmetic breast and cardiothoracic surgeries.
Best for: Sensitive skin. Wide variety of bra styles. Beautiful designs and prints. Bras for back support.
Materials: 100% pure silk. GOTS organic cotton.
Size Range: UK 8-18
Prices start at: $27 for underwear. $61 for bras.
Green business practices: They use a small vat of water to minimize water usage during the dyeing process. They ship in recyclable paper packaging. They only use eco-friendly detergents and softeners during the washing. No harmful dyes and bleach are being used.
Ethics and certifications: All products are handmade at their own production site that conforms to ethical, fair trade and sustainable standards.
10. Oddobody
Oddobody created their brand with one rule that their mothers taught them growing up: that underwear should be cotton. Cotton is breathable and compostable, so the fabric is ideal for healthy vulvas. With soft fabrics and comfortable fits, Oddobody is one of my favourite underwear brands.
They are a PBC, so the brand is committed to education, and each purchase comes with an artfully made body manual that offers body-related educational content that was developed in collaboration with experts in the field. Some of the topics include an intro to the pelvic floor, vulva care, and female sexual pleasure.
Best for: Comfortable, breathable cotton underwear and loungewear. They offer unisex styles.
Materials: GOTS organic cotton.
Size Range: XS–XXXL
Prices start at: $22 for underwear
Green business practices: Their cotton is grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers or GMO seeds and requires less water to grow compared to conventional cotton. Packing is compostable and inserts are recyclable. The underwear is also biodegradable once it's reached the end of its life cycle.
Ethics and certifications: Fair trade certified. Public benefit corporation (PBC). A portion of all proceeds are donated to organizations that focus on sexual and reproductive health.
Recommended products: Sleep shorts, thongs, and French cut underwear.
11. Azura Bay
There are so many great underwear brands on the Azura Bay site. Azura Bay is a curated collection of cute, comfy and conscious lingerie brands, pyjamas, and loungewear from a variety of companies focusing on eco-friendly fabrics and production processes. For my Canadians, this is a Canadian based website. They also donate a portion of each order to one of three organizations you can choose upon checking out.
12. Mary Young
Ethically made in Canada, Mary Young's pieces are designed to give the wearer comfort and freedom. While feeling stylish and beautiful in their bralettes, panties and loungewear. They make simple, classic designs that are accented with strap and mesh details to make these pieces unique yet comfortable enough for day to day wear.
Best for: Beautiful, unique designs.
Materials: OEKO-TEX certified rayon from bamboo.
Size Range: XS-2X
Prices start at: $32 CAD for underwear. $40 CAD for bras.
Green business practices: They reduce fabric waste by utilizing low-waste cutting techniques and creating limited collections with remaining deadstock and end-of-roll fabric. All orders are packed by hand and shipped in recycled mailers. They have partnered up with Carbon Neutral Club.
Ethics and certifications: Products are made in Canada in safe and ethical conditions.
Ethical and sustainable period underwear brands:
If you are looking for ethical and sustainable period underwear, here are a few options for you. Note that all of these brands are free from PFAS chemicals as well. If you want even more period underwear options I have a full review with 10 different brands.
1. Lilova
Lilova is a brand of period underwear who has a focus on sustainability. They are committed to empowering women and teens around the world and sustainability is at the core of everything they do. They have a goal of zero waste.
I recommend this period underwear over many other brands because independent testing shows that they are PFAS free and fluorine free. Their underwear absorbs u pto 5 tampons worth.
Best for: Period underwear and leak-proof underwear. Post-partum underwear.
Materials: Organic cotton, bamboo, elastane, nylon, 100% microfiber, breathable TPU.
Size Range: XXS-3XL
Prices start at: $34
Green business practices: The underwear are packed in an individual cloth pouches and their mailers are reusable, 100% recycled and recyclable.
Ethics and certifications: Products are hand made ethical working conditions that focuses on sustainable practices. Their employees are treated wth respect and paid well.
2. Bambody
Another brand of period underwear who focuses on ethical and sustainable practices. Bambody is designed in Australia and their underwear is made with bamboo. Their workers are treated very well. They are paid the award wage and the working conditions are very comfortable. They are also given 2 month’s holiday over the Chinese New Year – 1 month more than most businesses in China. Plus Bambody ensures that their period panties are PFAS free.
Best for: Bamboo period underwear.
Materials: Bamboo fabric, cotton, spandex, polyester, nylon.
Size Range: XXS – XXL
Prices start at: $9.90
Green business practices: The bamboo they use is grown without irrigation and no fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides are required.
Ethics and certifications: OEKO-TEX certified.
3. Revol Cares
One more period panty brand that I am happy to recommend is Revol Cares. All Revol undies are hand-made in Vancouver, BC. They eliminate any waste during cutting by recycling all of their fabric scraps. And pay all of their sewing staff local living-wages with full benefits. Lastly, if any flaws occur during sewing, they still finish the undies and immediately list them on their Bruised Peach sale, to make sure all undies end up at their forever home instead of the landfill!
Best for: Period underwear. Leak-proof underwear.
Materials: Bamboo, organic cotton, laminated organic cotton.
Size Range: XXS-7X
Prices start at: $24.99 - they have given me a 15% off code you can take advantage of as well
Green business practices: They use responsible production methods, eco-friendly materials and makes sure that materials are not wasted.
Ethics and certifications: They use OEKO-TEX standard 100 certified materials as well as CPSIA certified, GOTS certified and California Proposition 65 approved fabrics and materials.
4. Modibodi
Modibodi makes period panties with sustainable bamboo and merino wool and is packaged in compostable materials. They launched their first product in 2013 and initially started with making just absorbable underwear but have since expanded to make sustainable, reusable and absorbent apparel as well. They make products for a wide variety of ages including kids, teens and adults.
Best for: Period underwear. Gender inclusive products.
Materials: Bamboo Viscose, Merino Wool, Organic Cotton, Recycled Nylon
Size Range: 3XS–6XL
Prices start at: $17
Green business practices: They have partnered with Carbon Neutral to complete a carbon audit, giving the oversight of their greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021 they did a life-cycle assessment analysis to identify the environmental impacts of their underwear by reviewing raw material extraction, transport, manufacturing, distribution, customer use and end of life.
Ethics and certifications: GOTS certified organic cotton. They are committed to sustainable material sourcing and ensuring they work with ethical manufacturers.
I hope you found this helpful! If you use and love any other ethical or sustainable underwear brands please let me know so I can continue to add to this list.
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