The fashion industry is one of the most polluting and wasteful industries in the world. Butt (pun intended) since change starts at the bottom, it seems appropriate that we start with our own by switching to supporting sustainable underwear brands.
As with most of our clothing related guides, we look for brands that prioritize more sustainable materials (natural materials are more important than ever when it comes to underwear), ethical treatment of people along their supply chain and a number of other criteria.
Our new Brand Rating System expands our consideration set to 22 criteria including important things like climate action and product performance. To learn more about this new system, take a look at our explainer here and look out for the rated underwear brands on the list below who are taking that extra, brave step of being transparent about their sustainability journey.
In this article, we’re sticking to the bare basics but if you’re looking for something a little sexier (but no less ethical), take a peek at our list of sustainable lingerie.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
The Best Ethical Underwear Brands
The Very Good Bra offers ethically made underwear (made by suppliers that are independently audited and WRAP, SMETA or BSCI certified) that can be fully composted at the end of life. The Very Good Bra is one of our top rated brands.
Paka offers underwear for both men and women that is made predominantly from fully traceable alpaca wool. They prioritize ethical sourcing, fair labor, and a strong focus on improving the conditions for the Peruvian communities where they operate. Paka has been comprehensively rated by us on their sustainability credentials – find the full rating here.
Subset is another personal favorite of ours, thanks to tiny but mega comfort-enhancing features AND the fact that we know that once they wear out, we can send them back to Subset for recycling.
Index: Eco-friendly Underwear Brands
- The Very Good Bra Jump to brand
- Paka Jump to brand
- TomboyX Jump to brand
- Pact Jump to brand
- WAMA Jump to brand
- Subset Jump to brand
- MARY YOUNG Jump to brand
- MeUndies Jump to brand
- Not Basics Jump to brand
The Very Good Bra
Circular
All or some products are circular in nature - such that no part of the product needs to end up in landfill at the end of its life
Compostable
All or some products are compostable, either in an industrial facility or at home
Ethical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.
Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxic
Organic
Products are made from organic materials.
PFAS Free
Products have been tested and verified to be free of PFAS
Plastic-free
All products are entirely plastic-free
Small business
This brand is a small business run by less than 15 people
Sustainable Materials
Either all or most products are made with sustainable materials
Thoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
Traceable Supply Chain
Brand is able to fully trace their entire supply chain from end to end.
Vegan
This brand does not use any animal products or by-products in their products
Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
Zero Waste
Products are made with a low or zero waste approach where ideally no or limited waste is created throughout the production process or at the end of life.
B Corp
BCSI
GOTS
OEKO-TEX 100
SMETA
WRAP
The Very Good Bra make underwear including bras, briefs and Big Knickers, with a flattering high-waist, modern cheek coverage, and wide hip cuts for maximum comfort.
The Certified B Corp’s zero waste underwear is made from either organic cotton or Lenzing TENCEL™ fibers.
Bra elastic is made from natural tree rubber knitted into organic cotton. They do use a synthetic elastic in their briefs, but it’s Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified and breaks down safely. You can cut it up and add it to your home compost, where it will take 18-24 months to break down. If you’re in Europe, this elastic has a take-back program.
Every component (soy ink labels to special organic cotton hooks and cellulose sewing thread) is designed to break down.
Production takes place in Sri Lanka at a WRAP-certified and SEDEX-audited factory that pays 75-100% above the local minimum wage, and provides free transport, free medical care, and subsidized food.
For warehousing and fulfillment, TVGB partners with Avenue, a social enterprise that offers employment opportunities to people of all abilities.
The Very Good Bra has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
My Personal Review Of The Very Good Bra’s Underwear
“I’ve been testing The Very Good Bra’s 100% Tencel undies in black (both the bra and the undies) and find the fabric delightfully soft and comfortable. The bra can be fully adjusted and it’s amazing the support Stephanie (TVGB founder) has been able to achieve without any wire or cups. The undies are super delicate and comfortable on – they’re boy-leg briefs which is not what I would usually go for as I need things to stay in place when I’m out running and what-not but for inactive days, these do a pretty good job of staying put. And I love that I can throw both into my compost bin when they no longer serve me.”
Review by Joy McConnochie, SJ Co-Founder
Paka
Compostable
All or some products are compostable, either in an industrial facility or at homeEthical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.
Handcrafted
Products have been made by hand, typically by an artisan or group of artisans.
Locally Made
Products are made local to the brand's headquarters.
Recycled materials
Some or all products are made with recycled materialsThoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
B Corp
GOTS
OEKO-TEX 100
Paka’s sustainable underwear is made with 95% sustainable materials including: 48% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 33% organic cotton, 14% Royal Alpaca. The remaining 5% is spandex for a bit of stretch.
The Women’s Essential Scoop Bralette and Mid-Rise Brief are designed for comfort and breathability. The Royal Alpaca adds softness and helps regulate temperature, while the organic cotton and TENCEL™ Lyocell offer moisture-wicking and durability.
The alpaca fiber used is sourced through Paka’s Traceable Alpaca Program, which links each product to the GPS coordinates of the specific herd in Peru. The company works directly with Indigenous artisans and traditional Inca herders, providing fair wages, training, and support to preserve cultural practices.
Alpaca wool is OEKO-TEX certified and the dyes used are GOTS and OEKO-TEX certified.
Paka is a Certified B Corp and allocates 1% of its revenue to Peruvian community programs.
Paka has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
TomboyX
TomboyX has not been rated.
Price Range: $35-$77
tomboyx’s mission is to “promote self-acceptance through radical comfort and inclusivity,” and they cover our behinds with body-positive underwear and also offer loungewear, sleepwear, socks, swim, tees, tanks, and activewear.
Their underwear range includes bikinis, bras, bralettes, briefs, shorts, trunks, and even period underwear.
tomboyx’s underwear is mostly created with 95% OEKO-TEX-certified organic cotton and 5% spandex, but some designs are made with a blend of 95% TENCEL™ modal and 5% spandex.
This Certified B Corp pays its staff above-industry-standard fair wages and works with women-owned factories in Los Angeles, Vancouver, and China, the majority of which are WRAP and FLA-certified, and they visit regularly to ensure standards are adhered to.
tomboyx headquarters at a Gold LEED Certified building and undies come packaged in biodegradable zipper bags.
63% of their managers and 39% of their overall team identify as LGBTQ and/or minority. This inclusive line fits more bodies and genders (XS-4X). Activism for social justice, LGBTQ, and women’s rights are at the heart of the company.
My Personal Review of tomboyX’s Lightweight Rainbow Hipsters:
“tomboyX’s underwear is super comfortable and well-designed, and the hipster style strikes the perfect rise level on my waist—not too high, not too low. I especially like the waistband and how it feels a bit silky, so it never cuts uncomfortably into the skin. They do fit quite snug. I’m typically a small, but I followed their size chart and ordered an XS. While they’re still perfectly comfortable, I don’t need my undies skintight, so if I could go back, I’d stick with my regular size.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Pact
Pact has not been rated.
Price Range: $20-$115 (for multi-packs)
The maker of “Earth’s Favorite Clothing”, Pact is a one-stop-shop for all things sustainable basics, and that includes their eco-friendly underwear.
There are plenty of frills and no-frill designs to meet all your undie needs, from men’s boxers to the lovely Lace Waist Briefs that we personally wear—and love not just for the comfort of design, but the itch-free lace waist that adds just the right amount of sexiness to the overall modest design.
Most products are made from 95% GOTS-certified organic cotton, specifically long-staple cotton, blended with 5% elastane for stretch.
Pact’s Indian factories are Fair Trade USA certified. Each product page specifies the amount of water saved through organic farming practices and carbon offset per garment.
My Personal Review of Pact’s On The Go-To Rib Crop Tank
“Pact’s organic bras are a total game-changer. This one’s got 91% GOTS-certified organic cotton, 9% elastane, and Fair Trade certification—and it’s as comfy as it sounds. It’s like the perfect mix of a bra and a crop top, landing just below the ribcage and hugging all the right places. The fabric is breathable, wicks away sweat, and feels like a cozy second skin. I wear it all the time.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
WAMA
WAMA has not been rated.
Price Range: $26 (panties, boy shorts, thongs, bikinis) – $48 (bras)
WAMA’s sustainable hemp underwear is available in sets or singles, you’ll find every basic cut and shape possible for men and women.
The underwear is a blend of 53% organically grown hemp, 44% GOTS organic cotton, and 3% spandex.
WAMA’s Chinese factory is BSCI-certified and monitored for fair conditions by a team member permanently stationed there. They also have a supplier code of conduct for all entities, including the family-run hemp farms in China.
WAMA is a Green America Certified Business Member and ships the underwear wrapped in compostable recycled tissue paper and 100% recycled and reusable mailers from EcoEnclose or recycled cardboard boxes.
My Personal Review of WAMA’s Hemp Underwear For Women:
“I’ve been wearing WAMA’s thongs and hipster panties for years now and love the durable hemp fabric (that still shows no signs of wear after all this time) and comfortable cuts—no uncomfortable thong wedgies here! Even though the fabric is a little thicker than most, hemp’s moisture-managing properties make these perfectly suitable for even hot weather and activewear in my experience.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Subset
Subset has not been rated.
Price Range: $33 – $42 (maternity underwear)
NYC-based Subset offers a colorful mix of low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise thongs, bikinis, hipsters, and briefs. All Subset undies are made with 95% GOTS-certified organic cotton and 5% elastane, with fun colorations all thanks to non-toxic, OEKO-TEX-approved non-toxic dyes.
Their Indian factory partner is Fair Trade certified. It provides workers with a right to unionize, safe working conditions, and living wages.
Subet also offers underwear recycling through their Supercirle powered recycling program. Subset’s model diversity shows off their undies on various sizes of women to match their size 2XS to 3XL.
My Personal Review of Subset’s Mid-Rise Retro Brief & Mid-Rise Bikini:
“I wear Subset undies all the time, and they’re honestly some of the comfiest pieces of underwear I own. The waist is just the right height to give my tummy a gentle tuck, and I love the fully enclosed elastic hems around the waist and legs, which make for such a comfy, smooth fit—no annoying pinching. The fabric is incredibly soft, breathable, and feels awesome against my skin, even after tons of washes.”
Reviews by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
MARY YOUNG
MARY YOUNG has not been rated.
Price Range: $50 – $90
Canadian brand MARY YOUNG offers ethical underwear for women including women’s boxer briefs, bras, and panties (including lacy options that leave a little less to the imagination in a wide variety of cuts and colors).
An eco-essential, their best-selling Bodie Hip Bikini comes in a classic black or softer lavender, either one bringing out your feminine side thanks to the cute lace trim.
Solid styles feature an OEKO-TEX-certified blend of 95% bamboo and 5% certified elastane, processed without chlorine bleach or carcinogenic dyes. Less sustainable mesh designs are made from nylon and spandex.
All products are made and hand-packed for shipping in Montreal, Canada where the brand provides living wages and fair working conditions for all employees.
In addition to regularly donating to various organizations, their Self Love Club cultivates community via an online space where women can share anything from stories and poems to recipes.
MeUndies
MeUndies has not been rated.
Price Range: $18–$66 (for multi-packs)
A pair of MeUndies’ outrageously patterned skivvies come in as many as 142 different colors and prints. Whether you like to keep it to the bare (bottom) minimum with thongs, or want maximum coverage via their FeelFree Lace Long Boyshort, with a an ultra-long inseam that makes them easily double as lounge shorts and a “wedgie-free” design.
You can also “match your bottom half to your better half”, with their monthly MatchMe subscription for couples.
Their Core and FeelFree undies are made from 92% MicroModal® (from Austrian beech trees) and 8% elastane. Any lace, as in the FeelFree designs, is made of nylon. MeUndies uses low-impact dyes for their popping prints.
The MoveMe collection, on the other hand, features 70% Nylon, 22% elastane, and 8% recycled nylon so we suggest avoiding these styles.
MeUndies partners with factories in China, Guatemala, LA, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. Regular ethical production audits ensure the safety and well-being of employees, who also receive benefits like free meals and transportation.
Both men’s and women’s sizes run XS-4XL.
Not Basics
Not Basics has not been rated.
Price Range: $39 – $64
Turning deadstock into drawers, woman-owned Not Basics presents a modest but comprehensive collection of recycled material underwear that includes boxers, briefs, bikinis, thongs, bras, and bralettes.
You’ll always find them in classic black and white, but other colors regularly rotate based on limited deadstock availability.
Not Basics’ underwear is made from either deadstock t-shirt fabric, OCS certified organic cotton or recycled material (rPET).
Not Basics’ products are made in Bangladesh, Portugal and Turkey, most of which are SEDEX audited.
Hello! Does anyone know of a brand that makes sustainable thermal underwear? I live in the north and need that extra layer to stay warm!
SAME
I was searching for that. Haven’t found any. Bought then 2. Hand…
Sounds like a good opportunity for underwear brands! Perhaps Arms Of Andes? We feature them on a few other articles and like their sustainability credentials. Not sure about whether they’d fit the “thermal” bill but they do say on their website that the thermal capacity of their alpaca is 5x merino if that helps?
hello there!
could anyone recommend 100% cotton or hemp underwear? no elastane.i do not want my underwear to be stretchy.i want looseness and comfort.
thanks.
susanne
Hi Susanne, The only brand we’ve found is “The Very Good Bra”! Hope that helps!
Hi Susanne,
I recently found the brand KENT, and I think they might have what you’re looking for
!
Thank you for sharing. I actually highly recommend Au Natural undies that are made from merino wool. This is my favorite sustainable option!
The antimicrobial silver typeset thread label in my nylon / elastane underwear caused a serious burn on my lower back after wearing during an MRI. The label looks benign, but on sensitive individuals it can cause MRI burns
Hiya, I was quite disappointed to find that regardless of being totally “organic” or made from bamboo (which is ethically questionable due to chamically intensive processing) many of these brands still put actually plastic in the form of nylon or elastane into their products. Some have more of these in them than what you find at kmart! Maybe I’m missing something here but switching to an organic cotton just to have 10%of it replaced with nylon as well as the standard 5%elastane and shipping in an individual packet just looks like green washing to me.
Hi Laura,
Thank you so much for this comment. It certainly is timely, just in the last few days, I have gone quite deep into this topic, having been made aware of the various problems with bamboo in particular. It’s a work in progress for me and I plan to write a very detailed article on it soon (and to update this page with my findings). In the meantime, I’ll add a couple of further thoughts to your two points:
– Bamboo: Agreed, the ethics here can be super questionable. Here are a few articles I’ve read that I’ve found very helpful to try and untanlge this:
– https://www.biome.com.au/blog/is-bamboo-fabric-plastic/
– https://goodonyou.eco/bamboo-fabric-sustainable/
However, it seems bamboo that’s gone through a closed loop process is still viable from an ethics perspective, much like TENCEL (i.e. all the chemicals are recycled over and over again – not added to waterways and removed from the final fibre output) – see for example the Good on You’s assessment of Boody (on this list and very much promoting their products as “bamboo”) – https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/boody – see the point about the closed loop process (also the closed loop process is mentioned in the link above from Biome)
– Plastic derived fabric inclusion (nylon, elastane, spandex, etc.): This seems to be very difficult to avoid if you want to have any stretch in your undies. The only brand on this list that is fully compostable with no plastic included is The Very Good Bra (they make bras and bottoms), which are absolutely the most ethical as far as their materials go on this list. However they are still very new on the market, so if they are difficult to find in your area, my current view is that the next best thing is where the brand uses recycled plastic to make the fabric (e.g. they’ve used fabric made from ocean waste to make the nylon). There are a few on the list that use recycled material (e.g. Organic basics).
I do plan to research this a lot more and update this article to reflect more clearly which brands are compostable and which use recycled fabrics. Let me know if you learn any more on this, it’s always helpful to get more information!
Thanks again,
Joy
Thanks for this great guide, that proves that a sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle is possible without comprimising on quality and style. There are plenty of ethical brands already, and I think the number of options will grow over the next few years
Agreed, it’s pretty exciting to see the change!