What’s covering your bum is probably the last thing on your mind, but what’s “down there” deserves attention for several reasons (not least to avoid toxic chemicals) so here’s a brief (pun intended) list of the best organic underwear brands.
Our list of non-toxic underwear prioritizes brands that use organic fabrics and low or no-impact dyes and chemicals, along with more conscious production and supply chain policies.
We have rolled out our new Brand Rating System to expand our assessment of a brand’s eco-performance, including climate impact and product durability. For more information on this system, check out our explainer and look out for rated brands on the list below.
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.
Rated & Reviewed: Organic Underwear Brands
As the name suggests, The Very Good Bra makes very good bras (and underwear without elastic, of course) from compostable, 100% GOTs certified organic cotton, TENCEL™ thread, and neutral tree rubber. The Very Good Bra is one of our top rated brands.
Organic Basics makes a wide range of bras and briefs from predominantly GOTS certified organic cotton. Suppliers’ are required to adhere to toxicity standards: Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) standards and their own RSL (Restricted Substances List). They have REACH and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifications. Organic basics has been extensively rated and reviewed by us here.
JulieMay’s sexy underwear is made with GOTs certified organic cotton and mulberry peace silk. They have a delightful range to choose from and offer a wide size range. JulieMay has been extensively rated and reviewed by us here.
Index: Non-Toxic Underwear Brands
- The Very Good Bra Jump to brand
- Organic Basics Jump to brand
- JulieMay Jump to brand
- Subset Jump to brand
- Nat’v Basics Jump to brand
- Thunderpants Jump to brand
- Brook There 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 has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
With a name like The Very Good Bra, do we need to say anything at all?
Driven by her win against breast cancer, Stephanie Devine started the brand to create the world’s first zero-waste bra.
She went above and beyond, creating that along with 100% non-toxic underwear briefs that will completely break down in a worm farm after just eight weeks.
The Certified B Corp’s natural fiber underwear and bras don’t contain any polyester thread, nylon labels, synthetic elastic, or spandex/elastane.
Instead, they use 100% organically-grown cotton for the outer and liner, and Lenzing TENCEL™ thread. TVGB uses natural tree rubber instead of traditional spandex/elastane.
Everything can break down without a trace, including custom-designed hooks and eyepieces, GOTS-certified dyes, and soy ink labels.
Organic Basics
Carbon Neutral
Brand has been certified as Carbon Neutral.Ethical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.Organic
Products are made from organic materials.
Recycled materials
Some or all products are made with recycled materialsSustainable Materials
Either all or most products are made with sustainable materialsThoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
1% for the planet
Better Work
FSC
GOTS
GRS
OCS
OEKO-TEX 100
REACH
WRAP
Organic Basics has been rated & reviewed by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
As their name suggests, Organic Basics is one of the best sustainable basics brands.
At their inception, they specialized in just one item: organic men’s underwear, like the Rib-Flex Boxers, made from soft, vegan-friendly, GOTS cotton.
Now you can shop both women’s and men’s organic cotton underwear in a variety of styles and pack sizes.
Most of the OB underwear is made with 95% GOTS-certified cotton. A small amount of elastane is used for stretch. Some of their underwear is also made with TENCEL™ .
Their underwear is REACH and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified and their suppliers must adhere to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) standards and their RSL (Restricted Substances List).
JulieMay
BIPOC Owned
Brand is owned by Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color.Ethical 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.
Inclusive
Brand offers a range of products that are considered inclusive to a wider group of people.Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxicOrganic
Products are made from organic materials.PFAS Free
Products have been tested and verified to be free of PFASSmall business
This brand is a small business run by less than 15 peopleThoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
Allergy UK
GOTS
JulieMay has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
The award-winning, UK-based ethical lingerie brand JulieMay serves up sustainably sexy women’s organic cotton underwear in style.
Latex-free AND elastic-free, they offer stylish panties, everyday bralettes, non-wired bras, and sports bras.
The underwear is crafted from GOTS-certified organic Pima Cotton and mulberry peace silk. All the trims, lace, and threads are cotton. None of the pieces contain latex, plastic hooks, or stitched labels. A small amount of elastane is used.
They offer over 30 bra sizes ranging from 30B-40G (and 42DD), with custom-made sizes available, and in underwear, women’s sizes run UK sizes 8-18.
JulieMay is offering Sustainable Jungle readers 10% off with this code: SUSTAINABLEJUNGLE10.
Subset
Subset is yet to be rated.
About Subset
Price Range: $17–$48
Subset believes standards were made to be raised and proves the point with their range of some of the best non-toxic underwear to grace your glutes.
They’re designed to help the 300 million around the globe who suffer from bladder, yeast, and vaginal infections every year.
This ethical underwear brand is doing so by replacing chemical synthetic fabrics that don’t breathe with GOTS-certified organic cotton undies—” so you and your lady parts can breathe easy.”
Subset’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Say “bu(tt) bye” to petroleum-based fabrics and pesticides and “hello” to getting dressed in certified organically-grown cotton and OEKO-TEX dyes.
Some pieces, like the Mid-Rise organic cotton bikini underwear, contain a teeny tiny amount of blended elastane (5%) for stretch.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Subset will make you blush with how transparent they are (or maybe it’s just all this talk about bums).
The Subset HQ is based in Chelsea, NYC, but the rest of the magic happens in India, where they use third-party certifications to ensure their partners have the same values.
They work with an organic farm located in Ahmedabad, an organic ginner/spinner in Tamil Nadu, and an organic fair trade factory also in Tamil Nadu.
Safe and healthy working conditions, living wages, reasonable hours, and the right to unionize are standard along each step of your Subset knickers’ journey.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Subset incorporates processes to reduce water usage and safely recycle it on their farms and factories.
Through the Recycling Program, customers can send old intimates for repurposing into new materials, like mattress batting and insulation.
They ship all pieces in SFI-certified, plastic-free, recycled content.
Inclusivity:
For all organic underwear, women can find sizes XXS through XXXL (and they offer plus-size lingerie, too), and a range of models represent each size.
My Personal Review of Subset’s Mid-Rise Retro Brief:
“Subset is another brand I wear all the time, and I especially love them for the enclosed elastic hems along both the waist and legs, which make for a super smooth, pinch-free fit no matter what I’m wearing them under or for. The Mid-Rise Retro Briefs have become my lucky undies thanks to the utterly unmatched comfort and empowering tummy-supporting fit.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
My Personal Review of Subset’s Men’s Boxer:
“When I first saw how thick and plush these were, I was worried they’d feel bulky, but surprisingly, even under tighter-fitting jeans, they’re hardly noticeable at all. They’re not the best for high-intensity workouts since they’re not super breathable, but otherwise, I’m always reaching for these.”
Review by Chris Ryan, SJ Menswear Tester
Nat’v Basics
Nat’v Basics is yet to be rated.
About Nat’v Basics
Price Range:$14–$92
Australia’s Nat’v Basics make organic cotton panties that women can confidently and comfortably don all day everyday.
Whether you’re looking for high-waist underwear with full coverage, crop tops made with GOTS organic cotton, or cheeky g-strings & bodysuits with organic gussets, you’ll find seamless designs with breathability in mind.
Nat’v Basics’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Nat’v uses sustainable materials like GOTS-certified cotton and recycled materials like polyamide and nylon.
While the exterior isn’t organic, any synthetics are always paired with a 100% organic cotton gusset.
Styles like the vegan ChiChi Brief are made from TENCEL™ modal fabric from sustainably grown birch trees.
For those wondering, “What are the safest panties to wear?”, Nat’v’s organic women’s underwear feature non-toxic dyes and bear OEKO-TEX certification, ensuring toxic chemicals don’t end up where they don’t belong.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Nat’v sources modal from Austria, where it’s produced in Fair Trade and ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001-certified factories.
Their independently audited BSCI factory is in Jiaxing, China, where workers are paid 24% more than the legal minimum wage.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Whether you order organic cotton briefs, crops, or a bodysuit with organic cotton gusset, it will come shipped in FSC-certified compostable materials with soy-based inks.
Nat’v also incorporates battery-powered forklifts, compost bins, natural lighting, and LED lights to save energy and waste in its factories.
Inclusivity:
In organic cotton underwear, women can shop S–XXXL sizes.
Thunderpants
Thunderpants is yet to be rated.
About Thunderpants
Price Range: $20–$42
Thunderpants has made a storm with their line of non-toxic underwear.
The family-owned business keeps it stylish with underwear that should be called overwear—AKA it’s so cute you’ll want to be like Superman and wear it on the outside.
They also offer a line of organic cotton kids’ underwear with soft, cute designs.
While Thunderpants was founded in New Zealand, they now have a US-based factory for those seeking organic cotton underwear made in the USA.
Thunderpants’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Your bits will be sustainably covered in fair trade and GOTS-certified organic cotton dyed with non-toxic and sustainable dyes.
It’s blended with 10% spandex to give it a soft, stretchy feel and help these mostly organic undies not to ride up or roll down.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Garments are produced in a Portland, OR factory only seven miles from their main office. The factory shares Thunderpants’ values of ethical manufacturing, and Thunderpants visits regularly.
The New Zealand branch is just as committed to ethical manufacturing. They print their fabric in Auckland or at their headquarters in Martinborough before the organic undies are sewn in Carterton.
All cotton is grown in India.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
In addition to buying in bulk to minimize shipping emissions, Thunderpants is conscious about composting and/or repurposing any fabric offcuts.
All organic panties ship in recyclable packaging.
Inclusivity:
They use a diverse range of models and offer unisex sizes to fit anybody (S-3XL for women and S-XL for organic cotton men’s underwear).
Brook There
Brook There is yet to be rated.
About Brook There
Price Range: $38–$148
Inspired by nature, Brook There offers some of the healthiest underwear for women for all those occasions when you need a little extra confidence and comfort.
They offer countless styles, like organic cotton boy-short underwear, thong, hipster, bikini, and various bras—each available in colors like Burnish, Nutmeg, and Basil.
Brook There’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
GOTS-certified organic cotton yarn is the material of choice for Brook There. It’s combined with fiber-reactive dye and a small amount of spandex.
They also have a collection of non-vegan silk underwear, which adds a 92% silk side panel.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The cotton comes from mills in either California or South Carolina before it’s cut and sewn by a small team of artisans in Massachusetts.
Having a domestic supply chain isn’t just best from an environmental standpoint, but it also allows BT to know its team and ensure its strict ethical standards are met.
While they prioritize USA-made materials, some of their elastic trims and laces come from abroad.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
EcoEnclose recycled poly bags and recycled tissue paper for shipping.
Inclusivity:
Brooke There’s organic panties run XS–XXL.
Why Choose Organic Underwear?
Here’s the brief on why you should choose organic cotton briefs.
Your skin is the only barrier between you and the outside world, which is especially important when thinking about your bits down there.
Chemicals are the last thing you want to get close and personal with, but unfortunately, they’re a common ingredient in the conventional pair of underwear.
Take dyes, for instance; they may produce formaldehyde (a known carcinogen) when washed and worn. Who wants all of that down there?!
Even conventional cotton is typically dyed and bleached—which can cause irritation and provide a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. We’d like to keep that far away from down there, thank you very much.
Not to mention all that plastic in synthetic fabric skivvies which leaves our planet with a terribly uncomfortable wedgie…
Choosing organic seamless underwear suddenly seems like a pretty seamless decision!
