10 Sustainable Underwear Brands: Size-Inclusive, Affordable

While I’m a big advocate of shopping secondhand before shopping from sustainable brands, underwear is one thing that I would recommend buying new. I’ve tested a few brands and researched some others over the last couple months, and I’ll be going over them in this post.

Here’s the YouTube video version of this post, with a closer look at some of the pieces!

How Often Should You Replace Underwear?

You don’t need to replace your underwear if it’s not broken! I saw a TikTok a few weeks ago that said we need to replace underwear every 6-12 months, and that’s such a marketing myth. There are some studies that say we should replace our undies often, but these studies are often funded by clothing companies. Of course they want us to get rid of our old underwear—we’ll just buy more if we do that.

Philip Tierno, a professor of microbiology and pathology at NYU, says that there’s no “end period” to our underwear, except when it’s “mechanically dysfunctional.” Yes, there is bacteria and poop even in washed underwear, but it’s generally not cause for major concern. It’s a very small amount and we’re constantly surrounded by bacteria anyways. (But please do wash your underwear after each use).

If your old underwear has holes or is sagging though, then it may be time to replace them. Here are some ethical and sustainable options to consider, if they’re accessible to you (they can be quite expensive). Remember that you don’t have to buy from these brands to participate in sustainable fashion. What’s even more important is reducing consumption and taking care of your clothes.

Ethical and Sustainable Underwear Brands

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1. Knickey

Overview: Organic cotton, Fair Trade, Oeko-Tex certified, closed-loop
Size range: XXS-XXXL
Pricing: $13 (use code IMPERFECTIDEALIST for 10% off)

Knickey has a lot of great things going for it. For one, the company is extremely transparent; they trace all of their supply chain, which often doesn’t happen, even with more sustainable brands. Their factory is Fair Trade certified, we know it’s safe and regulated, and that workers are paid a living wage.

The underwear is made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified cotton. The fabric is also Oeko-Tex certified, meaning that it’s free from harmful chemicals.

Knickey offers several different styles, from a low-rise thong to a high-rise brief. If you’re not sure which one you’ll like, they have a starter pack of all the styles, which is slightly cheaper than buying the styles individually. They also offer bralettes in a few styles.

One of Knickey’s coolest initiatives is its recycling program, where you can mail in any old underwear to be turned into insulation, cleaning rags, and yarn. The shipping labels cost $5, but you get a 15% discount on your next order. I feel like it’s a lot easier to upcycle or repurpose other clothing, but I have a harder time upcycling old undies, so I’m glad a program like this exists.

My experience: I tried the high-rise brief and the mid-rise hipster. The underwear is extremely soft and lightweight, and I felt that it was true to size. I do wish that they had a thicker waistband though—I prefer to have undies that kind of hold you in. If you don’t want to notice your underwear as much though, these are for you. Knickey undies feel quite similar to some of my old Aerie underwear, so if you like Aerie, I’d recommend these.

See my full Knickey review after 1.5 years for more info.

Shop Knickey here (use code IMPERFECTIDEALIST for 10% off).

2. Boody

Overview: Closed-loop bamboo viscose, Oeko-Tex certfied, WRAP-certified
Size range: XS-XL (2XL-4XL in some styles)
Pricing: $12-26

Boody is an Australian brand offering sustainable underwear, loungewear, and activewear (if you’re not from Australia and worried about carbon emissions from shipping, Boody does ship from other countries; my undies came from Georgia in the US). Of all the brands here, Boody is probably the most accessible in-store in the US, as they’re stocked in some local gyms, pharmacies, and grocery stores.

Their underwear comes in several styles (briefs, boxers, bras) and is made from bamboo viscose. Bamboo viscose actually isn’t always a sustainable fabric, as the process of turning bamboo into thread often involves toxic chemicals. Luckily, Boody uses non-toxic solvents and recycles their water in the production process. Their products are also Oeko-Tex certified, so they’re free from toxic chemicals.

Boody’s factories are WRAP-Certified, so their products are manufactured responsibly. WRAP has 12 principles to ensure workers’ rights, factory safety, and environmental practices. Boody could take it an extra step though and become Fair Trade certified to ensure its workers are paid a living wage, rather than just the legal minimum wage.

My experience: Boody is my favorite sustainable underwear brand since their briefs are comfortable and durable. I got the full brief, which was true to size. The material was soft, but still felt very sturdy because of the thicker waistband. I really like these and would buy more from Boody in the future to replace old underwear (edit: I ended up buying a 4-pack of their mid-rise briefs!). See my full Boody underwear review after one year of owning their Full Brief.

Shop Boody here.

3. Hanna Broer Design

Overview: Handmade by the owner; organic cotton, hemp, TENCEL; adaptive styles
Size range: XS-3XL
Price range: $30-69

Hanna Broer Design has beautiful and functional bralettes, underwear, and boxers made from natural materials. The pieces are made by Hanna herself in her studio in rural Vermont.

The bralettes are pull-on, so you won’t need to worry about clasps. There are also adaptive styles with snap openings or magnetic closures, making it easier for those with limited mobility, or those who are nursing.

If you’re in-between sizes or need a different bra band and cup size (like me!), you can contact Hanna with questions, and she can also combine different band and cup sizes.

The colors change each season, but they’re currently rich, jewel tones that are perfect for fall. You can also buy styles in previous seasons’ colors at a discount.

My experience: I was able to try the Trillium Bra and High Waist Panties. I’ve always struggled to find bralettes that fit since I have a small chest, but Hanna was able to combine a size S band and size XS cup, which fits well (no more of that dreaded wrinkly cup that isn’t filled out). I also really don’t like clasped bras, so I appreciate that all the bralette styles are pull-on.

The High Waist Panties are a true high waist that go past my belly button. The legs opens have a more retro cut that look almost like boyshorts. I like how the material is sturdy but not too thick. The emerald color on both is also so rich and beautiful.

I look forward to wearing these pieces for years to come!

Shop Hanna Broer Design here.

4. Pact

Overview: Organic cotton, Fair Trade, more affordable
Size range: XS-XXL
Price range: $14-25

Pact is one of the more affordable sustainable brands out there. It offers clothing and underwear made from GOTS-certified organic cotton in Fair Trade factories.

You can choose from a wide selection of bras, briefs, and boxers, and they even have some lacy options, which aren’t as common for sustainable brands. To save the most money, try their 6-packs, which come out to $10 per pair.

My experience: I didn’t try these personally.

Shop Pact here.

5. Girlfriend Collective

Overview: Recycled water bottles, SA8000 certified factories, closed-loop
Size range: XS-6XL
Pricing: $14-24

Girlfriend is probably best known for its workout sets in gorgeous colors, but they also make seamless underwear! The underwear is made from post-consumer recycled bottles (rPET) in an SA8000 factory. This certification ensures fair wages, safe conditions, and no forced or child labor.

Recycled plastic bottles aren’t the absolute most sustainable material, as they release microplastics, and rPET clothing can’t be recycled indefinitely, unlike plastic bottles. But that being said, there still aren’t tons of good alternatives to synthetics for activewear, and it’s better for the polyester to be recycled than new. You can also get special filters for your synthetic clothing to prevent microplastic pollution.

For underwear, there are better materials than recycled synthetics, but Girlfriend is also one of the more size-inclusive sustainable brands out there, going up to 6XL. That’s why I include them in this list, as there are a lot of different factors to weigh.

Girlfriend is also committed to diversity. They’re an Asian-owned company, and they’ve always hired models of different ethnicities and sizes. They also released their corporate diversity statistics.

My experience: I didn’t try these personally. I have heard that some people don’t like how thin the gusset is.

Shop Girlfriend here.

6. Organic Basics

Overview: B Corp, natural and recycled materials, carbon-neutral shipping
Size range: XS-XL
Pricing: $39-70 (2-pack undies), bras $40+ (use code LILYOBX for 10% off)

Organic Basics is a European loungewear brand offering briefs, bras, and boxers. Their pieces are made of mainly GOTS-certified cotton, but they also use certified recycled materials and TENCEL Lyocell (a sustainable material derived from responsible wood pulp). Their fabric is Oeko-Tex certified and the company is a member of 1% for the Planet.

Organic Basics traces most of their supply chain and works with factories that have environmental and ethical certifications. You can learn about each factory, its certifications, and worker benefits on their website. They ensure a living wage in some of their supply chain, and I’d like to see this eventually be all of it.

The products ship plastic-free (except for some tape), and they offer carbon-neutral shipping worldwide from Europe. International shipments do take a bit longer, and I had to wait around a month to receive my order. I didn’t mind, but it’s something to know.

My experience: I got the TENCEL Starter Pack with the Lite Bralette and Lite Briefs. I’m usually not a huge fan of normal bras, but this bra was comfortable and I didn’t notice it that much when I was wearing it. The underwear is super silky and breathable, though it does give me a bit of wedgie sometimes. I think it’s because the material is just really silky, and I bet that the organic cotton pieces would be sturdier and more wedgie-free haha. I felt that both pieces were true to size.

Shop Organic Basics here (use code LILYOBX for 10% off).

7. JulieMay

Overview: hypoallergenic organic pima cotton and silk lingerie/undies
Size range: UK 8-18 (US 4-14)
Cost: $30+

If you’re looking for more decorative underwear, you’ll like JulieMay. Their lingerie is made from organic pima cotton underwear with a silk lining. JulieMay is known for being allergy-friendly, as the underwear is synthetic-free and doesn’t contain other common irritants. You can select among more traditional lingerie styles as well as pieces with more coverage.

The undies are made ethically in Hong Kong, where workers are paid a living wage and the factory is audited yearly. The brand also gives back to sustainable development projects, including reforestation, plastic recycling, and safer rural cookstoves.

My experience: I tried the Coral full brief and Georgia wireless bra. In general, the cotton used is extremely comfortable and sturdy. For the brief, the silk gusset is floating in the front to reduce possibility of irritation. I just wish that the placement was a bit more towards the front and that there was slightly more coverage towards the bottom of the brief to reduce wedgie risk.

For the Georgia bra, it’s very well-made, but I wouldn’t recommend it for smaller busts because the cup area won’t be filled out (I’m around a 34B). I also found that the silk lining makes the band area not very stretchy, so I’d recommend sizing up on the bras since getting them on can be tough—I used the size calculator and still had to size up for a better fit. For the briefs, sizing matched what the calculator suggested.

Shop JulieMay here.

8. WAMA

Overview: Organic cotton and hemp, Oeko-Tex certified
Size range: XS-2XL in briefs and bralettes, XS-3XL in boxers (3XL-4XL coming in summer 2021!)
Pricing: $20-38 (cheaper in packs)

WAMA’s specialty is hemp and organic cotton underwear in classic styles and colors. It won’t be hard to make a decision as most styles come in black or green and sometimes yellow.

Hemp is an up-and-coming sustainable material that’s naturally anti-bacterial. Paired with organic cotton, you get a comfy and breathable fabric that’s perfect for undies, and is vegan.

WAMA is committed to labor ethics as well. They have a supplier code of conduct and place a team member in their factory in China to monitor their conditions. The lowest wage is twice the minimum wage and the average wage is three times the minimum wage.

My experience: I tried the bikini and gave a pair of boyshorts to my mom and boxers to a friend (I already had too much underwear for myself haha). I was told that WAMA runs a bit small, but I selected my typical size (small) anyways and sized up for my friend’s boxers. I found that the bikini fit fine, though it did feel a bit snug, but the medium would’ve been too large (the boyshorts I gave my mom were a medium). My friend found the boxers to be a bit snug even when sizing up. I would definitely recommend going up 1-2 sizes on the boxers and maybe 1 size up on the briefs, unless you like snugger undies.

Sizing aside, I liked how the undies felt very sturdy. The fabric wasn’t too buttery but still comfortable, and the waistband felt secure. I wished that the bikini had a bit more coverage, but that’s just the virtue of the style. I think the high-waisted undies or boyshorts are a better choice if you want coverage and less risk of wedgies.

Shop WAMA here.

9. Allbirds

Photos used with permission of Allbirds

Overview: B Corp, carbon-neutral, natural materials
Size range: XS-3XL (briefs), XS-XL (bralette), S-XL (boxers)
Pricing: $18-30

Allbirds is a certified B Corp that’s primarily a sustainable sneaker company, but they recently expanded into underwear and other clothing. For underwear, they offer boxers, different types of briefs, and a bralette.

Their undies made from TENCEL Lyocell, a sustainable material derived from responsible wood pulp, and ZQ Merino wool. ZQ ensures that the sheep are treated humanely and allowed to live as natural lives as possible. While the wool is certified responsible, this does make their products non-vegan, so I’d love to see Allbirds find a non-animal alternative that’s equally sustainable.

The underwear is carbon-neutral, and Allbirds also ships directly in a 90% post-consumer recycled box.

While Allbirds has many highly-sustainable practices, they aren’t as transparent about their labor. They do trace most of their supply chain, require suppliers to follow their Code of Conduct, and participate in third-party social assessments, but it’s unclear whether their workers are paid a living wage vs. just the legal minimum wage. I would like to see them make a greater commitment to labor standards.

My experience: I didn’t try these personally.

Shop Allbirds here.

10. Parade

Overview: Recycled materials (certified by the Global Recycled Standard), Oeko-Tex certified, colorful styles
Size range: XS-3XL
Pricing: $8-14

Edit: Since posting, I have been told that Parade has not been great about paying microinfluencers and their undies have caused several people yeast infections. Please proceed with caution.

Parade is the Instagram baddie’s underwear brand—quite literally. They gifted products to lots of Instagrammers, and with their endorsement, Parade has become a trendy company.

Their undies are made from certified recycled synthetics and come in fun colors and patterns. I appreciate how they feature diverse models whose bodies feel very real, as you’ll see stretch marks and a variety of butt shapes (including my butt shape, which is effectively no butt haha). Their Universal line is carbon-neutral, thanks to offsets made by investing in native prairie land in Colorado.

The underwear ships in home-compostable packaging, and Parade donates 1% of each purchase to Planned Parenthood.

I would like to see Parade offer more transparency in their labor practices, however. They do audit their factories through a third-party, which has a code of conduct, but it’s unclear whether they pay a living wage vs. just the minimum wage.

My experience: I didn’t try these personally.

Shop Parade here.

Final Thoughts

Those are all the brands I wanted to go over, but please let me know in the comments if there’s another one you love that I missed. If you’ve tried the brands in this post, I’d also love to hear your thoughts, especially if it’s one that I didn’t try personally.

If you’re looking for more sustainable brands (that aren’t underwear), check out my ethical brand directory.

You may also like these posts:

Sustainable or Greenwashing? How to Evaluate Fashion Brands
9 Common Misconceptions About Sustainable Fashion