Organic and sustainable underwear is a growing demand as the concern is rising about the impact of harmful dyes and synthetic fabrics on our skin. Thankfully, there are quite a few sustainable underwear brands in the marketplace that are providing more ecological options for conscious consumers looking for underwear they can feel confident choosing for themselves and their families.
What fabrics should we look for in a sustainable underwear brand?
Look for materials like organic cotton — preferably GOTS-certified cotton as this is the highest standard for organic fibers — hemp, or Tencel, which is a silky fiber made from responsibly sourced wood pulp using a closed-loop process. All of the brands included in this guide use one or two of these fibers! Many brands might use a small percentage of a stretchy synthetic like spandex for added comfort, but typically this will be a very small percentage.
Price Range Key: $ = Under $15 | $$ = $15 – $30 | $$$ = $30+ per piece
Note that this guide includes affiliates and partners. As always, I only choose to include brands that meet Conscious Life & Style standards for ethics and aesthetics!
1. PACT
PACT is a sustainable, ethical underwear brand with 100% organic cotton underwear made in Fair Trade-certified factories.
The brand has organic underwear, bralettes, and other basics at an affordable price.
Size Range: XS – XXL
Price Range: $
Explore PACT’s Organic Underwear Collection For Women and For Men
2. Brook There
Brook There is an ethical loungewear and lingerie brand producing ethically-made underwear, pajamas, and other comfy womenswear in the U.S.
The brand uses California-milled organic cotton throughout their collections to ensure their pieces are made from safe and environmentally-friendly fabrics.
Size Range: XS – XXL
Price Range: $$ – $$$
3. The Very Good Bra
Whether you like your underwear cut at a high leg or regular, in prints or plain hues, The Very Good Bra has a pair of entirely plastic-free, pretty little underthings for you. Made from deliciously soft organic cotton or TENCEL™, all of its underwear is designed with the end stage in mind and can be composted once they’ve completely worn out. For this reason, their briefs don’t even contain spandex (the plastic component that keeps underwear stretchy), so the brand highly recommends sizing up if you prefer a looser fit.
Size Range: 30: C – E | 32-36: A – G | 38: A – E
Price Range: $$ – $$$
4. CLOECO
After successfully launching a range of Tencel tights that promise not to itch or sag — unlike its nylon counterparts — this women-owned brand expanded its collection to offer plant-based underwear as well.
CLOECO’s range of everyday innerwear is crafted from soft cellulosic materials like Tencel and modal that have been colored with OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified dyes, so you can wear them comfortably knowing they’ve been tested for harmful substances.
We love the fact that they offer no-show seamless underwear styles in hipsters, boyshorts, and bikini styles for those of us who prefer avoiding those visible panty lines.
Size Range: XS-XL
Price Range: $$
5. tentree
Discover the most comfortable underpinnings with tentree’s range of underwear for men and women. Made from blended compositions of TENCEL™ Lyocell, organic cotton, and high stretch REFIBRA™ Lyocell, that result in the most lightweight and breathable range of underwear.
All of their pieces are ethically manufactured across Asia where the factories are regularly audited to ensure compliance with international labour standards.
Size Range: XS–XXL
Price Range: $$
Explore tentree’s underwear collection for women and for men
6. Organic Basics
Organic Basics is a brand of eco-friendly underwear, along with a variety of other essentials such as socks and t-shirts. The brand uses GOTS-certified organic cotton and Tencel for their underwear.
The organic underwear brand also works with certified factories to ensure responsible production.
Size Range: XS – XL
Price Range: $$ – $$$
7. Knickey
Knickey has GOTS certified organic cotton underwear made responsibly in a Fair Trade certified factory in India. The sustainable underwear brand also has a recycling program so that you can send them your well-worn undies (and socks and bras) at the end of their life.
Size Range: XS – 3XL
Price Range: $
8. KENT
Committed to creating completely natural underwear, KENT uses 100% plant-based and organic materials that can be safely composted.
Their underwear is comprised of 100% GOTS-certified organic pima cotton, and they use plant-based thread and a bio-based elastic band. Their organic underwear is free of spandex, elastane, polyester, or any other synthetic fiber.
Size Range: XS – XL
Price Range: $$
9. Thunderpants
Thunderpants is an organic cotton underwear brand with ultra-comfy bras, undies, and camisoles. The label uses 90% Fair Trade certified organic cotton and 10% spandex for that perfect amount of added stretch.
Each and every piece is ethically cut and sewn in Portland, Oregon and Thunderpants’ partners with local Portland-based artists for the designs too.
Size Range: XS – XL (up to 3XL in certain styles)
Price Range: $$
10. Allbirds
Sneaker brand Allbirds has been expanding into basics — naturally, they first ventured into socks (check out this guide to sustainable socks brands!) and now they’re headed into undergarment territory. Like the rest of their collections, Allbirds’ underwear is made from natural fabrics like Tencel and Merino Wool with a small percentage of spandex for stretch.
Size Range: XS – 3XL
Price Range: $$
11. Magi
Magi creates underwear that’s healthy for you and the planet. Their sustainable undergarments (briefs and bralettes) are made from 53% hemp and 42% organic cotton, with a touch of spandex for comfort and stretch. Each pair is made responsibly in Portugal and ships in compostable packaging. Magi is also a 1% For The Planet member!
Size Range: XS – XXL
Price Range: $$
12. Pansy
Pansy is an organic cotton underwear brand based and manufactured ethically in California. The brand is committed to local sourcing and responsible production, getting their cotton from Texas, dying the fabrics in California and sewn in a factory right by the founder’s house! Pansy’s collection includes both high rise and low rise underwear.
Size Range: XS – 3XL
Price Range: $$$
13. Proclaim
Proclaim is a WOC-owned inclusive sustainable underwear brand with bralettes and underwear in a wide variety of nude shades in a range of sizes from S – 3XL. The brand’s comfy undergarments are made from Tencel, an eco fiber made from sustainably-sourced wood pulp.
Size Range: S – 3XL
Price Range: $$
14. MeUndies
MeUndies uses Lenzing MicroModal for their super soft undies, which is a natural fiber sustainably sourced from beechwood trees. The brand audits and visits the factories they partner with multiple times per year, but doesn’t quite offer the same level of transparency as some of the others in this guide.
The brand has a variety of styles — from cheeky briefs, and thongs to trunks and boxer briefs.
Size Range: XS – 4XL
Price Range: $ – $$
15. TomboyX
Tomboy is an eco-minded underwear brand using MicroModal produced from beechwood trees and OEKO-TEX certified cotton. The brand produces their pieces ethically in a women-owned factory that pays living wages.
Note: Tomboy does not use organic certified fabrics; however, I’ve included them in this guide because it’s frankly really tough to find responsible brands that are also size-inclusive!
Size Range: XS – 4XL
Price Range: $$ – $$$
16. Mighty Good Basics
This Australian sustainable underwear brand uses GOTS- and Fairtrade certified organic cotton for their boyshorts, thongs, bikini briefs, boxers, and briefs.
Mighty Good Undies’ underwear is produced ethically too — their factories are certified by the Fairtrade Labelling Organization (FLO) and the SA 8000 social accountability standard.
Size Range: (Australian Sizes) 8 – 22
Price Range: $
17. Etiko
Etiko is an ethical fashion label with GOTS organic and Fairtrade certified cotton underwear. The brand covers the basics with their bikini, brief, and boyshort undies. Etiko also has trunks for the guys.
Size Range: (Australian sizes) 6 – 20
Price Range: $
18. Baserange
Baserange is a minimalist brand using natural fibers like organic cotton for their simple, timeless pieces. For their underwear, they use bamboo and organic cotton — I suggest prioritizing the organic cotton pieces.
Size Range: XS – L
Price Range: $$ – $$$
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