Other perks: In-depth size guides and fit explainers Price point: $17/underwear, $48/bralette NYC-based company Knickey sells cotton bralettes and underwear of different coverage. Their non-GMO, organic cotton basics are grown and dyed using nontoxic materials in India, and Knickey sends them to you in plastic-free, carbon-neutral shipping. Though their garments do contain some synthetic materials like elastane (spandex), the company will take them off your hands to be repurposed into things like insulation and carpet padding. You can learn more about all of these initiatives on their clear, transparent website. While you’re at it, you’ll notice the in-depth size guide and “see it on” tool that make it so easy to shop for yourself. Shop Knickey Other perks: High-quality basics, helpful customer service Pricing: $50–65/bra, $45–55/underwear (women’s), $50–65/underwear (men’s) Organic Basics offers underwear, T-shirts, swimwear, and more—in men, women, and gender-neutral styles. As the name suggests, they sell basic garments made from a range of thoughtful materials, including organic cotton and some recycled synthetics. Dittmer appreciates how transparent the Denmark-based company is about the factories they work with. You can learn about each one on their production map. (Another very cool component of their website: You can opt into “low-impact” browsing to minimize power consumption.) The company has rave reviews from customers who are impressed by the quality of these basics and the brand’s speedy customer service. Shop Organic Basics Other perks: Comfortable fit for pregnancy and post-pregnancy Price point: $35/bralette, $60/underwear (pack of 4) Pact’s maternity collection includes underwear with a versatile fold-over waistband and a supportive nursing bralette—both made from GOTS-certified organic cotton in a Fair Trade Certified factory. Pact also offers the option to offset your delivery to further bring down the impact of your purchase. Shop Pact Maternity Other perks: Mission-driven company Price point: $28/boxer brief Outdoorsy brand Toad & Co. offers a wide array of men’s and women’s clothing made from a mix of natural materials (organic cotton, hemp) and recycled fabrics. Their boxer briefs are made from a soft Tencel (a treated wood pulp) blend that gets high ratings for its breathability and fit. Proceeds from every pair go toward nonprofit initiatives that protect the outdoors and help more people get into nature. Shop Toad & Co Other perks: Specially designed for smaller busts Price point: $40–60/bra, $16-26/underwear Pepper is a female-founded company that offers AA, A, and B cups in a range of band sizes. Their contoured design promises to be rid of the cup gap and help those with smaller busts feel “extra special, supremely confident, and proud of their small boobs.” Another reason to feel confident with Pepper? They repurpose 80% of fabric wasted during the cutting process into new goods. Shop Pepper Other perks: Wide range of sizes Price point: $28/underwear, $68–120/bras Always have trouble finding bras in your size? Cult brand CUUP is known for its supportive bra design that offers support for cups A to H, and customers rave about their comfortable, lightweight fit. While the brand does have some work to do in the sustainability department (its fabrics are largely synthetic, and it does not offer recycling programs), we appreciate its core mission to create durable undergarments that are versatile enough to replace a number of pieces. Shop CUUP Other perks: Leak-proof design, range of absorbencies. Price point: $30–38/underwear Wearing period underwear can spare you from sending tons of tampons to landfills each year, and these options from Knix come in a variety of shapes and absorbencies. Their leakproof design will leave you feeling good all day long, while their “positive returns” takeback program ensures that even if a pair isn’t right for you, it won’t go to waste. Shop Knix Other perks: Affordable prices Price point: $18/underwear KENT has found a way to do away with elastic bands altogether and create underwear that is 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton. Choose from four styles and three naturally dyed colors—all of which are compostable (as is the packaging they come in). If you don’t have an at-home bin, you can also send your used undies back to KENT to be composted at their partner farm. Shop KENT Other perks: Unique colors Price point: $75/underwear AWAVEAWAKE specializes in luxe garments made from 100% silk. Their intimates collection features ruffled panties dyed in rich colors using plant materials like mango, indigo leaves, and coconut husks. Hand-crafted in Bali, these splurges look and feel like a tropical vacation. Shop AWAVEAWAKE Other perks: Bright color palettes, variety of styles Price point: $8–14/underwear, $28–38/bralettes Parade offers a bright assortment of underwear, bralettes, and loungewear at affordable prices. The brand is already using a number of more responsible fabrics (such as recovered fabric scraps) in its production, and it has the goal of becoming “climate positive”—meaning it will remove more carbon than it emits—by the year 2025. It plans to do that by finding better alternatives to synthetic spandex bands and helping its manufacturers reduce their emissions. In the meantime, enjoy Parade’s bright and size-inclusive styles that scream “cool girl.” You can recycle them through their take-back program when you’re done. They accept other brands too! Shop Parade Other perks: Gender-neutral styles Price point: $13–24/underwear Need a new one-stop shop for simple tops, tees, and underwear? The Big Favorite has you covered with styles that will flatter any body. The brand is transparent down to how much they pay their lowest-wage workers, and they’re making some major strides in the circular fashion space. Once you send in your old Big Favorite garments, they’ll break them down and turn them into new yarn to be put back into the textile stream. Shop Big Favorite Other perks: Sexy styles Price point: $38/underwear, $77/bra and slip Savara Intimates has you covered with the perfect sexy slip or set. The Netherlands-based brand (don’t worry; they ship worldwide) specializes in sustainable lingerie. They use semi-natural fabrics like Tencel wood pulp as well as upcycled lace. Check out their latest impact report for detailed information on their pricing model, factories, and donations. Shop Savara Intimates Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
