Sustainable cotton underwear (the best brands)
Sustainable cotton underwear is good to buy, to avoid polyester or nylon brands. More comfortable too. Nearly all undie brands use a little elastane, so launder in a microfiber filter (this can be used to wash all synthetic fabrics). Also read the post on organic cotton bras.
Eczema Clothing offers undies for women, men and children. The range includes vests, no-elastic box shorts and even organic cotton long johns!
ECOOutfitters (which makes school uniforms) offers organic cotton underwear for girls and boys. Including briefs and boxers for girls and boys.
Earth Wardrobe (affordable organic undies)
Earth Wardrobe offers organic affordable undies from Scotland, in pretty colours. Including boxer shorts for men.
Community Clothing (sewn in South Wales)
Community Clothing produces locally-made underwear in organic cotton, also for men.
Everything is hand-cut and sewn by seamstresses in a South Wales factory.
Kent (90-day compostable undies!)
Kent offers fully biodegradable and compostable undies, with the slogan that you can ‘plant your pants!’
Y.O.U. (briefs and boxers for men and women)
Y.O.U. Underwear offers comfortable organic cotton underwear for men and women, from neutral colours to bright prints.
Designed to fit a wide range of body sizes, you’ll find bikinis, briefs and boxers, with a focus on comfort, rather than fussy extras.
Thunderpants (fun cotton undies for all sizes)
Thunderpants is a slightly bonkers company (for people who love bright patterned undies!) that offers UK-stitched and finished undies, made locally to cut transport miles and support local economies.
The wide waistbands and flat seams prevent digging or chafing, and they hold up after each wash. You’ll also find matching vests and leggings.
Sprout Organic (monthly pants subscriptions!)
Sprout Organic has colourful options for women. From sustainable fabric in India, then made in a workshop in East Sussex by the sea. All scraps are repurposed and items are sent in zero waste packaging. Trim colours depend on the leftover fabric available.
You can subscribe to the pant subscription box to order a fresh pair every month. Or just enter ‘three pants’ at checkout to get a discount. Choose from knickers, high-waisted knickers or unisex boxers. Plus there are unisex pants for children.
Rapanui (organic undies from Isle of Wight)
Rapanui (Isle of Wight) is an outdoor clothing company, which also offers organic cotton underwear (also for men). In many colours, everything is made with clean energy, and sent in zero waste packaging.
Where to recycle your old undies!
Although new undies can’t be returned to shops (and charity shops don’t want used undies), you can drop old pairs (even torn and worn) in textile banks. Fabrics are shredded into carpet insulation!
