There are some beautiful ethical lingerie brands based in the US. As always, we encourage you to search a little more on what it means to be ethical to you and to visit other platforms like Good on You and Green Story, both great sites that evaluate brands based on ecological footprint.
Disclaimer: Hello Eco-fashion lovers! Please take note that some of the links are affiliate links and amazon affiliate links. As a publisher (blogger) from these brands and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which means if you click on one of these links and then make a purchase, I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you!). I don't promote any specific brand as I believe that everyone has different criteria they are looking for. I love doing the searches, showcasing all the products from the different Eco brands and presenting them to you in a fun, inspiring and informative way!
1. ARAKS
Araks' philosophy is that there shouldn't be a difference between everyday lingerie and occasion lingerie. The pieces are meant to be comfortable and luxurious. Their eco philosophy is to mindful from beginning to end with all that surrounds them. They use materials that can be used for more than one season, which lets you mix and match! The scraps are donated to schools and other charitable organizations. The factories they use have a long list of certifications such as EPD Environmental Certification, EPD Climate Certification, ISO 14001 Certification, OEKO-TEX Certification and comply with the EU Reach Regulations. They also participate in a third-party brand sustainability assessment through Bluesign.
2. AZURA BAY
Azura Bay has a curated collection of ethical clothing and lingerie pieces. They choose brands based on their ethical production, fair trade trade and eco-friendly fabrics. Most of their brands are woman owned! They also use eco-friendly practices in their business as well. A donation is made for each purchase and selected by you (the customer!) at check out.
Sizing: XS to XL and/or 28A to 38DD
3. BETWEEN THE SHEETS
Between the Sheets is a New York based business that is made in New York - and factories registered in New York are registered with the New York anti-sweatshop task force. Micromodal is their primary fabric. They are a certified B corps company and donate to 1% for the planet. They also re-purpose, donate or recycle fabric remnants and scraps that are created by the design and manufacturing process.
Sizing: XS to L
4. BLUE CANOE
Blue Canoe is also a made in USA brand. They use organic cotton and organic bamboo as their primary fabric. They also use only plant plant-based fibers. You can find them on their own site or on Amazon.
Sizes: S to XL
5. BOODY
Boody is made from 100% organic bamboo plants and their primaty focus is on making basic essentials. Workers are paid fair wages and the fabric is treated with only natural dyes. There is a zero waste philosophy. They are EcoCert, OEKO-TEX, FSC, PETA Approved vegan, SGS, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, WRAP certified as well as being a member of 1% for the planet
Sizing: XS to XL
6. BROOKE THERE
Brooke, the owner and founder of Brooke There, designs the pieces and a team of sewers craft the garments in Massachusetts. The core fabric is organic cotton made from GOTS-certified yarn, milled and dyed in California.
Sizing : 32AB to 38CD
7. CLARE BARE
Clare Bare's pieces are handmade using eco-friendly, vintage, and salvaged fabrics such as silk, satin, organic cotton and lenzing modal. All other colors not including black and off white, are hand dyed using organic dyes such as Brazilian Logwood, Carribean plants, and Osage Orange. They also have vegan options. They also don't set a marketing calendar... They let their creativity lead their production calendar!
8. COSABELLA
Cosabella bras and underwear are made in Italy, from start to finish in family run factories. They are handcrafted by artisans using natural dyes.
9. EVERLANE
Everlane's lingerie is manufactured at MAS holdings in Sri Lanka, which participates in WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production), The Ethical Trading Initiative, and The Sustainable Apparel Coalition, of which they are a founding member. From women’s health initiatives to financial planning training, they are committed to improving the lives of their workers. Everlane's goal is to eliminate all new plastic by 2021 - this was done in 2018 and they are 75% of the way there for their apparel (recycled plastic used instead), and they will use will use all certified organic cotton by 2023.
10. HANKY PANKY
Hanky Panky manufactures their women's intimates in the USA. The garment manufacturing factories must be registered with the state of New York. The materials used are organic cotton, modal, OEKO TEX standard 100 supima cotton, nylon as well as and low reactive dyes that are non-toxic. They launched Lingeriecycle which allows you to send used, non-wearable items back where they shred the fibres and recycle the metals from the underwire and closures. They partner with FabScrap to recycle their textile waste. Hanky Panky purchases Renewable Energy Certificates to match 50% of our electricity use for each year, starting in 2019.
11. MADE TRADE
Made trade is a curated marketplace for eco-friendly products, which includes women's intimates and plus size intimates. They curate from well known brands such as Thunderpants USA and Mary Young.
12. MAJAMAS EARTH
Majamas Earth is a USA made apparel and undergarments brand for men and women. They use a variety of textiles purchased from a textile mill in California, such as cotton modal, organic cotton and reclaimed fabrics
13. NAJA
Naja is a social enterprise brand that employs single mothers or female head of households in Columbia and are paid above market wages and have health benefits. They often have to choose between childcare and work so Naja created Underwear for Hope - a program that employs women in the slums of Columbia, allowing them to work from home making the lingerie bags for each purchase. 2% of their revenue is donated to local charities that provide continuing education to these women. Every child of a Naja garment worker receives books, school supplies, uniforms, and all school meals are paid. They do their best to reduce their environmental footprint - such as sublimation and digital printing technologies, strive to include fabrics from recycled plastic bottles
14. ONLY HEARTS
Only Hearts was founded in 1978. They ethically manufacture in New York City using local, deadstock, organic, recycled, and certified made in green textiles. Includes great bridal intimates!
15. ORGANIC BASICS
Organic Basics only work with trusted and certified factories in Turkey, Portugal, Austria, Italy and Scotland. The have no child or forced labor, safe factories, paid living wages and employees have free perks like free lunch and childcare. They handpick every single fabric based on its environmental footprint and lifetime durability with the qualities of natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable and/or low impact.
Organic Basics have partnered with Chooose, an organisation that makes businesses and individuals carbon balanced by investing in UN verified or Gold Standard CO2 reducing projects in developing countries - like solar power in India and wind power in Turkey. For every order placed, they offset one hundred kilos of CO2. The offsetting is performed through funding the Koru Wind Farm in Canakkale, Turkey
16. PACT
Pact's primary fabric is GOTS certified organic cotton. They focus on making great basics, including their undies and bras! The organic cotton is fair trade certified if it is grown in countries that do not have labor laws. Pact will always remain child labor and sweatshop free.
17. PANSY
Pansy is an organic cotton, USA made women's lingeir brand. All of the components are made within the USA, right down to the natural runner/cotton elastic.
18. THIRD LOVE
Third Love has over 80 bra sizes to accommodate many shapes. Third Love Manufactures in Asia, that is female run with 5000 employees throughout Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and China. Mrs. Wong runs the manufacturing company with her daughters. She is dedicated to keeping an all female leadership team. To ensure all the bra manufacturing partners provide good working environments and follow all local labor laws, ThirdLove works with expert third-party auditors to audit factories at least every year. They also donate bras to women in need - when bras are returned to them from their "Try before Buying" program, they are hand sorted and donated to charities.
19. THUNDERPANTS
Thunderpants USA started when owner Celeste coudn't keep up with importing products from Thunderpants New Zealand to keep up with the US demand. In line with the New Zealand brand, they have kept their 3 core values - ethical manufacturing, sustainable business practices and exceptional quality. Thunderpants USA uses organic cotton grown in India with no pesticides or fertilizers and processed to strict SKAL standards (International Standards for Sustainable Textile Production). You can also find Thunderpants USA at Made Trade!
20. UYE SURANA
Uye Surana handmakes bras and intimates for all sizes, in small batches. Uye Surana buys fabric from local suppliers, trusted overseas suppliers and deadstock. They partner with a recycling company to donate their discarded scraps. All peices are ethically handprinted in NYC
21. WAMA UNDERWEAR
Wama Underwear uses hemp as their fabric of choice. Hemp is a niche product and the largest grower is in China. They partner with factories that want to improve their employees lives and with fair wages and quality work environment and therefore they have a WAMA team member based out of China to oversee the factories.
