If there is a wardrobe staple that we ladies can’t go without, it’s definitely the BRA. I think we can all agree that comfort in a bra is a non-negotiable as well as the support it provides. After all, what we wear, and particularly what we wear underneath, oftentimes give us that much-needed confidence boost to deal with all that life throws at us.
Unfortunately, we come in wonderfully different shapes and curves and have different requirements and tastes, so it can be difficult finding the right bra. A friend of mine who is large breasted once commented that looking for the perfect bra can be an “arduous quest.” For eco-conscious ladies, there is also the added layer of difficulty in finding a perfect-fitting bra that also fulfils our standards of being ethically-made and sustainably-produced.
Related Post: The World’s First Compostable Zero Waste Bra and Underwear
Fortunately, there are now lingerie brands that are rising up to the challenge. Here is a list of some ethical and sustainable brands that offer bras in a variety of fabrics, for a variety of occasions, to suit a variety of women.
Luva Huva
Luva Huva is British underwear brand that epitomises slow fashion. Everything they produce is exquisitely handmade, you can see it in their stitching and the intricate details of the delicates. Each Luva Huva bra is created by their three-member team (plus their whippet named Millie). It takes each of the team members — Joanna, Sai, and Kelly — to work together to produce just one bra; from the design, to the pattern-making and sewing, and even to the wrapping of the finished product. Plus, the fabrics used to make the bras are carefully selected with full consideration for the people and the environment. So when you buy a Luva Huva bra, you can be proud to say that it has been made with love and care.
A bonus — you can have your bra custom fitted. Contact the Luva Huva team for a perfectly-fitted bra, FREE of charge.
Shipping info: Luva Huva ships their beautiful bras to every country in the world.
Neon Moon
Neon Moon is an amazing London-based body positive lingerie brand, celebrating women of all shapes, sizes, and races. If you want a bra that makes you feel good about yourself, celebrates feminism, and celebrates you being you, then Neon Moon is the best place to shop. Their bras and lingerie are ethically-made in factories in different parts of the world, sweat-shop free as it should be.
If you want to have a beautifully amazing bra that supports the messages of acceptance and empowerment, you won’t find a more feminine and feminist ethical brand than Neon Moon. The brand has been well-received by the community, launching after a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. It has since featured in Bustle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and other renowned publications.
A bonus — there are reviews from real women on the site so you can view what they’ve bought, and what they really think. Reading the reviews, we especially love that big-breasted women can find ethical bras to fit them!
Shipping Information: Neon Moon ships worldwide.
Buttress & Snatch
Are you interested in bespoke bras? If you are, then you can’t go past Buttress & Snatch, another London-based brand. All you have to do is send them your favorite bra. They will make a copy of it and create a pattern out of it so that if you want to order a bra or several, in whatever style or design, they can immediately create it for you. They will also be happy to make adjustments as you require, or recycle components of old bras such as wires etc. So no matter what specific requirements you may have, whether you want bigger or smaller cup sizes or a longer or shorter back, Buttress & Snatch will be able to handcraft your bra for you. They also tailor-make mastectomy bras and swimsuits in whatever design you prefer.
All Buttress & Snatch bras are made from high-quality British sourced materials by a hardworking team of ladies in Hackney, London, in what used to be an old Turkish Delight factory. Because they only produce made-to-order bras, the brand is automatically sustainable, as it produces minimal to zero wastage.
Shipping Information: The brand takes custom orders and ships worldwide.
Pansy
Do you want an organic cotton bra that is fully compostable once it has outgrown its use? If yes, then you should check out Pansy. Their bras are made of organic U.S.A. cotton that is grown in California. Pansy is the brainchild of Laura Schoorl and Rachel Corry and has been borne out of a mission to create “minimal, sturdy, beautiful, locally-made underwear you can feel good wearing.”
What is great about the brand is the fact that their bras are made out of organic cotton fibers, are lovingly sewn in California and dyed without the use of toxins. Their supply chain is fully transparent. They are also happy to respond to any questions about their production processes. Standing ovation deserved.
Shipping Information: Worldwide shipping available.
Naja
Searching for an underwear brand that is made luxuriously, with comfort in mind? You only have to turn to Naja. While the company has much room to improve when it comes to offering bras and lingerie made from sustainable fabrics (it still uses nylon, foam synthetic cups, and non-organic Peruvian cotton) it at least makes sure to pay their workers above-market wages and offer them healthcare benefits. What makes Naja’s business model entirely disruptive is the fact that they primarily employ single mothers or female heads of households. They even provide flexible work policies for the mothers and even provide books, school supplies, meals and such to their children.
So if you want great bras and want to support the advocacy of Naja for single mothers, all you have to do is browse their website for beautifully designed ethically-made bras and lingerie products.
Shipping Information: Naja is currently only available to customers in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
Brook There
Brook There is an American ethical brand founded and ran by wife and husband tandem, Brooke and Daniel, out of a facility in New England. The brand manufactures unpadded and wireless bras, lingerie and other basic clothing.
Brook There bras are primarily made of organic cotton jersey from GOTS-certified yarn. They also use silk trims, with a touch of spandex. Fiber-reactive dyes are used on the fabrics to minimize negative impacts on the environment. Brook There also has a Vegan line – rejecting any animal-derivative fabrics such as silk, leather or wool.
All of the bras produced by this eco-friendly label are made in the United States to prevent exploitation, lower labor standards, and the use of child labor in their supply chains. The other thing that sets Brook There apart, is the fact that even up to distribution, they do not condone the use of plastics. When they ship, they enclose the bras in recycled poly bags, recycled tissue papers or cardboard boxes in the case of bulk orders.
Shipping Information: Brook There offers free shipping in the United States. Worldwide shipping available.
Madonna Bain Eco Intimates
Madonna Bain is an Australian designer who designs her eponymous intimates label in her Byron Bay studio where her maker, Gede, with a small crew, then makes the cuts and samples; after which, the garments are sent to Bali where a group of seamstresses assembles the fabrics in their homes to create quality bras, of only about 30 pieces per intricate design. Madonna Bain is committed to using GOTS-certified organic cotton, provide fair working conditions, and adapt environmentally-friendly practices.
Madonna Bain bras are guaranteed to have a luxury feel of organic cotton and a focus on the detailing and fit. This slow fashion at its most beautiful.
Shipping Information: Ships within Australia via regular post. Madonna Bain Eco Intimates also ships worldwide.
Related Post: 10 Australian Eco-Friendly Brands for the Stylish Beach Bum
Do You Green
Do you want to incorporate Paris chic in your bras and other intimate apparel? Try Do You Green, a pioneering organic lingerie brand based in Paris and made entirely from pine fibers. It is a great alternative to cotton as pine trees require only 50 percent water to grow as compared to regular cotton. Plus, the fabrics used by Do You Green come from sustainably-farmed French pine forests.
What’s more, bras made from pine fibers are far softer and smoother than cotton. They also have antiperspirant properties, are non-itchy and feel better on the skin.
Shipping Information: Ships worldwide.
Do you love any of the brands above? Or know of any other brands offering ethical and sustainable bras that deserve to be included? Feel free to leave a comment below.
The curated list is based on the writer’s research and does not fully take into account all ethical considerations that are unique to each individual. Before making a purchase, we encourage you to do your own research paying particular attention to the supply chain and your own particular set of ethics. You can also check out online tools and apps that provide product reviews and brand ratings here.
