Jasmine Hemsley shares her favourite lingerie brands taking a more conscious approach to underwear.
More than 10 years ago a friend (fellow Eco-Age columnist Sjaniel Turrell) and I committed to shopping more sustainably. We were already big second-hand shoppers, however we had to acknowledge that sometimes there are items we wanted to purchase new. On our quest for more sustainable brands, we decided to start with pyjamas and so the search began. We endlessly googled, asked friends who were similarly eco-conscious, spoke to sustainable store owners and, despite all of this, we still turned up empty handed. For a long time, the same manic search process applied to underwear. Despite there having been a demand for more ethical options for a number of years, and underwear being one of the most difficult items to purchase sustainably (as the most eco-conscious option ie. second-hand doesn’t feel quite appropriate!), for a long time there just weren’t many options. Now, thanks to more and more designers choosing the harder (but of course more worthwhile) option of ethical manufacturing and sourcing, there has been an influx of amazing underwear brands taking the stage.
From beautiful, lacy, feminine designs to basics for everyday and more edgy options, there’s now something for everyone and every occasion too. I’m sharing my edit of eight brands, many with a focus on British design and manufacturing, that are paving the way forward for a more sustainable approach across the fashion industry as a whole.