37% of women in the US purchase a bra at least once every six months. [1]
And if you’ve been buying bras for a long time, you’d know that this frequency is often caused by the lack of comfortmost bras provide.
Bras, when used correctly, are incredibly supportive without being constricting. And with all the controversy surrounding bra wires, we need everyday bras that stay comfortable.
But that isn’t all. Like with all our other clothes, we should always consider the social and environmental impact of what we buy before we checkout.
And with that, here are some of our most recommended organic bras that are kind to the planet, people, animals, and of course you.
Pact - US
With the mission of building the Earth’s favorite apparel company, Pact is a big fan of using sustainable crops, organic farms, and chemical-free dyes that support the planet from seed to tee.
With carbon offset shipping and thoughtful packaging, Pact is one of the few brands we’ve featured several times on Puratium. High-quality and aesthetically pleasing, Pact is a leader in holistic, sustainable fashion.
The Bra Collection
Pact has a limited but incredibly well-rounded bra selection. They have most of the classic designs like a racerback, double scoop neck, and some v and deep-v options.
Their designs typically do not have any wires and provide light support perfect for everyday wear. They even have bra camisoles if you want additional coverage while still getting natural support.
While there are only a handful of bra styles in Pact’s collection, they are incredibly abundant in color and pattern options.
We especially love how this can cater to those who want simple block colors and those who want a bit more variation in their underwear.
Super comfy and excellent for casual wear, Pact’s organic cotton bras come in sizes XS to XXL. This is a pretty good size range, but we hope they expand their range soon!
Pact bras are a good option if you want high-quality clothing at a reasonable price. Their bras all range from $25-$30, so they won’t leave that much of a dent in your pocket.
Materials & Sustainability
Pact products are made with GOTS certified organic cotton. In line with its goal of being the Earth’s friendliest clothing company, Pact only uses the most sustainable fabrics possible.
The organic cotton they use in production doesn’t require any toxic pesticides or fertilizers during cultivation, so you can rest assured that your bras support not only you but the planet as well.
Moreover, their GOTS-certified organic cotton is much less water-intensive than conventionally-produced options. By choosing Pact bras, you can save up to 81% of water usage (compared to conventional production), which is almost 12 gallons of water.
Organic fabrics have a much better sustainability assessment because they help heal the soil and ecosystems through natural farming systems.
Like most underwear, Pact bras do have a tiny portion of elastane. They frequently use 5% elastane in their bras to give that added stretch and support. If you want to know more about the sustainability factor of elastane, check our in-depth analysis here.
Company Values
Pact products are not only environmentally friendly, but they are socially responsible as well.
The brand partners with Fair Trade-certified factories, ensuring that their manufacturing process is centered around respect for employees and their labor.
Since the brand sources cotton from India, it makes the most logistical (and environmental) sense to produce there as well.
Although India is known for unethical labor practices, we can trust that Pact only operates under safe and healthy working conditions thanks to the Fair Trade Certification. This label also signifies that workers’ wages are protected and paid a Fair Trade premium.
Frank & Oak - Canada
Founded in 2012, Frank & Oak is a sustainable clothing company that started in Montreal and has now expanded to the US and even China!
A certified B Corporation, Frank & Oak believes in acting with purpose, inspiring innovation, creating communities, and being the most authentic version of themselves possible.
The Bra Collection
Frank & Oak’s bra collection consists chiefly of flattering geometric cuts that provide coverage and support in all the right places. We love how their style is the perfect balance between sticking to classic silhouettes and allowing a little creativity into the mix.
Their color palette is stunning and reflects a casual, laid-back persona reminiscent of what Frank & Oak does in their other collections.
Not all of their bras are made of organic materials, but they do have ones made from organic cotton. The other materials they use are Tencel Modal and recycled nylon. These materials can be sustainable in some scenarios, but they are not organic fabrics.
We recommend getting their organic cotton bras if you want to stick to organics. You can get their bralettes in beige, gray, black, and a honey tone. Super soft and ultra-comfortable, this bra design has an elastic band instead of wiring for lift and support.
It also has a cute peek-a-boo detail that really elevates the classic cut; plus, it has adjustable straps and fits true to size!
The sizes range from XS to XL, which is pretty standard, although not something we would consider size-inclusive.
Hopefully, they can touch more on the size-accessibility of their products in the future.
Materials & Sustainability
Frank & Oak uses a wide array of sustainable materials for their clothing. They use fabrics like hemp, recycled wool, kapok, and organic cotton, among many other fabrics.
Not all of their materials are very sustainable, though. According to their latest report, around 78% of their materials are currently eco friendly and sustainable. For the rest, they’re consistently working on generating the least impact possible.
For instance, they do use viscose in some pieces, but we’re happy to see that they at least source from Lenzing, which is arguably the best place to get viscose rayon (50% fewer emissions than conventional production).
Because Frank & Oak uses wool and yak in their clothing, they are not a vegan brand. So if this is among your primary considerations, we strongly suggest looking at our vegan underwear guide.
That said, the organic cotton bras are entirely vegan, so there’s no need to worry about those.
Frank & Oak also uses recycled paper and compostable poly mailers for packaging. Although we would love to see a completely plastic-free packaging system, we highly appreciate that the brand is making positive steps in this direction.
Company Values
Frank & Oak is a certified B-Corporation. This means all of their products are manufactured under the highest social and environmental standards. These often pertain to good working conditions, living wages, and respect throughout the supply chain.
Frank & Oak is quite a large production team with at least 300 employees from more than 20 countries. They do not have detailed accounts of all their factories and manufacturing partners, but we do know they produce across Canada, the US, Europe, and Asia.
Production description over the three continents is pretty vague, so we hope they can become more transparent about this soon.
But what we do know for sure is that the brand is a B-Corp. At least from this, we can infer that Frank & Oak has plenty of positives in terms of ethical production and servicing the community.
Mate the Label - US
Mate the Label is on a mission to provide people with clothing essentials that are clean from seed to skin.
Taking the concept of clean dressing to a whole new level, Mate offers high-quality clothing options that don’t require environmental or ethical compromise.
The Bra Collection
Mate is primarily an apparel brand, and this means most of what they sell on their website are super comfy daily essentials.
However, they do have a couple of sports bras in the collection that will make great additions to your roster of organic bras.
Their only available design as of writing is their Organic Stretch Sports Bra, which is a classic racerback design with a rounded scoop neck at the front. Although there’s just one design, the bra does come in many different colors, so you definitely won’t lack color options.
Mate has an “essentials” color palette, most of which are either neutrals or earthy tones. In addition, they also have a limited edition palette, which changes from time to time. This is where they would typically include the more bold and vibrant colors.
Activewear is often made from unsustainable synthetic materials, so it’s great to see such an excellent option available! However, note that this sports bra is made only for low to medium-impact exercises, so you do not want to rely on it for high-impact workouts or activities.
If you prefer to get both bottoms and a bra, we highly suggest getting them in packs of the same fabric to maintain the exact color tones and shades.
These products are available in sizes XS to 3 XL, which is already a pretty inclusive range.
Materials & Sustainability
Mate’s organic cotton bras are made of 92% organic cotton and 8% spandex. For a bra that can perform as well as this one does, that’s a pretty good ratio of natural fiber to elastic.
Mate the Label is a huge believer in spreading love, and not chemicals, in their clothes. In their other products, they use a variety of organic fabrics (jersey, terry, fleece, etc.) as well as some Tencel lyocell for softer clothing.
All their clothes are free of 31 chemicals and 49 dye substances that can harm the skin and health. You may read more about their sustainability practices in materials right here.
If you want to know more about their fabrics’ relative impact than conventional fabrics, you can find all that information on their impact report.
Mate’s packaging is completely plastic-free, even for shipping. They now use recycled, and compostable packing slips along with some tissue paper. They don’t even use any added branding materials on the packaging!
Company Values
Mate’s approach to being a sustainable brand involves integrating environmentally-friendly and socially responsible practices throughout its operations.
Mate the Label is Climate-Neutral certified, and despite already having a pretty low carbon footprint, they are still on a mission to reduce impact through their climate action plan.
The brand has also joined a coalition of brands, scientists, and farmers with the goal of cultivating regenerative cotton farming practices in California.
The best part is that all of their pieces are made locally in Los Angeles. All their factories are located within 15 miles of their LA headquarters, which enables them to check on their factories every so often. This also lessens their overall emissions.
It goes without saying that they do not use any child labor during production, and workers operate under good, safe conditions.
Mate is also a member of 1% for the Planet, and they donate at least 1% of their annual sales to environmental concerns.
WAMA - US
WAMA is a well-established undergarment brand most popular for its use of hemp fabric. With the goal of pioneering the hemp undies industry, WAMA is committed to making their unique fabrics and making hemp a more accessible option for everyone.
The Bra Collection
WAMA only has a few styles of organic bras in their range, but they’re all the options you need for everyday wear.
Their organic bras don’t have any underwire or padding, but some of the options have adjustable straps. Although WAMA doesn’t use wire for the bras, they are still super supportive and give you all the coverage you need.
If you’re looking for a plunging neckline, then their triangle bra design is definitely for you. It’s perfect for people who often wear lower necklines since it provides enough lift without interfering with your neckline.
The best part about WAMA bras is their color options. They have quite a good variety of nude shades that are really representative of women of all colors.
While the other brands we featured still had great color options, sometimes all you’re looking for is an excellent nude bra to wear under a white or light-colored shirt. And in this, WAMA really hits the mark.
WAMA also has expanded sizing, and they stock bras in sizes XS to 3XL.
Materials & Sustainability
WAMA uses a combination of organic cotton and hemp, plus a tiny bit of Spandex for some added stretch.
Hemp is one of the most sustainable fabrics when made properly. Even the non-organic version still has the potential to be a truly sustainable material, provided that it wasn’t processed with too many chemicals.
In fact, there’s actually a pretty interesting discourse on hemp’s organic production. Unlike other natural fabrics, it isn’t pretty common for the material to be certified organic—emphasis on certified.
WAMA has an informative article on the topic you can read on their website, but we’ll sum up all the essential parts here. The main issue is that the plant is often grown on small, family-run farms that may not have the capacity or resources to undergo organic certification (which is pretty expensive).
Because of this, even large manufacturers cannot get their fabric certified as they source from multiple small farms and not just one large farm.
But this doesn’t mean it can’t be produced organically! As we detail in our guide on hemp fabric, the cannabis plant doesn’t actually need chemicals or pesticides to cultivate, and the overall growth process isn’t resource-consuming nor environmentally taxing.
Therefore, organic hemp is still very much an option; it’s just the certification that’s a bit of an issue.
All that aside, we are happy to share that WAMA does use GOTS-certified organic cotton, which guarantees that the materials they use are good for the planet and improve local communities.
Company Values
All WAMA manufacturing is based in China. For the brand, this seemed like the most prudent choice as much of their raw materials were sourced within the country.
With the understanding that China is a location where plenty of unethical labor practices occur, WAMA has a rigorous Code of Conduct in place to protect its workers.
They also have a permanent employee located in China to oversee operations and make it easier to conduct audits of their partners.
Boody - US
Boody operates on the idea that fashion and comfort are more than just about feeling good; it can be about doing good too!
With certifications like OEKO-TEX, Peta-approved vegan, FSC, ECOCERT, and many more, Boody really embodies sustainable and ethical practices throughout their company operations.
The Bra Collection
Boody has a really great range of organic bras that provide lift, support, and comfort. Some designs will even make you forget you have a bra on! Their collection offers varying levels of stretch and fit, depending on what you’re looking for.
They have bamboo sports bras, bralettes, camis, and padded shaper bras. Their designs do not have any hardware and have a seamless design that will blend perfectly with your clothing.
Boody has an everyday bra for nearly every casual outfit, and you will for sure find something you like.
That said, we think their size options could use a little bit of work since they only offer organic bras in XS-XL, but if you’re within that range, then Boody is a good option.
Much like WAMA, one of Boody’s strong suits is their color selection, especially if you’re looking for organic bras or bralettes that are neutral or skin tone colored.
Boody has basic color options like black and white as well as medium to rich brown and orange tones that will really bring out your natural beauty if you have a deeper tone.
They also have some of the best prices for organic bras, with prices starting from $19.95.
Materials & Sustainability
Boody’s primary material is bamboo viscose. As a disclaimer, we do not typically consider bamboo viscose (or any viscose) as sustainable because of specific steps during the production process.
However, Boody has an excellent system that really integrates sustainable practices within production, making their bamboo viscose much more sustainable than the conventional versions.
To illustrate this, Boody details their bamboo process on their website. First, the raw material is soaked in a softening solution, and the remaining water is recycled, with all the solvents captured and removed for a planet-friendly process.
The overall process is a closed-loop system quite similar to the one used for lyocell.
While the materials themselves aren’t likely to be that different from those used in conventional practices, we do appreciate that Boody is making an effort to make the process kinder to the planet.
Each of Boody’s organic bras also has positive impacts associated with its production. Each product listing shows the effects in terms of driving emissions avoided, LED energy saved, drinking water saved, and how much farmland was used without pesticides.
Company Values
Boody is committed to a business that is beneficial to the community it serves while staying true to its commitment to planet-friendly practices.
Boody products are designed in the US but are made in China. China is also where they source their bamboo, so it does make logistical sense to make it the central arm of their operations.
We do understand that producing in China can be a red flag. But fret not. Boody has a great Code of Conduct in place to protect the community of workers the brand partners with.
And this isn’t just some claim either! Boody became a certified B-Corporation in 2021, which signifies it passed the highest standards for social and environmental compliance.
B Corporations are mandated to act in the best interest of everyone, people and environment included. As a B Corp, we can trust Boody to conduct its business using sustainable and ethical practices.
Earth and Elle - Canada
Earth and Elle is a Canadian “underthings” retailer that creates bras and undies made for the most sacred places of our bodies. Their focus is on creating products that make people feel good every day with cozy, breathable, and stretchy pieces.
The Bra Collection
Earth and Elle is a relatively small production. Their pieces are all free from clips and wires, making them very comfortable and excellent for daily wear.
Their organic bras are fully double layered to enhance support, and you can wear them while lounging, cleaning, or even while doing yoga!
Although they only have a handful of designs, their range of organic bras is designed thoughtfully and made for the perfect balance between function and comfort.
Earth and Elle’s color palette is reminiscent of its name—earthy tones mixed grounded in femininity. They have standard shades like bone white, black, and gray, as well as more colorful options like honey yellow and wine red.
Their bras are available in sizes small to triple XL, although not all their designs are available in 3XL. The size range is pretty good, and they easily accommodate women with larger chest sizes.
Their organic bras are typically made of a medium-weight fabric that’s still breathable while remaining super soft.
Materials & Sustainability
Earth and Elle bras are made of hemp, organic cotton, and a little bit of spandex. Although the products themselves are not organic-certified, the bras have enough organic components in them that it’s sensible to consider them organic bras.
The beauty of hemp and organic cotton is that both are natural fibers made using low-impact techniques that don’t harm the Earth. Hemp, even the non-organic version, is made under a process that doesn’t require pesticides or added chemicals, making it a very sustainable plant.
However, there is still the risk of chemical retting during processing, which you can read more about in our guide on hemp fabric.
Earth and Elle have stated that their hemp doesn’t require any chemicals for processing, so they aren’t likely to be using this damaging method.
The fibers are colored using low-impact dyes that come pre-dyed from the fabric manufacturer.
Earth and Elle also use minimal packaging, although it isn’t completely plastic-free. They use tissue paper and recycled cotton string for fastening while they use post-consumer recycled mailers for shipping.
Company Values
As we mentioned, Earth and Elle is a relatively small production. Their organic bras are made in small batches by local technicians in Richmond, Canada.
Canada is not at high risk for unethical manufacturing practices, and the country has a solid body of workers’ protection rights in the workplace.
However, we would appreciate it even more if the brand could disclose on its site more details about production practices just to ensure that sewing and finishing are conducted under good working conditions.
Overall, Earth and Elle is a good brand to buy your sustainable bras from, especially if you live in Canada.
The Deal With GOTS-Certified Organic Cotton
Buying your organic bra from a retailer that uses the GOTS certification is probably the best route you can go. This certification guarantees that the material was not made under conditions that would harm the environment and worker health.
In an ideal world, we should be able to trust brands when they claim they have sustainable practices or that they uplift local communities.
However, most of the time, brands aren’t transparent about their practices and customers can quickly become victims of greenwashing techniques.
If you’re still new to sustainable fashion, we would highly suggest relying on these certifications to guide you through your experience.
While certifications are not perfect (not even close), they’re currently the best-standardized markers we have for sustainability and ethics.
Final Thoughts
With so many options for organic bras in the sustainability market, it can be really tough to make the right calls on, fit, design, and of course, overall sustainability.
Regardless, we hope this list gave you some leads and transformed some of your doubt into certainty.
A significant portion of women have difficulty choosing the right organic bras that will fit their needs, but we encourage you to keep looking. Whether you are looking for extra padding for structure or GOTS certification for material, we’re sure there’s a bra for you.
Resources:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/695939/frequency-at-which-women-purchase-bras-us/#:~:text=The%20statistic%20shows%20the%20frequency,least%20once%20in%20six%20months.
