Ethical Fashion - Eco-Underwear
Guilt Free Shopping for Stylish Lingerie and Intimate Apparel
Going organic no longer means granny knickers and Bridget Jones- type pants, but pretty and practical underwear and lingerie with sexy frills and ruffles.
In the past organic clothing has had an image of being ugly, frumpy and expensive. However, with today’s hottest trend in everything sustainable, there is no excuse for switching to eco-friendly stylish intimate apparel.
Not only will you be helping the environment, but you are likely to feel healthier too. With the world intent on reducing the carbon footprint it is time to update your undies into something less toxic than mass produced non-organic cotton, with its chemical dyes.
Benefits of Organic Cotton
According to Marisa Belger, (author of The Lazy Environmentalist) in her online article “Get eco-fashionable with great green jeans” of 22 October 2007, “Conventional cotton undergoes a seriously toxic production process as 90% of cotton production involves the use of synthetic chemicals – pesticides and insecticides” These can cause allergies and irritation, not to mention adding to the build up on toxins in the body. In addition to this, adds Belger, “conventional cotton farming can have devastating effects on the planet as pesticides seep into the soil, water and air that surrounds us all.”
For the fashion conscious, the good news is that more and more ethical products are being produced which are trendy and attractive to wear. Being sustainable no loner means having to give upon style, and ethical fashion magazines like the BBC’s Online magazine, Thread, feature recommendations on clothes that are right on trend, and where to buy them.
Figleaves Launches Its Greenleaves Department
Figleaves is a leading intimate apparel specialist serving clients all over the globe. It carries a huge range of underwear, lingerie, loungewear, sleepwear and swimwear made from an assortment of international designers, in the finest of fabrics.
On 3 March 2008, major online intimate apparel retailer, Figleaves, launched its dedicated department for green products, called Greenleaves. This offers an extensive eco-friendly underwear and sleepwear for men and women.
It offers knickers, thongs, bras, camisoles, slips and tees made from eco-friendly fabrics like organic cotton, soy, hemp and bamboo blended jersey. It includes eco-specific brands like Green Knicker, Eco Boudoir and Enamore, and some main stream brands like Chantelle, Eberjey and CIN2.
Figleaves has two main sites one for the UK and the other for USA. For international orders outside of either of these countries, use the UK based site.
People Tree – Organic Underwear that Helps Sustain Others
People Tree, one of the world’s most renowned environmentally-friendly companies, offers a range of reasonably priced eco-underwear, such as Turkish hipster shorts (£12.00), and matching eco body cami (£9.00). Made from organic cotton all People Tree products follow a fair trade policy, and this particular intimate apparel is made by Assisi garments,India, set up by Franciscan nuns, and according to People Tree's website, “provides employment for deaf, mute and poor women who were considered unfit for marriage by their families.”
Set up by Safia Minney, a fair trade pioneer, People Tree employs small, artisan producers around the globe – from Peru, Bangladesh, India etc to produce fashion for high street stores, mainly in the UK.
Wooden Knickers from French label g-9.8
If you are after something a bit more exclusive and high-end designer then try a pair of knickers from the French label g=9.8. Their Mya collection features sexy bras and boy shorts made from the wood clippings of pine nut trees (LENPUR®). The end result is not only a fabric that is as soft as silk and like cashmere to the touch, but the underwear is also antibacterial, biodegradable and thermo-regulating, keeping you cool and comfortable in summer and warm in winter – what more could you ask from your underwear!
