Enamore Sophia Shorty Knickers Full Review
Posted: 29 April 2008 by Rikke Bruntse-Dahl
You might not have the body of Enamore's model, but these knickers make you feel like you do. They're pretty forgiving, covering up just the right parts of tummy, cheeks and hips, but amazingly they still manage to be both cute and sexy at the same time. How does that work?
First of all, besides being lusciously soft, the soybean, organic cotton and spandex fabric is kind of heavy, like good jersey, which means the knickers stay exactly where they're supposed to. The sides are ruched and feature red satin ribbon bows, which create the cute and sexy touch while drawing attention away from hips and tummy. The ribbons can be adjusted, so you can make them look like French knickers or pull them up if you fancy showing a bit more thigh.
The secret behind the fabulous feeling fabric is a mix of 57 per cent soy bean, 37 per cent organic cotton and six per cent spandex. While we're happy for the cotton-growers in India and Turkey that the cotton is organic, we would have liked to know a bit more about the soya fibres used. We know it comes from China and that it can potentially replace petrochemical base layers and cashmere, but Enamore doesn't assure us anywhere that it's not GM, or that the growers have had good working conditions.
This kind of information is especially important since the product doesn't carry any
certifications like the Soil Association stamp or the Fairtrade Mark. The company did tell us that soya
fibres are fully biodegradable and the agents used in processing it
are non-toxic, meaning the waste can be used as animal feed once the
protein has been extracted.
Enamore also explained that it's constantly working to make the company greener, by doing things such as using more 100 per cent organic fabrics and sourcing materials closer to home. The designers already use vintage fabrics, trims, lace and buttons -- both to make the creations more unique, but also to be kinder to the environment. Besides organic cotton and soya fabric, Enamore uses hemp, bamboo, silk and tencel, which are some of the most environmentally friendly fabrics around. In Enamore's own studio, the staff recycles all paper, card, plastic and metal and donates unwanted fabrics to local schools and colleges.
The Enamore team also gets involved with educational events where they talk to the public -- young people in particular -- about the importance of changing consumer and lifestyle habits. We really value this and admire Enamore for having the energy to do it, which is extraordinary for a small company.
Although we're left in the dark with regards to the fabric-makers' working conditions, we can be sure that the sewers have been treated well. All Enamore's lingerie is made in the UK and the core team often visits the production units. Some of Enamore's seamstresses even work from their own homes on flexible terms to fit work around family life, and Enamore tells us they're all paid much more than the minimum wage.
But we sure pay for that at the cash register. At £39 for a pair, these knickers cost way more than we would normally spend on the bottom half of a set of underwear. That said, they are very well made, look like they'll last for decades and just generally seem to be a good example of Enamore's belief that "creating long lasting good quality garments from organic fabrics will help combat the effects of fast cheap fashion, which is so harmful to both people and planet."
On top of that, we're told to wash them by hand with biodegradable soap and to line-dry them, which will make them last even longer -- and be even greener (depending on how much water you use). For some people, hand-washing your knickers may be a real drawback. We even thought so at first, wondering if we could really get them clean. But the fabric was easy to wash out and the knickers felt perfectly clean.
With a bit more in-depth ethical info about the fabric's background, we wouldn't hesitate to fork out almost 40 quid on these knickers. They're worth it quality-wise for sure.
Quality
Value
Ethics
Green
