Best women's eco knickers
Knickers are one of those few things we really don't fancy getting from the charity shop. So luckily there are now a good bunch of ethical or green underwear companies in the UK, which means we don't have to compromise our ideals -- or hygienic standards -- to get new ones.
Our main two criteria when buying new underwear are these: that they haven't been produced in a sweatshop and that they've been produced in a sustainable way. Affordability, fit and style are of course also of major importance.
It turns out we don't have to compromise on style either. From Enamore's sexy Sophia Shorty knickers and Luva Huva's cuties to the cool tomboy-style pants from 'howies' and Pants to Poverty, there's something for any green girl. We liked them all style-wise, but Enamore's knickers were really the best in terms of design and fit. They were simply the most comfortable and flattering knickers we've ever worn.
But they cost nearly £40 and although they're worth it, we just can't get our heads around paying that much for a pair of pants. We even think the howies knickers are on the dear side at £27. At £12 each, the Luva Huva and Pants to Poverty knickers would be our everyday choices.
From a green and ethical perspective, Pants to Poverty outshines the others by boasting an organic certification as well as the Fairtrade Mark. But howies' ethical and eco-friendly merino wool, Luva Huva's use of cut-offs that would otherwise be destined for the landfill and Enamore's organic cotton and sustainably produced soya fabric all impress us, too. As they're made in the UK, Luva Huva's and Enamore's knickers score pretty well on ethics, though they don't get top points because of the lack of info about the workers who produced the fabric in the first place. We don't know anything about the people who made howies' knickers, either, which is our main problem with them in the end.
In choosing our favourite pair, we're torn between Enamore's luxury and Pants to Poverty's worthiness. While the latter definitely deserves the highest SmartPlanet score, we think we'll have to pick Enamore's Sophia Shorty for being such a well-made product.
Other green or ethical underwear brands we haven't yet reviewed but which are worth checking out are Eco-Boudoir, GreenKnickers and People Tree.
Enamore Sophia Shorty Knickers
Howies Women's NBL Graphite Light Briefs
Luva Huva Yellow Border Anglaise Knickers
Pants to Poverty Condom Pocket Pants
