Zero-waste and plastic-free underwear: my review of The Very Good Bra

Zero-waste-plastic-free-underwear: a review of The Very Good Bra


I have a few rules when it comes to buying apparel for myself:

  1. Secondhand first
  2. If a particular piece cannot be sourced secondhand then I choose clothing made of natural fibres grown and sewn in Australia by brands with ethical values and full transparency
  3. Choose materials that are as natural as possible so they can break down in my compost after it's beyond repairing and repurposing.

These above rules have been fairly easy to follow. In the past seven years I have purchased 90% of my clothing secondhand, three new jumpers that adhere to rule 2 and 3 (all were from Woolerina). And my shoes have been bought secondhand.

But underwear is where I draw the line, for now.

Rule 2 was always hard to follow when it came to buying underwear especially bras as they can contain quite a few components like elastic and clips that can't make it zero-waste. So I chose brands with ECA accreditation (Ethical Clothing Australia). Obviously wearing no bra would be the most zero waste option but I like the added warmth in winter! In summer I'm happy to go without sometimes. Plus I found a bra a non-negotiable when breastfeeding because I leaked for a year. 

When I was pregnant The Very Good Bra appeared on the scene with their zero-waste bra. Naturally I bookmarked them for when I would be free of maternity bras. Just as my son was starting to reduce his breastfeeding a timely email from CEO and founder Stephanie Devine landed upon my inbox asking if I'd like to try the black zero-waste bra for free.

Now, anyone who has breastfed will know just how worn maternity bras become. Your breasts morph significantly throughout, stretching the fabric. And at the beginning the poor bra can become saturated with milk, no matter how many breast pads or towels are shoved down there. At least mine did. So after two years of my breasts belonging to someone else, being sucked and chewed at all hours of the day you can understand why I would be excited for a new bra? And this wasn't just any bra, it was a zero waste bra! Meaning the life cycle had been accounted for and it could avoid landfill.

I've worn the bra for six months and I must say, it's incredibly soft. It felt so nice to slip it on during winter especially. The fabric is made of Australian knitted and dyed Lenzing fibre Tencel, with tree rubber and organic cotton elastic and custom made organic hooks and eyes. If you would like to learn more about Tencel visit Good On You. I do understand Tencel is not perfect, but then most massed produced fabrics seem to have a negative impact of some type. It is worth noting the company Lenzing are working to reduce those environmental impacts.

The thread holding it all together is tencel too. Most clothing thread is a cotton polyester mix chosen for durability. So if a cotton t-shirt was placed into a backyard compost - after being reused as a rag obviously!) everything will break down quickly except for the polyester part of the thread. When the zero-waste bra is at the end of its life the metal hooks and eyes can be removed for recycling and the rest buried where it will return to the earth. Metal, even those small parts can be recycled. In Australia check with your local council how best to collect and drop off. For instance I can take metal to my local Transfer Station. 

I'm pretty sure I would repurpose the material before composting, but thats me! I treat composting like I treat recycling; as a last resort.

But how does it fit?


I have the bra in a 32C and the fit is supportive throughout the day. The straps never fall off my shoulders, a problem I have had often in the past and the three clasps at the back are easy to use. So far it washes well with no pilling. This bra is underwire free. I will be buying the peach version for myself so I have more than 1 bra though I might try the 32B as that is what I used to be pre-nursing so I can compare. There is a small amount of room towards the top of the 32C but not enough that anything slips out when I bend over.

Tammy Logan from Gippsland Unwrapped wrote a review last year if you'd like to read it here. Her blog post also includes other reviews within the with people of different bust sizes.

There is a lack of machinery and skills available for this type of bra to be made locally since Bonds took their production offshore to China. The cost would also jump to over $120 if produced locally. I do know founder Stephanie Devine would love to have everything sourced and made locally. It's just not an option presently. Stephanie has such passion and drive that I can only see her brand continuing to do great things.

The bra currently costs $95 which I understand is a big investment when compared to a cotton bra from a brand like Bonds. But the fair treatment of garments workers and brands like The Very Good Bra is important to me. I'm investing in a sustainable fabric, carefully thought out materials and living wages. If more people that can afford this kind of bra and choose to invest into this system then the price would reduce. So share with others and let them know. 

The Very Good Bra has started making zero-waste undies too. Most undies (knickers, panties) contain a plastic elastane which is not compostable. Elastane is a plastic fibre that helps give underwear that stretch.

I am holding onto my maternity bras just in case we decide to try for a sibling. For those with old maternity bras that are in good shape you can pass them onto the Uplift Project. They would love reusable nursing pads if you have any laying around.

The Very Good Bra is packed by workers at Avenue. Avenue is a Co-Working Space in Parramatta where people of all abilities are supported to work, socialise and develop their individual skills, regardless of their support needs.

UPDATE from founder Stephanie 24.02.2020: 

Stephanie was sent an unfinished sample of the hook and eye used in the bras. Even though she was told there was no plastic there was indeed a small piece of polyproplene stabiliser within the hook and eye. She is currently searching for a hook and eye without the plastic. I'll update once it has been found. This means the hook and eye cannot be recycled. Thank you to Stephanie for being transparent with her customers. Transparency is not radical, and her honesty in a time when so many "ethical" clothing companies use a weak definition of transparency as a selling point. You can read more on the companies blog here


Are there any other zero-waste underwear options out there?


Now I don't like doing reviews on products I have not tried myself but I will share with you some brands I've found throughout the years worth checking out:

Rawganique:
The underwear in this link contains no elastane. The fabric used is either 100% hemp or organic cotton depending on the style. But the thread used is poly core (a cotton polyester mix). This is because when a cotton thread is used in the leg area and waist it can break easier due more movement. So technically the seams can be cut off and compost the rest. I'd do that.

Cottonique:
I found this brand while looking for zero-waste maternity bras when I was pregnant. There are some interesting bra and underwear options without elastane. Pieces in Natural are sewn with 100% cotton thread so technically these could be composted with the metal loops recycled. I have linked those options here: Women's Drawstring Brief (Natural) and Women's Drawstring Bra (Natural).

Up and Undies
This a small US business based in Seattle, Washington selling undies made out of used material like t-shirts found at secondhand stores.  These won't break down completely in the compost but I love the ingenuity of using a resource already in existence and the fun designs of the brand. All scraps are kept to knit rugs too. 

There is a wonderfully detailed blog post by Design Diary on how to sew your own underwear should you be inspired to try it yourself.

I'd love to know if I have missed any brands as I'd love to add then. Send me an email via my contact page and I'll put your suggestions onto the list.

Readers suggestions:
Farm To Hanger - The Bio Range



#trgcollab: The bra was a gift by The Very Good Bra. I use the hashtag #trgcollab to help readers idenifty items or services that were gifted to me or are a paid post. This item was an unpaid gift and I was not compensated financially to write about. All views are my own. I only accept gifted items or services I would use personally.