Ethical and sustainable fashion is all about choosing low impact wardrobe essentials so you can look good and feel great about doing your part in helping to preserve the environment. The most reliable ethical and sustainable clothing brands are completely transparent about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, so people who shop with them can make an informed decision about their purchases.
If you’re looking for a brand that you can shop with confidently, Organic Basics is at the top of our list for low impact slow fashion basics and other wardrobe essentials. They carry a wide range of eco-friendly underwear and super comfy minimalistic basics that are designed with simplicity and function in mind. They’re also very reasonably priced, especially as eco-conscious brands go: Bras start at $47 and will last you much longer than anything from Victoria’s Secret, all while being much better for the environment to boot.
Why we love Organic Basics:
1. Transparency
An ethical and sustainable clothing brand that you can trust is one that is open about their supply chain. They demonstrate a strong willingness to divulge information about how they’re making a real impact, so you can make the choice for yourself as to whether or not you want to contribute to their footprint. At every level, from which factories their garments were made in to where their raw material was sourced from, Organic Basics is extremely transparent about their supply chain.
They provide an Impact Index to track each garment’s carbon footprint. Based on the index, their metrics prove consistently better than similar brands that rely on a fast fashion production process. In their Impact Report for 2019, Organic Basics kept us in the loop with everything and anything we would need (or want) to know about their products, supply chain, and environmental activism. Not to mention, it provided insight on how they are looking for ways to improve their products and supply chain, as well as extend their environmental activism in 2020. As their customers, we have the power to hold them to their word if we notice they have slipped in their quest to be an ethical brand by referring back to the report that they gave us.
The report is also pretty vulnerable in its inclusion of some less-than-awesome bits in their products. The report is admirable in itself, but they were completely honest about what they should change, such as some of their fabrics not being 100% traceable to the production of their raw material. They mentioned explicitly that they wish to improve that in 2020. We hope they do too!
2. Visionary Use of Sustainable Materials
“We constantly search for better innovation, we have a visionary use of sustainable materials – and a continued focus on ethical production.” - Organic Basics
What we love most about this brand is their commitment to making a change. They keep focus on finding ways to improve the sustainability of their collections, always on the lookout for the most sustainable fabrics possible. Not only that, but the fabrics they currently use have a high level of third-party verification to ensure product safety and sustainable production in the textile chain. Here are some of their fabrics certifications and what they mean:
a. They have a GOTS certified organic cotton selection of undergarments and basic tees. In an effort to prevent soil contamination and other negative effects from the use of chemicals, their organic cotton is grown without pesticides or insecticides on the coast of the Aegean Sea. Certified Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) represents the international gold standard for sustainable textile and clothing processing. GOTS helps you know when a product has meant stringent standards for consumer, worker, and environmental safety. When shopping any brand, this is a fantastic indicator that they operate under a strong code of ethics. You can check out their cotton tees, briefs, and bras on Kolebree.
b. OB expanded their range in the last year to include an underwear baselayer collection made with TENCEL lyocell. Their Tencel is OEKO-TEX® 100 certified. When OEKO-TEX® certifies a product with a STANDARD 100 label, this means that OEKO-TEX® has tested the product for common substances that have been proven harmful to humans or are currently unregulated. In short, you can be sure that that collection was produced ethically and won’t harm our planet. Lucky for you, we carry OB TENCEL briefs and bras in store.
c. They also use GRS certified recycled nylon for their minimal visible pantyline basics. The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) offers consumers a way to verify how much of a product has been recycled. By tracking and tracing the ingredients of a product, GRS offers detailed, voluntary, third-party certifications. It keeps detailed, documented evidence concerning the chemical, social, and environmental practices employed by companies. As it’s a voluntary certification, GRS is also an indicator of how much a company cares about transparency. We already know that OB is transparent, but it doesn’t hurt that they use recycled fabric too! Perfect for wearing under dresses and tees, check out their invisible collection below:
3. They Design Clothes to Last
When shopping for slow fashion basics, the idea is to invest in wardrobe essentials that suit your style and have the potential to last you a long time. Even if you’re looking for eco-friendly lingerie, Organic Basics has a wide range of basics that are actually anything but basic.
With both environmental impact and lifetime durability in mind, they handpick their fabrics from the most sustainable and durable ranges available. They measure fabrics on a scale of “Outstanding” to “Bad” based on various ecological impact factors. Majority of their fabrics are in the A and B categories: “Outstanding” and “Better” kinds of fabrics. Though they do have a small percentage (3-6%) of “Not great” and “bad” fabrics, these fabrics are sometimes necessary in the creation of durable items. Where possible, it’s clear that they have prioritized ethical, long-lasting fabrics over cheap and easy alternatives.
Organic Basics works with various factories that prioritize sustainability and ethical labor practices. All factories are in Europe, all pay a living wage, and almost all are family owned businesses. You can be sure when buying from OB that you’re moving toward sustainability at no ethical cost to the workers who made your clothes. Moreover, their factory in Bologna, Italy is able to reduce CO2 emissions by 95% in their yarning process. When carbon dioxide emissions are expected to increase as fast fashion takes over the industry, it’s important to consider how the factories you support are doing their part to reverse the trend.
4. They’re Carbon Neutral
Carbon neutrality refers to achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions. It involves a process of offsetting, wherein the carbon emissions released are equally met with forms of energy that can help to repair the damage done by carbon, like wind or solar power. Organic Basics offset their carbon footprint by partnering with CHOOOSE – an organization that invests in UN-verified and Gold Standard CO2 reducing projects in developing countries. Alongside working with carbon neutral suppliers, they state that they have offset over 100% of their emissions as a brand.
5. They're a B-Corp
Finally, OB is a B Corporation. B Corps are an alliance of brands that have vowed to prioritize ethics as it applies to the environment, labor, and business practices. Becoming a B Corp involves a highly selective evaluative process that takes sustainability into tough consideration. Luckily, OB scored highly and is ranked above average among all B Corps. There’s really no better way to prove yourself as an ethical brand, and they’ve passed with flying colors.
Organic Basics is the perfect brand for anyone just starting a sustainable wardrobe. They’re ethical, eco-friendly, and offer a wide range of classic, minimalistic basics to complete your collection of wardrobe essentials like lingerie and plain tees. What sets Organic Basics apart from the rest is that they actually care — not only about our planet, but the people on it. Rated as one of the most sustainable brands by sites like Good On You, you can shop with them confidently.
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