So.Me Blog

Both producing and delivering presents results in emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. 

Here are some tips on how to be more conscious when planning your holiday gifts and make your loved ones happy without having a negative impact on the planet.

Your lingerie deserves love and care. Taking good care of your favourite pieces means that you get to enjoy them looking better and trust them to last longer. 

Besides that, a good care routine will also ensure that you do your part for the planet by making sure you don’t over consume by getting rid of your bras and underwear and just buying more. Is that not a dream win-win situation!

So whilst buying from sustainable and ethical brands is a step to the right direction, the best way you can contribute to reducing fashion waste is by ensuring you use the pieces you own as long as possible - and that also includes lingerie.

So here are five tips on how to take good care of the pieces that take good care of you.

Don’t Overwash Your Bras

Yes, you should change underwear after a day, but bras can be worn for longer, as there aren’t as grave hygiene concerns as there are with panties. You should wash your bras after three to four wears or say two to three days. 

Of course, there are exceptions, like going for a run or wearing it outdoors on a particularly warm day. If you sweat in your bra excessively, you can wash it after just one wear. 

Rotate Your Bras and Panties

When you find a bra or pair of panties that you absolutely love wearing for any reason, make sure to buy multiples of them. Don’t just wash it continuously, and wear it again and again, as it will wear out in just a matter of weeks. 

Make sure that you have a suitable number of bras, panties, briefs, or any other kind of lingerie you prefer, to rotate them in such a way that they don’t need to be washed so often. Washing can and will take a toll on them. 

Don’t Dry in a Dryer

Those tiny panties can easily air dry on a clothesline or even on a chair indoors. You don’t need to toss your lingerie into the dryer. Tumbling in the dryer can damage these undergarments, especially the delicates made out of lace or silk. The bra’s hardware, like underwires or hooks, can also get damaged in the process. 

Plus, it’s environmentally-friendly and will help to reduce energy waste (and so your electricity cost) to air dry your clothes when you can. 

Use Gentle Detergent

Most of the time, your lingerie only has sweat from your body. It’s not that dirty and does not have to be washed with strong detergents or soaps. 

Make sure to use a very small quantity of mild detergent. There are even special detergents for lingerie that you consider - and we suggest opting in for an eco-friendly option too.

Fold Carefully

It is such a shame when a good bra ends up all wrinkled after some time in the drawyer. To avoid that, make sure you’re folding the moulded bras correctly and not putting anything heavier on them. Also, you can stack them on one another when storing them in the closet. 

The same goes for your underwear. Fold them nicely to ensure they don’t get creases. 

With just a little more attention to detail, you can ensure that your lingerie lasts longer and you get your money’s worth whilst also doing your part for the environment. 

Ready to start your sustainable underwear journey? So.Me has an ever-growing collection of eco-friendly underwear which you can check out on our Shop page.

When we think about perfect underwear, most of us wish for something that can make us feel comfortable, confident, and seductive - while still adhering to our sustainability standards, as many people consider these more and more in their everyday lives. And so it is only natural that we are becoming increasingly conscious of what is in our underwear, by and how it is made.

An item that is so intimate to us should be manufactured with love and consideration for our bodies, but also for the workers, and the environment. When it comes to sustainable options, some of us choose non-toxic, organic materials while others may favour repurposed or recycled fabrics. Whatever the preference, it is important that we pay close attention and understand what we wear closest to our skin.

Here we list five materials that are sustainable and a suited well for making underwear:

1.       TENCEL™

TENCEL™ is a registered trademark of Lenzing AG, an Austrian corporation. Lenzing AG's Lyocell and Modal fibres are marketed under the Austrian corporation's trademark.

Lyocell is a cellulose fibre made of eucalyptus trees but also includes other types of wood. It is manufactured by dissolving wood pulp and dried with a technique known as spinning.

2.       Recycled Elastane

Elastane consists of nonrenewable fossil fuels that take millions of years to generate. Also often known as Lycra, is a stretchy polymer that allows clothes and trimmings to be form-fitting and give flexibility of movement. However, recycled elastane helps divert waste from going to landfills and so it's partially sustainable. 

3.       Recycled Polyester

Recycled polyester consists of recycled plastic bottles. It takes significantly fewer resources and produces far fewer CO2 emissions than fresh polyester fibres.

Furthermore, it does not absorb moisture, which suits best as an underwear fabric. It also consumes a lot less water in the production process than cotton, and it is recyclable.

4.       ROICA Eco-Smart

ROICA is higher-end spandex with improved functionality that responds to a wide range of consumer demands. It is a premium stretch yarn with exceptional stretch and recovery. 

Based on the Hohenstein Environmental Compatibility Certificate, this yarn is a pioneer in the eco-circular stretch, which end-of-life wisely breaks down without releasing dangerous components, becoming nutrients for a continued cycle.

5.       Recycled Nylon

Nylon is a synthetic polymer that is commonly used to make sheer panelling and lace in lingerie, and it is sometimes combined with high count spandex for added flexibility. Nylon fibres, unlike other semi-synthetic or organic fibres, are completely synthetic.

Why is this important to us?

At So.Me, we truly hope that sustainable underwear manufactured from eco-friendly fabrics is the new trend - and we are here to support this new movement. 

So.Me commonly uses the materials mentioned above, which are TENCEL™, recycled elastane, ROICA Eco-Smart, organic cotton, and recycled nylon.

We have an ever-growing collection of eco-friendly underwear made from sustainable fabric which you can check out on our Shop page. Don’t be shy and find out more about our Sustainability practises. 

You may be in the process of starting to familiarise yourself with sustainable underwear brands in an effort to make your wardrobe more eco-conscious - welcome to the club! While antique and secondhand clothing, shoes, and purses are available and a popular option, most people prefer to buy their intimates new for hygienic reasons. This is why it is so important to understand what your underwear is made of and what actually makes it sustainable. 

Despite the enormous amount of brands and designs available when shopping for a new bra or underwear, eco-friendly alternatives are still a fairly new phenomena. So what is it that makes your lingerie sustainable?

About Sustainable Underwear

Between 2000 and 2018, the annual production of new clothing globally more than quadrupled, rising from 50 billion to over 100 billion units which is putting a massive strain on our planet. 

Sustainable underwear aims to establish an industry dedicated to evolving fashion towards a more ecologically and socially responsible future. This type of underwear is designed by firms that pay employees a fair wage, provide safe and healthy working conditions, use more sustainable materials and production practises as well as utilises green shipping options.   

Sustainable Underwear Fabrics

Biodegradable underwear that you can toss in the compost is still a theory. However, the underwear that you buy can be environmentally-friendly.

Given the current issues of recycling, when selecting underwear firstly it's important to think about lifespan and to choose high quality products. Remember to research the materials that are used to produce your underwear in order to make a more environmentally friendly buy. That includes choosing TENCEL™, recycled elastane, ROICA Eco-Smart, organic cotton, and recycled nylon.

The ongoing need for improvements in this field is also presenting some exciting new innovations. Seaweed for one, is now used by some brands for underwear because it uses substantially less water than traditional cotton. 

To call out a few watchouts, it is best to avoid underwear that is made out of synthetic fibers, virgin polyester, and nylon - unless they are recycled which means that it helps divert waste from going to landfills. 

Sustainability Is the Future

Annually 92 million tonnes of garments are arriving to be burned at landfills every second. Fast fashion has enormous environmental and social consequences. However, the future of fashion and its possibilities of becoming more sustainable is looking more and more promising.

Starting with little steps like lowering your fashion consumption and choosing a high quality-long lasting product that has been produced responsibility will benefit not just you but the entire world.

Where to Start?

Best start is to act now and support ethical companies that generate sustainable goods. 

Brands such as So.Me use organic cotton, TENCEL™, recycled elastane, ROICA Eco-Smart, and recycled nylon. We believe in producing a sustainable garment without compromising on style or comfort. 

You can check out the So.Me range on our Shop page. Don’t be shy and find out more about our Sustainability practices. 

As the fashion world is slowly moving towards becoming more sustainable and eco-conscious, the underwear market is expected to follow side by side. And albeit an increasing amount of people these days are more attuned to this cause, sometimes the sustainable choice is still harder to make as the products tend to be seen as more expensive and may need that little bit of extra research.

So what are the benefits of making a conscious choice? Is it possible that by buying eco-friendly lingerie we are doing better not only by the planet but also ourselves?

1. POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

We already know that our beautiful planet's environmental imprint is greatly impacted by the fast fashion industry.

Choosing environmentally responsible alternatives will help in supporting the ongoing movement that the fast fashion industry has embraced over the last few years. Making a sustainable purchase can help you minimise your own carbon footprint and motivate the sustainable makers to continue doing their work.

Sustainable underwear is soft, breathable, and long-lasting and what is even better, purchasing organic underwear is beneficial not just to our personal health but also to the well-being of the world we live in.

2.   STAYING AWAY FROM TOXIC CHEMICAL

Fabrics and fibres can be treated with a variety of chemicals, not to mention pesticides used in the production of conventional, non-organic cotton.

The skin is our bodies' greatest organ, and it is in constant contact with the garments we wear. Sticking to safer, more sustainable textiles is the way to go as high-quality, sustainable textiles will be much kinder to your body and your health.

Unlike synthetic material, which may trap perspiration and bacteria, organic underwear helps to avoid bacteria development and possible infections.

3.   SAVE MONEY

Fast fashion is known for its low pricing, but unfortunately that also leads to poor quality, forcing you to purchase more items, more frequently. A cheaper price tag may look appealing on first look but is likely to cause you more disatisfaction and expenses in the long run.

Slow fashion labels take their time for a reason. It is because slow fashion generates high-quality materials that are better for you, save your money and the environment in the long run.

How to Choose Sustainable Underwear?

When purchasing, always check the labelling to see if the clothing you are going to purchase is marked as organic and sustainable. It cannot be labelled organic unless all of those harmful compounds are verified to be absent. 

When it comes to a sustainable underwear choice, you need not look any further! So.Me underwear is made from TENCEL™, recycled elastane, ROICA Eco-Smart, organic cotton, and recycled nylon and comes in a variety of beautiful styles. You can check out the So.Me range on our Shop page. Don’t be shy and find out more about our Sustainability practises. 

There are so many things to consider when buying a new piece of clothing - and buying underwear can often be the most complicated choice of them all. 

Sizing alone is a big challenge for many women, as they are often not sure which underwear size and cut they should choose - let alone thinking about other factors, such as quality, durability and, of course, sustainability. 

 So, are there any golden rules for choosing the right underwear for every woman? Every body and every preference is different but we compiled a few things to get you started.

Know What’s Out There

When it comes to women’s lingerie, the choice is not just between the tiniest strings or the boy shorts. There are so many different kinds of underwear you can choose from. 

Aside from the commonly worn panties, there are briefs, bikini panties, hipster, french cut, thongs, G-string, and compressors. Although some types like panties, bikini panties, or french cut are not that different from each other, every type has its unique benefits. 

For instance, for working out and sports, briefs or hipsters can be a great choice. Seamless underwear can be a good choice to wear under yoga pants, so there are no visible panty lines. And compressors are a different category altogether as they are used for body shaping purposes.

Pay Attention to Fabric

We all want to choose pretty underwear but if it’s not functional and comfortable, you may come to regret the choice pretty quickly. For the most part, comfort is determined by the fabric used in the construction of the underwear. So it’s imperative that you pay attention to the materials and seaming on the product. 

Fortunately, most underwear fabrics like cotton, silk, TENCEL, or polyester are pretty comfortable. One thing to keep in mind is that besides being nice on the eye, the materials should also be good for the environment. 
 

Breathability is Key

Whether it’s the type of underwear or the fabric, make breathability your priority. This is all the more important for underwear you’ll wear to work, gym, or when just going out. 

This will ensure that moisture doesn’t get trapped in and there’s no room for bacteria to thrive. It will also ensure that you don’t chafe. 

Consider Your Body Type

This is a no brainer but different body types may have different needs and feel comfortable in different types of garments. Don’t go for what’s in trend but consider what actually feels natural and good for you.

For example, curvier women may have a preference for a high-waist underwear and bras with underwires as they provide ample support and more coverage, whilst more petite ladies may opt in for bralettes and soft bras. 

Go for Quality

If you’re buying quality clothes but going for cheap underwear, it may be time to reconsider. While underwear is not as obvious and can only be seen in private, a good quality item will ensure that your lingerie will last you a while - which will save you a buck in the long-run and will look great on you everyday!
 

Choosing underwear that’s right for you is definitely a personal journey - and So.Me is here to help. Head over to our Size Guide for elaborate videos and explanations on how to choose the right size for you and do not forget to check out our lovely range in our Shop.