Sustainable and Invisible Underwear – Organic Basics Review

(Deutsche Version hier) – Advertisement with Organic Basics

Do you remember my last blog post about Organic Basics (here and here)? I have some great news: the Invisible Line has been expanded – you can now find seamless tank tops, panties, and bodies that are invisible under your clothing.

Today I want to share with you which products I recommend, and what the advantages and disadvantages are. But first, some quick info: as always, my code “OBXHEYLILA” gives you a 10% discount! The code currently has no expiration date, so you can take your time with the purchase. I want to introduce you to sustainable products, but also not to encourage unconscious consumption, which is why I am very happy to share this code with no expiration date!

But now to my product test:

Sustainable and seamless tank tops

These pieces are definitely self-explanatory. But here is some information from my side: the cut is super comfortable to wear, doesn’t cut into the skin, but is close-fitting, so that I can wear the top perfectly under other shirts without it being seen. Although it is made out of (recycled, more on this below) nylon, it is super comfortable because Organic Basics works with a moisture-wicking material. I’m wearing size M here, which fits me perfectly. According to the measurement table, I am on the border of S and M and personally the M tanks fit very well. More about the size table for the panties later.

Seamless Cheeky Body

I currently love bodysuits – but I wasn’t a fan before. I never understood why people loved them so much. But they are practical! I wear them under cropped sweaters, as an extra layer or as a top with jeans. They are top and underwear in one, sexy (in my opinion) and figure flattering. The disadvantages of bodysuits in general: It is sometimes difficult to pick the right size because everyone needs a different length, without a closure in the crotch going to the toilet can be annoying, many have an extremely high cut in the panties and some do not give enough support in the chest area.

How does the Cheeky Body by Organic Basics perform?

The body is definitely not extremely high cut. So you don’t need to be afraid of a Baywatch moment (if you want it, you might be able to pull your body higher, but no guarantee that it’s comfortable, haha). It also gives me enough hold. I usually am a size 75C in bras and manage very well with this body (without underwire or special seams)! Again, the material is super comfortable to wear and I am very satisfied with the quality, even after repeated washing.

(Brief general remark regarding the quality of the products that I present: I always test all products before I advertise them. If I am not at all satisfied, I cancel a collaboration, even if this results in monetary losses. Transparency and authenticity are very important to me. However, I cannot guarantee that you will always like everything as much as I do. Perhaps the cuts or colors are not to your liking or you don’t like the consistencies in cosmetics. Or you have problems with packaging, deliveries or with quality. In this case, it is best to not only write to me to tell me that “my shirt had very bad seams” or “the cream jar broke immediately”, but also to the customer service of the company that makes the product. I work with a lot of startups and not everything always runs smoothly. So they NEED your feedback. I pass all of your feedback on to the companies, but more direct customer contact is very good for the companies. I just wanted to communicate this quickly because I get feedback from time to time and when I have questions I find that only I received the answer and not the customer).

The only disadvantage for me personally: the snaps in the crotch are not necessary for me personally. I do not need this, because then I need 2-3 minutes more to put it on and take it off, and therefore it is somewhat unnecessary for me. I also personally prefer options without snaps. But if you like them in general, I think you won’t be disappointed because they are very well made – I think it’s a personal preference.

Cheeky Briefs Highrise

In the last post I already raved about these panties. I generally no longer wear seams. I find panties with seams just so uncomfortable. In addition, they ALWAYS show under my pants, regardless of whether they are jeans or cloth pants. That is why I really wanted to share this alternative with you again, because there are not many of these types that are sustainable! By the way, in the crotch of the Cheeky Highrise Briefs you will find a piece of organic cotton so that your intimate area does not have to come into direct contact with the nylon.

I’m still waiting for a version of this model made out of Tencel. Then I’ll be in underwear heaven :)))

By the way, briefly back to the sizes: as mentioned, my measurements are right on the border of S and M and in this case I chose S, which I regret unfortunately. They are a little too narrow for me and I would have preferred to order the M but this is probably a good indication for you that if you are between two sizes, you should go with the larger one! I hope this is helpful. I still wear it, but the feeling is a bit “tighter” than I would like it to be, haha!

And as I said, if you currently need new underwear, I can recommend using my discount code for Organic Basics: “OBXHEYLILA”, which gives you a 10% discount.

Here is some information about the company if you don’t know about Organic Basics yet:

Sustainability:

A cooperation partner such as Organic Basics is simply a dream because I can genuinely report so many positive things. Organic Basics just does so much right. They work with sustainable and recycled materials, and check the ecological impact of these materials every year. They use organic cotton, Tencel, recycled cashmere, recycled wool  and recycled nylon. They produce fairly and constantly increase the transparency of their supply chain. And the concept of sustainability runs through all other areas of the business: packaging, CO2 compensation, sustainable office, environmental activism and transparent communication with customers. More on this here.

Transparency:

I love how transparent the company is. No company is perfect, but it is important to admit honestly and openly where weaknesses and potential for improvement lie. This is the only way to develop further and create an authentic exchange with customers. At Organic Basics, for example, there is an open discussion on Instagram when criticism comes from followers, or about what percentage they know the suppliers, as well as their sustainability efforts. Last time I also told you that Organic Basics is working on its packaging because they were not yet satisfied with it. Now they are one step further: instead of packaging that can be torn open and thus destroyed directly, they have now developed boxes and paper bags that can be opened without tearing and can therefore be reused. They also want to improve their B Corporation Score and to improve their materials – more on both of these below. They are also testing alternatives to conventional spandex. You can find the complete sustainability report from Organic Basics with all its strengths, its own impact index and opportunities for improvement here.

Recycled Nylon:

First of all: recycled nylon is not the solution for everything and in my opinion only makes limited sense. I explain why here:

The products presented are made from recycled nylon. I try to avoid synthetic materials as much as possible. However for sportswear, swimwear and underwear, I think this is not 100 percent possible (yet). Nylon also has very practical properties. But in the end it is also plastic and we make sure to use the guppy bag against microplastics when washing. One solution to the plastic problem is recycled nylon, although there are major differences in terms of energy consumption, water consumption and loss of quality during recycling.

The recycled nylon from Organic Basics comes from Italy and is GRS certified (more about that here) and according to Organic Basics, stronger and more durable than new, conventional standard nylon. It is made from pre-consumer waste, for example from material residue made during production that would otherwise be thrown away. The nylon is already available in good quality before recycling and does not have to be prepared in a complex process – which often means high energy expenditure in nylon recycling. According to Organic Basics, the recycled nylon from Organic Basics requires 80 percent less water and uses 90 percent less CO2 emissions than the newly produced version.

The general problem for me: Recycled polyester does not solve the plastic problem. Many brands, including many fast fashion brands, brag about using recycled plastic. However, depending on the starting material, production uses a lot of energy, water and toxic chemicals (to remove the toxins from the raw materials or to bleach them uniformly). It is also often not clear where and under what conditions this recycling takes place. In addition, the problem is not tackled at the root: just because fast fashion companies use recycled nylon or polyester does not solve the problem of mass production of fashion, nor does it guarantee fair working conditions during production. So stay critical no matter where it says “recycled”. At Organic Basics, I love the transparency, the ability to analyze and openly point out things that can be improved, and the desire to use more and more natural materials.

I am also very satisfied with the quality and durability of the products. All pieces that I have presented in the past 2 years are still in top condition. And that’s the crux of the matter when it comes to sustainability and fashion, whether recycled or not:

There will never be the perfect green material unless we take a critical look at and reduce our consumption and place emphasis on the durability of the product.

In my opinion, Organic Basics does a lot right here: the designs are all timeless, minimalistic, practical and flattering – therefore suitable for many different types of people and figures. Organic Basics is also constantly working on using more and more natural and sustainable substances. Even organic cotton has a big footprint. Their goals: to explore the use of organic hemp fabrics, organic linen and recycled cotton.

Environmental Activism:

Organic Basics is also committed to environmental protection outside the company:

For example, 10 percent of the income on Black Friday was donated to Danmarks Naturfredningsforening to plant 130,000 m² of wildflower meadow. On August 27, they also donated 10 percent of all revenue to Amazon Watch, which works to preserve the Amazon rainforest and aboriginal rights.

To this end, they have been a Certified B corporation since September 2019 – this means that they are committed to reconciling profit and the common good for the environment, animals and humans. Effects of company decisions are taken into account for all employees, customers and suppliers. Other B corps include Ecosia, Ecover and Triodos Bank.

They also created “Fashion is dirty: The A-Z Guide” for information and knowledge transfer. You can read it here.

And last but not least: Sustainability is also an issue within the company: starting from 2020 the office in Copenhagen will only be furnished with second-hand furniture, only rely on vegetarian and vegan catering, drastically reduce plastic and compensate all Co2 emissions.

You see, they do a lot of things right and I am happy to work with such an open and motivated company. I shared my discount code above, but hopefully after all this information you understand that it should only be used if you really need something new. But if you are looking for new underwear or active wear, I can fully recommend Organic Basics.

Have you already tried products from Organic Basics? What do you think about the items and the company?