Best Organic Cotton Underwear for Women & Men (12 Brands)

The best organic cotton underwear for most people is Pact. It’s GOTS certified, made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, runs XS to 3XL, and costs about $10 a pair in a 5-pack. It’s also the only brand on this list our team has worn.

Every brand below passed Ujo Shop’s independent review of transparency, fair labor, and materials. We checked each one’s own product pages for price, fiber content, sizes, and where it’s made. One finding surprised us: none of the underwear we checked is 100% cotton. We explain why, and what that means for you, below.

Skip to the 12 brands

Quick Picks

• Best overall:Pact
• Best size range:Subset (2XS to 4XL)
• Best living wage pick:Yes Friends
• Best single pairs under $20:Known Supply
• Best for sensitive skin:JulieMay
• Best organic cotton sports bra:Happy Earth
• Best premium men’s:Asket

Organic Cotton Underwear Compared: Price, Fabric, and Sizes

Prices checked September 2026. Per-pair price uses the best-value pack each brand sells.

Is Organic Cotton Underwear Actually 100% Cotton?

Almost never. Nearly every brand here uses 92 to 96% organic cotton. The rest is elastane (also sold as spandex or Lycra), a synthetic fiber that lets the fabric stretch and snap back.

The fabric label is only part of the story. Underwear has three other places synthetics hide:

• The waistband and leg elastic.Usually nylon and elastane, and usually not disclosed.
• The sewing thread.Most brands use polyester thread, which GOTS allows in small amounts. A Pact representative has confirmed Pact uses it.
• The labels.Asket, for example, states that it uses polyester thread in its care and main labels.

Here’s what each brand discloses about the parts beyond the main fabric:

JulieMay is the closest thing to all-natural underwear we’ve found.Its briefs are 78% organic Pima cotton and 22% silk, with a silk gusset, cotton thread, and cotton trims. It’s the only brand on this list that keeps synthetics off your skin.

So what should you look for?

• Mostly cotton, all over.The Cleveland Clinic recommends cotton as the best underwear material, and notes that a cotton crotch panel alone won’t make synthetic underwear breathe like cotton. Look for 90% or more organic cotton in the body fabric, not just the gusset.
• GOTS on the finished product.GOTS covers the whole garment, including limits on chemicals used in processing. It’s a stronger guarantee than “made with organic cotton.”
• Disclosure.A brand that tells you what’s in its waistband has nothing to hide there. Most don’t say.

A little elastane is the trade-off for underwear that stays up and keeps its shape. If you want to avoid synthetics against your skin completely, start with JulieMay. For the rest of your wardrobe, see our polyester-free clothing brands guide.

Best Organic Cotton Underwear for Women

Ujo Shop is reader-supported. We only feature fashion brands that pass our sustainable brand criteria.Learn more here.

1. Pact (Best Overall)

Best for:Everyday valuePrice:$14 per pair, $50 for 5 (women’s bikini). Men’s boxer briefs are $18, or $56 for 4.Fabric:95% GOTS certified organic cotton, 5% elastaneSizes:Women’s XS to 3XLMade:In a Fair Trade Certified factory employing 1,539 people. Pact doesn’t name the country or factory.

Pact is the easiest place to start. It covers everything from bikinis and briefs to boxer briefs, and the pack prices are hard to beat for certified organic cotton.

What we found wearing them.Our founder, Garik Himebaugh, bought Pact’s men’s boxer briefs a few years ago. His take: the value is excellent. The price is low, the quality is at least mid-range, and they lasted a long time.

Comfort was good, but not the best he’s had. A more expensive pair from a competitor brand was more comfortable but didn’t last as long as Pact. The Pact pairs kept going.

If you want luxury or ultra-soft, Pact isn’t the pick. For everyday pairs that last, it is.

Pact has since updated its men’s boxer brief fit based on customer feedback, so today’s version may feel slightly different from the pairs Garik wore.

Shop Pact: Women’s | Men’s

2. Subset (Best Size Range)

Best for:Size rangePrice:$20 per pair, $55 for 3Fabric:95% certified organic cotton, 5% elastane. Waistband elastic 91% nylon, 9% elastane.Sizes:2XS to 4XLMade:A Fair Trade Certified factory in Tirupur, India

Subset, formerly Knickey, has the widest size range here and the most complete disclosure. It lists what’s in the fabric, the waistband, and the leg elastic separately. It also traces its underwear from the organic farm in Gujarat to the ginner, spinner, and factory in Tamil Nadu. Almost no one else does either.

Stick to Subset’s underwear if you’re avoiding polyester. Its bras have organic cotton cups, but the bands and straps use polyester.

Subset also runs a recycling program for old underwear.

Shop Subset: Women’s | Men’s

3. Yes Friends (Best Living Wage Pick)

Best for:Paying garment workers morePrice:$25 for 3 bikini briefs ($8.33 a pair). Men’s boxer trunks are $45 for 3. US shipping is $9.95, with duties included.Fabric:95% Fairtrade and GOTS certified organic cotton, 5% elastaneSizes:Women’s XXS to 3XL. Men’s S to XXL.Made:Fabstract Clothing in Noida, India

Yes Friends is a UK brand built around one idea: ethically made basics don’t have to be expensive. It names its factory, holds Fair Trade and GOTS certification, and pays a premium directly to the garment workers who make its clothes as part of its living wage scheme.

It ships from the UK, and US delivery takes 3 to 8 working days. Order two packs or more to bring the shipping cost per pair down.

Shop Yes Friends:[Women’s] [LINK] | [Men’s] [LINK]

4. Known Supply (Best Single Pairs)

Best for:Single pairs under $20Price:$16 to $18 per pair. Bralettes are $28.Fabric:92% organic cotton, 8% spandex, with a 100% organic cotton liner (boyshort)Sizes:2XS to 3XLMade:Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills, a Fair Trade Certified factory in India. GOTS certified.

Known Supply’s intimates line, Discreture, covers cheekies, boyshorts, thongs, and bralettes. You don’t need to buy a pack to get a fair price, which makes it easy to try a style first.

Shop Known Supply:Women’s

5. MATE the Label (Premium Basics)

Best for:Premium basicsPrice:$28 per pair. A 3-pack of high-waist briefs is $67 on sale (regularly $84).Fabric:95% GOTS certified organic cotton, 5% spandex, OEKO-TEX certifiedSizes:XS to XL (up to a 32–34″ waist, about US 12)Made:India

MATE’s Organic Comfort line is its underwear and bralette range: high-waist briefs, mid-rise bikinis, and scoop and triangle bralettes. The bralettes come with a detailed size chart, up to DD cups in the larger sizes.

One thing to know before you buy: all intimates bottoms are final sale.

Shop MATE the Label:Women’s

6. JulieMay (Best for Sensitive Skin)

Best for:Sensitive skin, and keeping synthetics off your skinPrice:$42 to $46 per brief on the US storeFabric:78% organic Pima cotton, 22% silk, with a 100% silk gusset. Elastic is wrapped in Pima cotton. Cotton thread and trims.Sizes:8 to 18 (check the size chart)Made:The brand’s exclusive factory in Hong Kong, with 23 garment workers

JulieMay designs its underwear and bras for people with sensitive skin, eczema, or allergies. It’s the only brand on this list with no elastane in the fabric. The elastic that holds the briefs up is fully wrapped in cotton so it never touches your skin, and the thread and trims are cotton too.

JulieMay reports paying its seamstresses HK$62.5 an hour. Hong Kong’s statutory minimum wage is HK$43.1.

It runs a US store that ships from the United States, with free shipping over $100 and 180-day returns.

Shop JulieMay:Women’s

7. Happy Earth (Best Sports Bra)

Best for:An organic cotton sports braPrice:$48. Some colors are $34 as final-run stock.Fabric:95% GOTS certified organic cotton, 5% elastaneSizes:XXS to 2XL, fits up to a D cupMade:A Fair Trade Certified factory in India

Most sports bras are nylon or polyester. Happy Earth’s PlantTec bra is ribbed organic cotton, double-layered, and unpadded. It’s built for low-impact movement like yoga, walking, and everyday wear.

Shop Happy Earth: Sports bras

8. Armedangels (Best Matching Sets)

Best for:Ribbed stylesPrice:$25 (rib thong), $28 (rib shorty), $45 (rib bralette). Men’s organic cotton boxers are $28.Fabric:96% organic cotton, 4% elastane (rib line). Men’s Ryaano boxers are 91% organic cotton, 9% elastane.Sizes:XS to XXLMade:Buca, Izmir, Turkey. GOTS certified.

Most of Armedangels’ underwear is TENCEL, not cotton. For organic cotton, shop the rib line: the Faara Rib thong, Erynaa Rib shorty, and Tovaa Rib bralette. For men, choose the Ryaano or Ricaard Rib boxers. The $25 Ricaard boxers are TENCEL modal.

Shop Armedangels: Women’s | Men’s

Best Organic Cotton Underwear for Men

Pact, Subset, and Yes Friends above also make men’s underwear.

9. Asket (Most Traceable)

Best for:Men’s everyday basicsPrice:$35 per pair, $80 for 3Fabric:95% organic cotton, 5% elastaneSizes:XS to XXLMade:Milled, cut, and sewn in Portugal by Impetus, near Porto

Asket publishes where each stage of every product is made, down to the factory. Its boxer brief comes in black, white, navy, and grey. Duties are included on US orders, and shipping is free over $150.

Shop Asket: Mens

10. Nudie Jeans (Best Fairtrade Cotton)

Best for:Men who already wear NudiePrice:$40 per pair, $110 for 3Fabric:92% organic cotton, 8% elastane, Fairtrade cottonSizes:XS to XXLMade:Armstrong Knitting Mills in Tirupur, India, with organic cotton from Chetna Organic

Nudie Jeans is best known for organic denim and free repairs. Its boxer briefs use organic, Fairtrade certified cotton and come in single pairs and 3-packs. Like Asket, Nudie names every supplier behind the product, from cotton to thread, and publishes its carbon and water footprint.

Shop Nudie Jeans:Mens

11. Opok (Best Prints)

Best for:PrintsPrice:$29.95 per pair, $84 for 3Fabric:95% GOTS certified organic cotton, 5% elastane, with a 100% organic cotton waistband linerSizes:XS to XL, some packs to XXLMade:GOTS certified factories in Turkey and India

Opok makes one thing for underwear: the boxer brief, in bold prints like Japanese Waves and Roses. It lines the waistband with organic cotton, the spot where most brands use nylon elastic. Shipping is free on US orders over $50.

Shop Opok:Mens

Temporarily Unavailable in the US

12. Dedicated (Best for Europe)

US sales currently paused.Dedicated has temporarily stopped selling to the United States, citing increased tariffs and fees. We’ll update this entry when US sales resume.

Best for:UK and EU shoppersPrice:Men’s boxer briefs are £24.95 per pair, £59.95 for 3, or £79.95 for 5. Women’s briefs are £19.95 per pair, or £49.95 for 3.Fabric:Men’s: 95% organic cotton, 5% elastane. Women’s: 49% organic cotton, 46% TENCEL Lyocell, 5% elastane. Cotton is GOTS and Fairtrade certified.Sizes:Men’s XS to XXL. Women’s XS to XL.Made:Aadhava Apparels in Tirupur, India

Dedicated’s Kalix boxer briefs come in dozens of prints, from fish and coffee cups to ski patterns. Its women’s Ramsele briefs blend organic cotton with TENCEL Lyocell, a fiber made from wood pulp that feels soft and smooth. Organic cotton is still the largest fiber, but they’re a blend rather than mostly cotton.

Shop Dedicated (UK/EU):Mens|Womens

What GOTS, Fair Trade, OEKO-TEX and Ujo Shop Certification Mean

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).The strongest label for organic cotton clothing. It requires at least 70% organic fiber for “made with organic” and 95% for “organic,” and covers processing, dyes, and working conditions from the first processing step to the finished garment. Learn more.

Fair Trade Certified / Fairtrade.Covers the people. Factories meet labor standards, and a premium goes to workers or farmers for community projects.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100.Tests the finished product for harmful substances. It says nothing about whether the cotton is organic or how workers are treated.

Ujo Shop Certified.Every brand on this list. GOTS covers the fabric, Fair Trade covers the factory, and OEKO-TEX covers the finished product. Our 100-point review looks at the whole brand: transparency, fair labor, and how sustainably its products are made. Fair labor and materials carry the most weight, and fast fashion practices cost points. Brands need 50 or more to pass. Most don’t.

For more, see our guide to ethical fashion certifications.

Is Organic Cotton Underwear Better?

For your body, the fabric matters more than the farming. For farmers and the planet, the farming matters most. Here’s the difference.

For your body

Cotton is the material doctors recommend for underwear. The Cleveland Clinic calls it the best material for underwear because it breathes, wicks moisture, and is less likely to cause an allergic reaction than synthetics.

Organic cotton and conventional cotton are the same fiber. What differs is what happens around it. Conventional cotton is grown with synthetic pesticides and often finished with chemical treatments and dyes. Research suggests textile dye sensitivity is more common than once thought. GOTS certified underwear restricts the chemicals used in dyeing and finishing, which is a reasonable choice for the clothing that sits closest to your skin.

That’s the honest version of “non-toxic underwear.” It means certified cotton, certified dyes, and as few synthetics as possible. It doesn’t mean conventional cotton underwear is dangerous.

For farmers

Conventional cotton is one of the most pesticide-intensive crops in the world. In 2014, it accounted for 16.1% of global insecticide sales and 5.7% of all pesticide sales by value. The people most exposed are the ones growing it. Pesticide Action Network UK reports that thousands of cotton farmers and their families suffer pesticide poisoning every year. Across all farming, nearly 500 people a day die from acute pesticide poisoning.

Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. It relies on crop rotation, natural pest control, and healthier soil. That protects farmers first.

For the planet

Water is cotton’s other major cost. Estimates run to about 10,000 liters for one kilogram of cotton, much of it drawn from rivers and lakes.

The Aral Sea is the clearest example. It was the world’s fourth-largest lake in 1960. Soviet irrigation projects diverted its two feeding rivers to grow cotton, and the lake lost most of its water within a few decades.

Organic cotton isn’t impact-free. It still needs water, dyeing, and shipping, and it often yields less per acre. But it removes synthetic pesticides from the farm, and GOTS certification extends those protections through processing and into the factory. That’s the case for choosing it.

Organic Cotton Underwear FAQ

What is the healthiest material for underwear?Cotton. The Cleveland Clinic recommends it because it breathes, wicks moisture, and is less likely to cause allergic reactions than synthetics. Choose underwear that’s mostly cotton throughout, not just in the gusset.

Is there 100% organic cotton underwear?Very little. Most organic cotton underwear is 92 to 96% cotton with elastane for stretch, and waistbands usually contain nylon. The closest we’ve found is JulieMay: organic cotton and silk, with cotton-wrapped elastic and cotton thread.

What is the best non-toxic underwear?Look for GOTS certified organic cotton, which restricts chemicals in dyeing and finishing, plus as few synthetics as possible. JulieMay goes furthest, with cotton-covered elastic and cotton thread. For everyday value, Pact and Subset are GOTS certified. “Non-toxic” isn’t a regulated term, so certification is the thing to check.

What does GOTS certified mean on underwear?The garment contains at least 95% certified organic fiber (or 70% for “made with organic”), and every stage of processing met GOTS environmental and social rules.

Is organic cotton underwear worth it?Yes, if you pick the right brand. Pact costs about $10 a pair in a 5-pack, and Garik’s experience with Pact is that good organic cotton lasts.

Build the Rest of Your Wardrobe

Every brand here is Ujo Shop Certified for transparency, fair labor, and sustainable materials. See all 100+ in our brand guide.

Want to cut synthetics from the rest of your closet? Our guide to polyester-free clothing brands covers tees, denim, knitwear, and shoes.

Editor’s note: Updated September 2026 with a comparison table, verified prices and fabric content for every brand, two new picks (Yes Friends and Happy Earth), and first-hand notes on Pact. Originally written by Mara Fasano. Revisions and additional research by Garik Himebaugh.

Mara Fasano is a freelance writer and journalist covering sustainability and culture through reported features, interviews, and narrative storytelling for international audiences.