As sustainability has become a great attraction for consumers, it’s also a growing challenge for companies. Sustainable underwear accounts for only 2.4% of the industry in the lingerie sector. A change that has begun to accelerate thanks to ethical brands such as Reformation, which launched its first collection of underwear made from sustainable materials such as Tencel, recycled lace, and eco-friendly tights.
Companies like Everlane are an excellent example of how sustainability is a viable development model and driver of innovation. With its formula of radical transparency, exceptional quality, and ethical factories, Everlane is a successful business that produces superior impacts on the consumer and the environment. Everlane's products including cashmere wool bags, Italian shoes, and Peruvian Pima cotton T-shirts, are timeless, that is, they can be used for years and even decades.
Radical Transparency
The company promises to be radically transparent with its customers. It believes that customers have a right to know how much the cost of their garments is, disclosing the true costs behind its products, from materials to labor to shipping. It also takes on the challenge of marketing them below the traditional retail market.
Everlane has partnered with the best factories in the United States, Peru, Spain, Italy, China, and Vietnam. It visits them frequently, builds strong relationships with them, and applies a compliance audit to assess whether their wages are fair, their employees' working hours are reasonable and their production processes are environmentally friendly. Its goal is to have a score of 90 points or higher for each factory. Beyond the commercial relationship, Everlane empowers its employees, puts a face to its factories, tells its stories, and describes its nearby landscapes. At its core, it’s a brand that connects the heart of the business with the consumer, the employee, and other stakeholders. Currently, the brand discloses that 97% of its apparel contains certified Global Recycle Standard recycled fibers and that its goal is to reach 100% GOTS certification for its organic cotton by 2023.
Everlane Launches its First Sustainable Lingerie Line
Everlane said in a press release that it took more than two years to develop a lingerie line that met its goal of creating simple, natural underwear in which women can feel confident and comfortable.
Released in 2021, the collection included a bralette, a bodysuit, and four styles of underwear bikini, hipster, high-waisted, and thong, each available in four colors: white, black, gray, and light pink. All pieces are made from 92 percent of U.S.-grown products. Made from Supima cotton, it accounts for less than 1 percent of the world's cotton and is known for its softness and strength. In a press release, the brand noted that this launch finally came to fruition after a grueling 40 prototypes. It took more than two years to reach a product that met Everlane's goal to create simple, natural underwear that women can feel confident and comfortable in. When sales first went live, the lingerie line had a staggering order waiting list of 30,000 customers.