The Ethical Underwear Company Tackling Fast Fashion's Sustainability Problem - Underwear for Humanity

Planet & People first - A radical new approach to conscious consumption.

The apparel and textile industry use over 5,000 chemicals, are responsible for 8-10% of global emissions and over 20% of global water pollution.

33% of clothing purchased in Australia is discarded within one year. The rate of production and consumption is not slowing down, it is speeding up. Underwear for Humanity (UH) is changing the industry standard on textile production, manufacturing, and recycling and addressing the social impact that our current system fosters.

Clothing, like many industries, is based on a linear model, of extracting resources from the earth to create a garment, then discarding at the end of its life. Some items are donated to charity, although only 15% is sold, but underwear cannot be donated due to hygiene reasons. With 204 million underwear items being imported into Australia every year, that leaves 204 million items destined for landfill. Until now!

UH is pioneering the way forward and changing the industry as the only company that accepts underwear for recycling in Australia. As a result, they have thus far processed 13,959 items, and donated 761 bras in wearable condition to the charity ‘Support The Girls’, directing this waste away from landfill. UH has plans of expansion to allow retail drop off points open to the public. Recycling is funded by the sales of their underwear, which is not just any underwear! Founder, Kelly Barrett, has over 20 years experience in underwear development and is a sustainability specialist in her field. The material science used has resulted in emissions being more than half the industry standard for a similar product. The brand developed its own 100% recycled elastic, but delayed their launch by 6 months and continues to delay shipments due to the unstable global supply of the recycled fibre market. However, compromise is not what UH represents.

Rather than operating solely for profit, they use the money from their sales to invest into the community. This includes free underwear to people in need via their one-for-one program, donating to women’s shelters and various homeless charities. 50c is paid to Aboriginal groups as rent payment for the land they work on. Their pick and pack is a partnership for a work training program.

They heavily invest in ethical production and work with certified ethical factories that pay 60% above the living wage. They are hyper focused on the reduction of fossil fuel use which resulted in an agreement with their factories to install solar to do their production.

Whilst the rest of the apparel industry ships in single use plastic poly bags, Underwear for Humanity ships in reusable shipping bags that they developed, resulting in zero waste deliveries.

UH is a 100% female owned and operated brand, it is B Corp certified and carries a long list of certifications to ensure it is a greenwashing-free zone.

Whilst we are in a climate crisis and sometimes it feels like change is slow, seeing models such as Underwear for Humanity thrive shows what is possible. The brand has a strong following of loyal customers that is growing 30% each six months, and as they grow more, extractive underwear brands are bought less and less.

This new type of business model is part of the next economy where nature and humans are prioritised. Where we live as a community, supporting each other, rather than a constant bid for our money.

UH won the Banksia Foundation's 2024 Sustainable Leadership in the eCommerce Industry Award, sponsored by Australia Post.

Website: underwearforhumanity.com.au