Sustainable Underwear – Knickey

Looking for some sustainable undergarments? Then this post is for you! It’s a bit lengthy, but I couldn’t leave out any points.  I’ve been slowly updating my drawer over the past two years with all of Knickey’s products. They have recently changed their company name over to Subset.  But all they are still making all of the same (and even new) items I have listed below. 14 out of 17 items I have purchased myself. I became an affiliate recently only because I can 100% attest to their quality of products. (You can use code AMBER10 for 10% off)  This is an honest review from an actual customer that has spent hundreds of my own dollars on these items.  

Knickey’s background: A sustainable company that can actually give you the details on what it is means to be sustainable! First off they are made from fair trade organic cotton. The cotton is grown to high standards in India, creating jobs for local communities there. They are also part of a tier supplier that provides fair & safe labor standards, pays a living wage, plus allows workers to collectively bargain. 

Second they are GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified and Oeko-Tex certified to ensure no toxic substances are used anywhere in the manufacturing progress.

Third they are carbon neutral and ships plastic free!  In fact they even go the extra step to get a certification from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Which means the shipping boxes are produced by suppliers who prioritize the preservation of natural ecosystems and actively prevent deforestation!

I really like how transparent as a company they are. They even put out an impact report, which you can read more about here.

In case you wanted even more Knickey donated 1% of every purchase in 2021 to environmental causes through 1% for the Planet!  They even have donated over 3,000 undergarments to communities in need. 

Ok now let’s get down to the actual products: 

Undies: I have purchased three styles in the mid-rise category. The mid-rise hipster, the mid-rise brief and the mid-rise retro brief. They all sit a little bit different on the body. For reference I am 5’4” in height and I weigh 140 lbs. I find a medium works best for me.  The feel is very soft without being very thick or too thin. It’s the perfect amount of thickness in my opinion.  Plus I love how the tag is printed onto the fabric! 

Price range they are $17 per pair (with my code AMBER10 it makes it $15.30). Which is going to be more $$ if you’re just recently switching over to sustainable underwear.  It’s important to realize the cost is more because of the certifications that go into something that is truly sustainable. In addition if you’re able to purchase items like these, it’s important to know all levels of this chain have been treated with respect and paid a living wage. Some of the other more popular sustainable underwear is actually priced at $23, so Knickey’s is actually a little lower on the price range.  

Mid-Rise Retro Brief: If you’re looking for full coverage the retro brief is probably your best bet. (In full transparency the brand gifted me this style for being an affiliate). Just be aware this style hugs your legs a bit more. I find the elastic to still be stretchy enough to conform to the legs without being too tight. I’m 5’4” in height and this sits 2 inches below my bellybutton. The sides are 7 inches on the hip. 

Mid-Rise Brief: This is my personal favorite.  It still gives you full coverage in the back but gives your legs a little more room in this style. This style sits 3 inches below my belly button. The sides are 4 inches on the hip. 

Mid-Rise Hipster: If your looking for a little lower rise then you may want to try the mid rise hipster. I find this one comfortable as well, but it is a little cheeky (at least for me). This style sits 4 inches from my belly button. The sides are 3 inches on the hip. 

My reviews only come from these three styles, but they also have a wide range of other styles. If you’re unsure of what size to get I would recommend looking at their sizing chart.  They also do have a first pair guarantee, so rest assured you can always exchange the pair for a different size if the fit isn’t right for you.  I’d also like to note how they are size inclusive with a range of up to 3XL. You don’t see that in a lot of sustainable clothing companies.  

Bralettes: Giving a full review of all styles since I have have every one! The cost is $48 (with my code AMBER10 it makes it $43.20) per bra, which again is more money if you’re just switching over to sustainable undergarments. I will say other popular sustainable companies are charging $55 and over, so Knickeys is a little less. Plus Knickey is shipped from the US, which means less shipment time, and shipping costs will be less. Unlike some other popular brands which ship from Europe. 

I originally bought a medium but I typically have a larger rib cage and I had to exchange for a large. I was a little worried at first because my girls are no way near a large. However the fabric is conforming and I havn’t had any issues. All the bras have no wires nor pads. They have a bit of a thicker fabric with darts in the front. Because of these things they make a tailored fit for the body.  The straps are made from recycled nylon (with the exception of the scoop style).  Just like the underwear the bras also have a printed tag! 

The Key Hole: This by far my favorite. I live in south central Texas and it gets hot here. Having that little opening in the front honestly does wonders in the heat. It gives full coverage and it’s very supportive for a comfortable fit. I honestly could sleep in this thing. The back has a lot of clasps but it makes it very secure and I never have to worry about anything unhooking.  The straps are also adjustable. I liked this style so much I bought it in three different colors. 

The Triangle: If you’re looking for a little more cleavage to show then I would suggest the the triangle. I like to wear this style when I have a lower cut shirt on top.  It has two clasps on the back and the straps are adjustable for the perfect fit. 

The Tank: If you’re looking for full coverage then you might want to try the tank. It kind of has the fit of a sports bra without it being too tight. I even like to wear this style as a coverup for lower cut tops. It provides just the right peek a boo for a v neck shirt. It has adjustable straps with no clasps on the back. 

The Scoop: (In full transparency the brand gifted me this style for being an affiliate). This style is honestly so flattering, it kind of reminds me of a bathing suit top. You can easily just wear it as is or throw a little unbutton shirt over top for a classic summer look. The front and back have a beautiful arched scoop. The straps are a part of the fabric itself and they have a nice thickness to them. The back provides an even deeper scoop. In addition the back doesn’t have adjustable straps nor claps on this one; its all one piece of fabric.

Lastly they even have a take back of old undergarments which is the coolest thing about this brand.  They take underwear, bras, socks and tights from any genders and from any brands! Undergarments are hard to recycle as many places don’t accept them. So even if you’re not looking to buying new underwear you can still utilize their recycling program. It does cost $5 but in return you get 300 rewards points (which is 15% off). (You also get 200 points for your birthday!) They work with a recycling partner, Texaid who then determines if the material can be reused or recycled. So your old undies might become insulation, cleaning rags or even yarn! 

As you can tell I love this brand! A true sustainable company making quality products while keeping the environment in mind! They have also just put out a maternity line, if that is of interest to you.

Some things I would ask to see more of in the future might be: 

1. A bra with removable strap placements. Sometimes it nice to have convertible straps especially if you’re wearing a racer back top. 

2. Products with recycled cotton as an alternative (which is listed in their impact import as a goal of 2022). 

If you made it to the end of the article you are the real MVP (I know it was lengthy)!  Any other questions I didn’t address in this article? Drop a comment down below and I’ll answer to the best of my ability!

Of course I’ll add a little upcycle here as well.  Easily organize the underwear drawer with some upcycled cardboard to act as dividers!

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