Organic Basics Review: Organic Cotton Underwear and Shirt
*This was a gifted item but all opinions are my own and the people at Organic Basics did not have any influence on this post.
I did a little poll over on Insta-stories the other week on which review you guys would like to read next on the blog and the majority of you guys voted for a review of these Organic Basics underwear. And good thing too because since this was a gifted item, I’m supposed to write my review in a timely manner (and like I mentioned in a past post, these were gifted to me back in early September). Luckily the peeps over at Organic Basics are super chill and put no pressure on me whatsoever. But thanks to you guys I’m pushing up this review (thus there are two posts this week when there’s usually only one).
Anyway enough of my blogger talk. If you haven’t heard of Organic Basics before, they are a sustainable and ethical (certified B-corp) brand from Denmark that focuses on producing undergarments and other basics in organic cotton and other recycled materials (their name basically says it all lol). You can learn all about their factories and ethical/sustainable production practices here. I love that they have a ton of details about each factory like employee benefits and the number of their vacation days, along with a list of each sustainability/ethical certification the factory holds. It’s probably the most extensive list of details about a brand’s factories I’ve ever seen (blows a certain other brand’s “radical transparency” out of the water if you know what I mean).
And from the moment I open the package from Organic Basics, I know they mean what they say because there is zero plastic in their packaging. From the tape they used to seal the box (a paper-based tape) to the individual packaging of the underwear (in smaller paper boxes as seen in the pic below), there’s no trace of plastic. They don’t even use safety pins to pin the tag on the product. Instead the paper tag and twine for each product was strung through a small loop sewn into the actual garment (also pictured below). I have never seen that before and I was very impressed by that detail.
As for the actual fit and feel of the underwear, I gotta say it’s niiiice. I’ve never purchased nice underwear for myself having grown up with cheaply-produced Victoria’s Secret undies. Even Pact organic cotton underwear (which is a smidge better than VS, but at least made from organic cotton) is not as nice as these Organic Basics undies. The seams of the Organic Basics underwear are sewn tighter, the elastic around the legs are better (stretchier and feel thicker), and most of all the waistband is super wide and substantial. I love the thick waistband because it holds in my tummy a bit but also feels super secure and comfortable. These are hands-down the nicest underwear I’ve ever gotten and I feel so lucky to have been given this opportunity to try them out. And even though the Organic Basics underwear is muuuch nicer (tbh some of my original Pact bikini underwear is frayed and some are already in tatters around the waistband) they only cost $8 more. Granted $20 a pop for underwear seems like a lot to me too but I guarantee you it’s worth it because I can tell these quality undies will last.
Also a note on sizing, I got these in a medium (for reference I’m usually a 6 on the bottom) and even though they fit great it’s a tad tighter than what I’m used to. If anything, I would say these run a smidge small and if you like your undies on the looser side you might want to size up. But even on the tighter side, I had no wedgies while wearing this all day (which is the most important thing). I boldly asked the people at OB if I could be sent another pair of underwear in large just to see if they fit better and they kindly said yes. So I’ll update this post once I get those.
They were out of stock of the medium organic cotton triangle bra so they sent me a small and well it’s a tad too small on me. A bra extender would easily so the trick for a better fit in this case since it’s the band that was a smidge too tight. The OB people have been nice enough to send me the medium when it comes back in stock and I’ll update this post once I get it. But like the underwear, the band on the bra is super sturdy and thick. The straps are also of a higher quality than I’m accustomed to. The double layer of cotton is supportive enough for my small chest but I could see if you’re on the bustier side this bra without an underwire might not cut it.
Their white organic cotton tee also fits on the slimmer side but is stretchy, which I love. The tee is made with 5% elastane to allow for the stretch and helps it keep its form. The fabric feels smooth and fairly thick, but since it’s a white fitted shirt you can still see the outline of the nude bra underneath in the pic above. Overall I think is a great basic tee to be worn alone or as an undershirt.
Anyway if you can’t already tell, I’m a huge fan of their products and their business. I am definitely going to purchase more underwear from them (and maybe even try some of their other offerings) in the future when my shoddy undergarments need to be replaced. If you’re interested in trying them out, the code ELAINEOBC will get you 10% off your first purchase (good until January 2021). As always thanks for supporting this blog (and the brands that support this blog)!