Ethical Lingerie Brands

“Where should I shop for my boudoir shoot outfits?”

As a Denver boudoir photographer, I get this question a lot.  The vast majority of my clients ask about where they can purchase items for their upcoming shoot, so I’m here today to talk about ethical lingerie brands.

Before we jump into these hella cute companies that you can shop for your next shoot, I’d like to take a minute to talk about what exactly ethical fashion is and how I became an ardent supporter of the cause.

As many of you know, I am very passionate about lowering my negative impact on the environment.  My past actions have included selling my Jetta to live car-free, eliminating paper towels/sandwich baggies/makeup wipes from my household, and moving image delivery and contracts for my businesses to electronic-only platforms to reduce packaging and paper waste.

Additionally, last year, I decided to apply to work at a local, women-owned boutique in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver.  A lifelong fast-fashion shopper at the time, I was only slightly aware of just how bad these brands are for our world.

After being hired by Judith & Joe, I began educating myself on the impact of fast fashion and found some alarming information that has forever changed my consumption habits.  This included watching a documentary on Netflix called The True Cost.  I can’t recommend this enough if you’re looking for more information on this topic.

What I learned: The fashion industry is the second dirtiest industry on the planet.

What that means:

• 20% of water pollution comes from textile treatment and dying.
• 190,000 tons of microplastic fibers from garments end up in the ocean every year.
• 10% of the world’s carbon emissions comes from the fashion industry.

And that’s just a small slice of the pie.  Garment workers in developing countries barely make a viable living wage and often work in extremely unsafe conditions.  I’m sure we all remember the Rana Plaza tragedy, where an eight-story garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh in 2013.  Over a thousand workers perished.  Nearly 2,500 more sustained non-fatal — but life-changing — injuries.

Is that super-cheap $5 shirt off your back really worth this?

No, it’s not.  Which is why I’ve hitched my wagon to the ethical fashion cause.  As of April 2019, I no longer purchase items from mega fast fashion retailers.  H&M, Forever 21, Uniqlo, and Pretty Little Thing, to name a few.  Conversely, my new wardrobe rules are two-fold:

1. Secondhand comes first.  If I need a “new” outfit for a concert or evening out with friends, I start by looking at Goodwill or Buffalo Exchange before considering other options.
2. If I can’t find what I need via thrifting, I’ll buy new — but only if it is made ethically or sustainably. 

So what does all this even mean?  Ethical fashion vs. sustainable fashion vs. fast fashion?  Here are a few definitions before we move onto lingerie you can wear at your next shoot:

• Ethical fashion “is an umbrella term used to describe ethical fashion design, production, retail, and purchasing.  It covers a range of issues such as working conditions, exploitation, fair trade, sustainable production, the environment, and animal welfare.”
• Sustainable fashion is “clothing, shoes and accessories that are manufactured, marketed and used in the most sustainable manner possible, taking into account both environmental and socioeconomic aspects.”
• Fast fashion is “cheap, trendy clothing, that samples ideas from the catwalk or celebrity culture and turns them into garments in high street stores at breakneck speed to meet consumer demand. The idea is to get the newest styles on the market as fast as possible, so shoppers can snap them up while they are still at the height of their popularity, and then, sadly, discard them after a few wears.”

Out of those three options, it’s clear to me which are the winners.  Ethical and sustainable brands are tops in my book, and a no-brainer when shopping for new threads.  Fast fashion, what we had was real — but it’s time for me to move on. 

Without further ado, let’s get to it!  Here are my recommendations for ethical lingerie brands that you can shop for your next shoot:

Reformation

Holy beautiful!  You know I’m a big fan of lace so this is an easy recommendation to make.  With pricing and styles similar to Victoria’s Secret, I guarantee you’ll find something you love from Reformation, a company that’s been carbon-neutral since 2015.

Uye Surana

If you’re looking for some punchy color for your boudoir outfits, look no further than Uye Surana, a New York-based company that offers inclusive sizing, competitive pricing, and eco-friendly intimates.

Aikyou

This one is a very personal recommendation: Aikyou, a German brand that crafts lingerie for ladies with small boobs.  How cool is that?!  I’ve been a long-time member of my local Itty Bitty Tittie Committee.  As such, finding this brand was a self-esteem boost.  Plus, they use Fair Trade-certified organic cotton that is assembled in a Fair Trade-certified workshop.

Clare Bare

Los Angeles-based Clare Bare has “upcycled” and “zero waste” shopping categories on their website where you can find one-of-a-kind lingerie that’s been fashioned from vintage fabrics found at thrift shops.  Hella crafty!

Larkspur Lingerie

Also based out of Los Angeles, Larkspur Lingerie makes small-batch intimates that you can also have made as vegan (sans silk).  I didn’t even know that was a thing.  Way too cool!

Ayten Gasson

Silk lovers, this is for you!  UK-based company Ayten Gasson crafts handmade, vegan-friendly silk lingerie that would be perfect for a boudoir shoot.  This is a luxury brand so it’d be a bit of a splurge — but worth every penny!

Lé Buns

Don’t worry — if you prefer simpler intimate styles, I haven’t forgotten about you!  Lé Buns offers eco-conscious intimates (and swimwear!) for those who don’t necessarily want lace and frills for their shoot.  Also, I just ordered some basics from this company and I can’t wait to wear them at my own boudoir shoot soon!

Pact

Sometimes you just want a simple, cute pair of undies, am I right?  Pact has those perfect-for-lounging-around-the-house cotton undies that are Fair Trade factory certified and organic.  Double whammy!  These would look great paired with a slouchy, off-the-shoulder sweater and knee-high socks at your boudoir shoot.

**BONUS for my Denver ladies!**

Femme Fatale Intimates

Shopping responsibly can also mean supporting small businesses in your area.  In Denver, my favorite local lingerie business is Femme Fatale Intimates, located on South Broadway in the Baker neighborhood.  They have everything you could ever need for your boudoir shoot.

And there you have it!  This list definitely isn’t exhaustive, as there are plenty of other ethical lingerie brands out there across the globe.  I encourage you to start here and use these companies as a jumping-off point in your search for your boudoir outfits.  Who knows what cool pieces you’ll find to add to your wardrobe?!

Thank you for taking the time to read through my thoughts and recommendations.  If you’re ready for your shoot or if you’re curious about the whole boudoir process as a whole, let’s chat!  Feel free to get in touch with any questions or concerns.  -Ash