The greenest closet’s the one you already own — and the greenest additions are pre-loved items. Even the greenest eco-fashionista, however, tends to draw the get-it-used line at underwear! Eco-friendlier panties can make some of the best green gifts: Useful, cute, comfy. Here are 3 basic, everyday pairs I’ve tried and tested:

PACT. If you like to wear your eco-cause close to your skin, PACT’s got panties for you. 10% of the sales from the undies go to benefit a different eco-nonprofit — ForestEthics for forest protection, Oceana for ocean protection, and Global Green USA. Just pick an undie design based on the cause you support, and a style that’ll support you.

PACT eco-underwear’s made of 95% organic cotton grown in Turkey. Each pair costs between $18 – $25 — not cheap — but keep in mind that $1.80 – $2.50 of that goes to a nonprofit, and that the panties comes pre-wrapped in a tiny reusable cloth bag (right), if you plan to give the panties as a gift.

What to do with the tiny bag afterwards? Use it as a discreet carrying-case for little necessities — i.e. condoms — or put it to other creative uses. Earlier: PACT: Eco-ethical undies let you pick out a color, cut, and cause.

Bgreen Apparel. Like your organic panties U.S.-made? Then shop at Bgreen, a Green America-approved eco-friendly company that makes all its organic cotton clothes in the U.S.

My favorite Bgreen panties are the organic bikini with lace, which are comfy and simple but also have a feminine decorative trim. The boy shorts are comfy too! Each pair’s made of 95% organic cotton and 5% spandex, and costs $11 to $18. Earlier: Bgreen Apparel: Comfy and cute organic cotton camis and panties.

Spun Bamboo. Reeling at the price of eco-panties these days? If you’re the bulk bargain hunter type, Spun Bamboo’s got you covered with its affordable panty 3-packs! Why are the panties so much less expensive? You guessed it — the panties are made in China, though according to Faeries Dance, which sells these undies, “under sweatshop-free conditions with no child labor.”

I bought a 3-pack of these a long time ago — and still wear them! They’re made of 55% Viscose from bamboo, 25% organic cotton, 12% nylon, and 8% spandex — and have a great fit and feel. 3-packs cost $27; single pairs are available both in bikini and thong styles for $10 each.
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I stuck to basic, everyday, practical panties here, but the eco-panty market’s expanded quite a bit since I wrote my cute, simple panties post back in 2007, to offer everything from higher-end, sexy lingerie to custom-made intimates. Faeries Dance in fact offers a huge selection of organic underthings, so if you’re looking for a special occasion cami-and-panties set, I’d start there. Shop there to find both basic everyday wear to special occasion lingerie.

Earlier: Sexy green bras

Images via PACT, Bgreen, and Faeries Dance

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A twice-weekly sharing of eco-shwag.

Today’s giveaway’s a women’s English Bay Polo that comes courtesy of online eco-boutique Faerie’s Dance!

This feminine polo has a slim fitted cut and a 4-button front with collar, and is made of 70% viscose from bamboo, 30% organic cotton — in China, though according to Faerie’s Dance, “in a factory monitored for human rights adherence and fair working conditions.” You can pick from 3 colors — ivory, cocoa, or deep blue — and 5 sizes ranging from x-small to x-large (check Faerie’s Dance’s site for sizing, since the shirts run a tad small).

Faerie’s Dance actually specializes in eco-lingerie, with bras and panties made of all manner of greener materials. Not sure which fabric suits you best? The Bikini Sampler Gift Set can give you a feel for the greener options out there.

Comment — specifying which size and color you’d prefer — by Tuesday to get into the drawing, which’ll happen Wednesday (more info on freebies here). US addresses only.

Photo via Faerie’s Dance

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If the activist video More than pretty knickers has you looking for more eco-friendly panties and bras, here’s one cute shop to check out. Urban Fox, an enviro-conscious lingerie company, just relaunched its website with an online storefront!

Launched by two Midwest-natives Megan Power and Lizzie Cook, Urban Fox creates its saucy styles with organic cotton and bamboo fabrics that are designed, dyed, and sewn in the Midwest. The eco-lingerie line has been coveted eco-conscious women all over the U.S. since the company launched in 2007. But until now, the coveted lingerie could only be found in a few boutique stores.

With the web store, anyone in the U.S. can take their pick of Urban Fox’s pretty panties. Two new styles — Aurora, peek-a-boo panties made of bamboo jersey and black netting, and Chicago, panties with a hand-dyed organic lace inset — were just added last month.

If you want to check them out in person, stop by Avita Co-op or All Shades of Green. I’ve seen these cute undies at green expos, though I’ve yet to buy a pair — I’m tempted though!

Urban Fox’s lingerie isn’t for daily wear, since panties cost $40 each, and camisole-panties sets cost $75 to $85. Still, they could make for a pretty eco-friendly Valentine’s Day gift!

Earlier: Cute, simple undies and Sexy green bras

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Think before you snatch up a 3-pack of cheap underwear at Target — or even a satiny expensive pair at Nordstrom’s. You could be paying into a lot of stuff you don’t want any part of, from genetically-modified and pesticide-sprayed crops to unfair abusive labor practices.

That’s the message behind More than pretty knickers, a short film and website that tries to draw attention to the environmental and labor problems created by conventional panties. Put together by Jenny and Verity White, a pair of eco-motivated sisters, More than pretty knickers presents the problem — and proposes a solution. After all, there are pretty panties made of organic and fair trade cotton, hemp silk, and bamboo on the market!

Some of these eco-lingerie options are sold at Eco-Boudoir, Jenny’s online boutique of environmentally and ethically conscious underwear. With the tagline “Luxury with a conscience,” Eco-Boudoir’s inventory’s on the expensive side. But money-strapped environmentalist need not give up! Gaiam’s selling a 3-Pack Organic Hip Hugger panties for just $9.99 right now.

Earlier: Cute, simple undies and Sexy green bras

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Question: So, I want to buy some new underwear (cute, simple) and I am wondering if you have any green, yet affordable suggestions. I checked out American Apparel but it’s like $8 for one pair!!

Thanks! Caitlin

Answer: I was hoping you meant bras, because I’d already put together a post about them. But on to panties –

First, a bit of bad news, sort of: $8 for a good pair of eco-undies is actually in the low price range. I mean, look at Victoria’s Secret prices for comparison issues. Even their cheapest, gaudy, not eco-friendly, prison labor stuff costs $5 a pair on their website. And anything at Nordie’s will run you more than $8 a pair, eco or not.

Certainly, if you were buying undies in bulk at Kmart or Walmart, you’ll be in for a bit of sticker shock — but the fact that you’re searching for green undies makes me think you no longer want to be associated with companies like those…. You deserve nice eco-friendly undies, even if they cost a few bucks more –

But back to basics: I did find you some slightly less expensive undies from Gaiam (left). Pick from the organic cotton hip hugger, high cut, or brief styles: $19 for a 3-pack. (Update: Now $9.99!)

You can also get fair trade, organic hip huggers from Global Girlfriend for $8 a pair.

Or opt for bamboo undies. Pick from the low rise bikini (right), high leg brief, or g-string: $24 for a 3-pack.

You can also get basic organic cotton panties from Cottonfield ($12 a pair for the bikini style) or Clean Undies, ($14.50 a pair for a variety of styles), or Decent Exposures ($11 per pair and up), or Peaceful Valley ($12.50 a pair) but these brands don’t seem any cuter than the less expensive ones I already mentioned to merit the higher price.

A couple organic cotton blends look sleeker than the above panties. I’d like to try Blue Canoe’s low cut bikini (left; boy shorts, panty, high cut panty, and thong styles’re also avaliable), but they’re $17 a pair.

My other pick’s Gaiam’s organic cotton Silver Linings Bikini (right, also in thong and high-cut brief), but those run from $16-19 each.

Patagonia offers a unique product — undies from recycled polyester (left). But this Active Low-Rise Thong costs $18 a pair.

If you wanna go high-end for some special occasion, you can check out Ciel Ltd’s boy short (right), made with Peruvian organic cotton with french lace and lycra. $45 a pair.

So in conclusion: I actually need some plain basic undies too, and this is my action plan: Get a bamboo 3-pack (I wear low-rise bikini undies almost exclusively, so Gaiam’s 3-packs are out) and see how I like them. If I do like ‘em, cool. If I don’t, I’ll move down the list….

Update, 2/5/09: Urban Fox: Cute eco-friendly panties and camis

Update, 6/25/09: Bgreen Apparel: Comfy and cute organic cotton camis and panties

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