We’ve covered organic cotton underwear for women, the best hemp underwear brands, where to find TENCEL underwear… and now it’s time to talk organic men’s underwear!
The fabric next to your private parts matters. This article is filled with the BEST brands for organic boxers, hemp boxer briefs, organic cotton briefs, and other kinds of non-toxic and sustainable men’s underwear. Scroll through and you’re almost guaranteed to find something that’s not only super comfortable but also healthy for your skin and the environment as well.
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Featured image: PACT
What to Look for in Organic, Non-Toxic, and Eco-Friendly Underwear for Men
Natural and Organic Fabrics
Most conventional underwear is made out of fabrics like polyester and nylon… which are just plastic. (If you want to take a deep dive into why plasticizers are bad for fertility—especially men’s fertility—check out Dr. Shanna Swan’s book Countdown.)
Synthetic underwear is not great for the planet, but it’s also less breathable and therefore more likely to cultivate bacteria growth and get smelly faster.
Instead, look for these fabrics for your underwear:
- Organic Cotton. Although conventional cotton is a natural fiber, it’s grown using toxic pesticides and herbicides. Organic cotton, on the other hand, is grown, harvested, and processed in a much healthier way for everyone.
- Hemp. Hemp is a really incredible fiber—it’s durable, breathable, naturally anti-bacterial/anti-microbial, and moisture-wicking. Plus, it gets softer with time. Many of the brands below use a blend of organic cotton and hemp. You can read more about the benefits of hemp underwear here.
- Linen. You’ll notice a few brands below that carry linen underwear for men as well. Linen is not great for briefs, but it’s a great option for boxers. It’s super lightweight and breathable, and it doesn’t need a bunch of toxic chemicals to grow.
Non-Toxic and Water-Based Dyes
What good is using a healthy, natural fabric if it’s just going to be finished with toxic chemical dyes? Look for brands that are using non-toxic, water-based, and plant-based dyes to add color to their trunks. (A few of the brands below even offer undyed options as well.)
Third-Party Certifications
Third-party verifications can be really helpful when making sure the claims a brand has made are true. Look for things like Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for organic cotton and OEKO-TEX (which indicates a finished product has been tested for a list of toxic chemicals). These certifications aren’t perfect, but they’re still beneficial.
Here Are the Best Brands for Organic Men’s Underwear
Now, let’s get to it. Here are the best organic underwear brands for men that are comfortable, durable, and suitable for sensitive skin:
1. PACT
PACT is one of our favorite brands when it comes to organic cotton underwear for everyone in the family. They carry solid-colored and patterned GOTS certified organic cotton knit boxers, boxer briefs, and standard briefs.
Plus, they’re Fair Trade certified, which indicates an ethical supply chain where workers are paid a living wage and work in safe conditions.
Features: No-roll, smooth flat waistband; tagless back
Price: $14-55 (4-pack)
Sizes: S-XL
Made In: India
Use code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off full-priced items.
2. Colorful Standard
These soft undies come in a wide variety of colors and are made out of 95% organic cotton plus 5% elastane. They’re certified by OEKO-TEX to be free of toxins, and are PETA-approved vegan as well.
Features: Anti-pilling
Price: $20
Sizes: XS-XL
Made In: Portugal
3. Organic Basics
Organic Basics has a variety of ethically made sustainable men’s underwear made from long-staple GOTS organic cotton, as well as eco-friendly TENCEL. Organic Basics is also a certified B Corp brand and member of 1% for the Planet.
Features: Tag-free elastic waistband
Price: $45-75
Sizes: S-XXL
Made In: Europe
4. Subset
Subset (formerly called Knickey) has been one of my favorite organic underwear brands for several years now.
They used to just focus on women’s underwear, but now they offer organic boxers and briefs for men, too, as well as loungewear like robes and socks!
They offer two main styles: boxers and briefs. They come in several different dark solids, like black, blue, and garnet. They’re made using mostly GOTS certified organic cotton and come with OEKO-TEX and Fair Trade certifications as well.
Features: Functional front fly & ergonomic pouch; flatlock seams
Price: $30-32
Sizes: S-2XL
Made In: India
5. Afends
Afends’ sustainable men’s underwear is available in several colors. Although the majority of their collection consists of boxer briefs, they also offer a couple of unisex boxers as well. They use blends of hemp, organic cotton, and TENCEL.
Afends also has ethical and sustainable initiatives woven throughout their business as well, including careful fabric sourcing and supply chain transparency, environmental advocacy, and more.
Features: Mix of organic cotton + hemp brings antimicrobial properties with more affordability
Prices: $20 (on sale) – $40
Sizes: XS-XL
Made In: China
6. WAMA
WAMA’s underwear is made from a blend of organic cotton, sustainable hemp, and a touch of spandex for a comfortable fit. They carry various ethical and eco-friendly certifications such as OEKO-TEX, Green America, Vegan, National Hemp Association, and more. Plus, they have a “first pair guarantee,” so if you don’t like them, you can return them for a full refund—no questions asked!
Features: Naturally anti-bacterial; flexible waistband
Prices: $28+
Sizes: S-4XL
Made In: Vietnam (in a WRAP certified factory)
7. Object Apparel
Object Apparel’s men’s underwear is made right here in the USA, in Detroit, Michigan. It’s all handmade out of organic cotton, hemp, and water-based dyes. They carry briefs and boxer briefs in solid colors and fun designs.
Features: Handmade to order; hand silk screen printed
Prices: $45-48
Sizes: XS-2XL
Made In: Michigan, USA
8. Bad
These hemp and organic cotton undies come in black, white, or natural. They’re made by a small team in Southern California using the “flatlock stitching” technique, which reduces fabric bulking for a more seamless and comfortable fit throughout your whole day.
Features: Elastic-free band
Price: $27-$72 (for a 3-pack)
Sizes: S-XL
Made In: California, USA
9. Linoto
Flax can be a very eco-friendly plant, which means linen is a great natural, healthy fabric to use for boxer shorts. These Linoto linen boxer shorts are made in the USA and come in a variety of colors. Linoto says these shorts can also double as loungewear, pajamas, or yoga shorts as well.
Features: Cool, dry breathability that comes with natural linen; sport-fly front
Prices: $30-40
Sizes: XS-XXL
Made In: USA
10. Rawganique
Rawganique takes toxin-free living very seriously; all of their apparel, accessories, and home goods are made out of the safest materials, from the fabrics to the dyes and more. They have a selection of organic underwear in a variety of different styles, whether you’re looking for briefs, boxers, or boxer briefs. They use fabrics like organic cotton, linen, and hemp.
Features: Elastic-free options
Prices: $20-35
Sizes: S-XXL
Made In: USA & Europe
11. Allbirds
You might know them for their wool sneakers, but Allbirds makes apparel and underwear, too! Their men’s boxer briefs aren’t technically certified organic, but they are made from responsibly-sourced natural merino wool (which is free of toxic chemicals) as well as eco-friendly TENCEL.
Features: Wool naturally minimizes odor
Prices: $22-24
Sizes: S-2XL
Made In: Various countries
12. Brava
While a lot of the brands on this list come in mostly solid colors, Brava’s boxers come in fun prints and patterns (tigers! trout! Jurassic Park!). They’re crafted under fair working conditions in Portugal out of 100% organic cotton.
Features: Fun prints!
Prices: $44
Sizes: S-2XL
Made in: Portugal
13. Industry of All Nations
Industry of All Nations offers men’s organic cotton boxers that are either undyed or colored (by hand!) with natural fermented indigo dye. They also come with recycled elastic bands.
Industry of All Nations has health and sustainability woven into their entire business. Not only do they use 100% cotton that’s free of pesticides and GMOs for their boxers, but they also use only natural and plant-based dyes (if they use any at all) and are committed to a truly ethical supply chain. Their Clean Clothes Project is a “pursuit of a clean and fair production loop, with people at its core.”
Features: Option for completely undyed/unbleached
Prices: $25 – $65 (3-pack)
Sizes: S-XL
Made In: India
14. Eczema Clothing
Eczema Clothing is not actually a brand, but a store that sources from multiple allergy-friendly clothing companies. They have several options for people who are the most sensitive to the chemicals and materials that are commonly found in underwear—even things like latex and elastic.
They offer an organic cotton boxer, standard briefs, and elastic-free briefs that tie with a drawstring instead.
Features: Elastic-free options that even the most sensitive can wear
Prices: $18-$36
Sizes: S-XL
Made In: Various
15. Honorable Mention: TomBoyx
Tomboyx doesn’t use organic cotton, but they make our list as an honorable mention for a couple of reasons. One is that they do use natural (conventional) cotton, which is still a better option than most synthetic fabrics. It’s also OEKO-TEX certified, which means it’s been tested for a long list of toxic chemicals. Additionally, they have a collection of TENCEL underwear, which is a great eco-friendly and non-toxic alternative to synthetics (and is also super soft).
Third, Tombox is extremely inclusive when it comes to its styles and sizing. Everything is gender-neutral, and sizes go up to 4XL. They carry briefs, boxer shorts, trunks, and more, and they come in LOTS of fun colors and designs (in addition to basic black).
Features: Very stretchy for different body types; smooth, durable flatlock seams won’t irritate or chafe
Prices: $20-36
Sizes: XS-4XL
Made In: China
Next time you’re in the market for new organic boxers or briefs (and let’s be honest, it’s probably already been too long), look for organic cotton, hemp, and linen underwear for a healthier closet and planet.
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