Review: The world's first zero-waste bra

The wonderful Laura Wells rocking the original The Very Good Bra. Image via The Very Good Bra.

From the elastic to the thread, labels and even packaging - yep it's here, a completely compostable bra! Here's why we all need to ditch the synthetic support.

Have you ever thought about what makes up your bra?

It has crossed my mind briefly as I continue to slowly switch out the synthetic fibres from my wardrobe - but I had assumed my bras were the one area those plastic-based fibres couldn't be avoided.

Then along came the first compostable, all-natural-materials, zero waste bra! Launched thanks to the support of a hugely successful crowdfunding campaign, The Very Good Bra was imagined by Australian entrepreneur Stephanie Devine who is self-confessed "OBSESSED with leaving no post-consumer waste."

"We believe that everything we create should be designed with its end of life in mind."
- Stephanie devine, founder The Very Good Bra

Since the first Kickstarter campaign to get the original black bra into production (the one I have and review below) The Very Good Bra has added sleep and lounging-around wear as well as a more waste-free bras in different colours, plus zero waste briefs.

The vintage peach bra and briefs by The Very Good Bra, also a plastic free and zero waste bra!

The stats on our textile waste are no secret - Australians send 85% of the textiles we "consume" to landfill, much of which is loaded with synthetic fibres meaning it's destined to remain in the ground for hundreds of years.

"In terms of fabric alone, polyester takes 200 years to break down, and when it does, it’s toxic," Stephanie says.

"In Paris last year at Interfilière [trade show] I learned that the use of plant-based fibres increased 99% between 2006 and 2016, but they still only make up 6% of our clothing, whereas they should represent about 37% ideally.

"Synthetics growth was 56% over the same period meaning their market share is 68% where it should only be 7%. If we focus on materials alone we can make it easier to recycle or compost at end of life, unblended fabrics being much easier to recycle."

The timing couldn't be more right for zero-waste, biologically circular materials.

As requested by you: what do I think of the original black The Very Good Bra?

The original The Very Good Bra when I received it (plastic free!) - read on for my review!

The Very Good Bra Review.

First of all, I love that it is compostable! You saw the stats above - we need all garments to move in this direction. Stephanie enlisted WormTech to bury one of the bras as an experiment, and it was all eaten by the worms, bar the 'chewy' tree rubber and organic cotton elastic, in 8 weeks!

But being compostable is no good if the bra is scratchy and uncomfortable. Luckily the fabric is adorably soft! It feels luxurious against the skin - and not surprisingly, that is the Lenzing Tencel fibre at work - which was also knitted and dyed in Australia. Even the thread is Tencel.

It's got no wires, so no awkward dig-ins throughout the day - a big plus for me! But this can also mean it has slightly reduced support if you're used to wire bras. Instead of wires there is a band under the cups made with a woven organic cotton liner to prevent it stretching over time. I found the sizing was a little smaller than usual, particularly around the band, likely due to there being no spandex/ elastane (a synthetic) used.

Stephanie says she hasn't ruled out using recycled synthetic fabrics in future.

"I want to make the bras prettier and more comparable with other commercial options right now," Stephanie says.

"I’d like to experiment with some of the lovely new recycled laces and meshes that are coming out of Europe. Although these aren’t zero-waste, they keep materials in circulation for longer and stop the creation of virgin synthetics.

"But for now I will continue on zero-waste basics, and ideally create some for blokes too next year."

Are you ready to shift your underwear to compostable?

- Ash