An Intimate Rebellion Against Plastics: Sewing 100% Cotton Underwear
No, seriously, I need you to check the tag on your underwear. What does it say?
Nylon. Polyester. Rayon. Acrylic. Spandex.
All plastic.
These synthetic fibers trap moisture, increasing warmth, dampness, bacteria, yeast, and odor on the skin. EEEEYUCK!
Because of this, many medical professionals recommend cotton fabrics for their breathability and health benefits. Why would we want to expose our bodies to excess chemicals and microplastics, anyway?
Months ago, I purged all my intimate wear of anything with more than 10% plastic in it. With a shortage of undies, I finally decided to make my own. Mwahahahaha
First up, I stopped by my favorite fabric store: Goodwill. I picked up two XL 100% cotton tees that were on sale for $1.25 each.
Then I made patterns using three different styles of underwear that I already own and enjoy the fit of. This is where the fun resides: customization!!
As I cut all the pieces out, I contemplated why mindful consumption always has to be sooooo damned time-consuming (I think I was feeling frustrated).
I did a trial pair of a boy short pattern using some leftover elastic I had for the edges. SOOOOOOO cute.
Then I moved cities and got distracted (and went commando a lot) before visiting THE MOST whimsy fabric store I’ve ever stepped foot in. Treasure hunt heaven!
I got some fun elastic, did some sewing, then I ran out again and got reallllllly distracted.
A couple of months later, about $15 in the hole, and many hours hunched over my sewing machine, I finally finished all of my undies!
Let’s take a moment for how cutesieeeee!
YALL KNOW I don’t play about waste. So, when I realized that I had some extra fabric, I decided to make a complementary racerback bra top.
Wanna know what I learned?
Unfortunately, cotton doesn’t stretch the way that polyesters do, which required me to use elastic(sad face) and work out many difficulties fitting the underwear. With less stretch, the margin for error is much smaller.
I also learned that making intimate wear is high-key tedious. It seems simple but involves working with a small surface area and a whole lot of curves.
SOOOOOO, am I suggesting that you throw away all your underwear in pursuit of a 100% cotton wardrobe? NO. But! Perhaps it is now a good time to take stock of the synthetic fibers in your wardrobe. And ponder what an alternative could look like…
That’s just me, though. Do whatever your booty desires.
Catch you next time,
XOXO Lexi Lee
First published on Substack. Read it there and subscribe.