The Hidden Link Between Breast Health and What You Wear

Every October, we’re reminded to check our breasts — and that’s important. But here’s something you probably haven’t heard during Breast Cancer Awareness Month: it might be time to check your bras too.

Because while we’ve all become more breast-aware, most of us are still slipping into something synthetic every morning — plastic masquerading as comfort. And I don’t mean your Tupperware collection. I mean your underwear drawer.

Since the 1940s, plastics have crept into everything — our kitchens, our oceans, our wardrobes, our fossil record, and yes, our bras. Polyester, nylon, spandex — they sound harmless, but they’re really just petroleum-based plastics. Around 60% of all clothing today is plastic, and that’s bad news for both our bodies and the planet.

 

The Plastic Problem in Our Closets

We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat.” But maybe it’s time to add: you are what you wear.

Synthetic fabrics don’t just trap heat and bacteria; they also shed microplastics that we inhale and absorb through our skin. The same plastic used in water bottles and food packaging is now hugging your boobs all day — and not in a cute way.

Unlike natural fibres like organic cotton and Tencel™, plastic fabrics don’t breathe, don’t biodegrade, and definitely don’t do your skin any favours. They’re not just bad for the environment — they’re a slow, silent health hazard that’s been cleverly marketed as “performance wear.”

 

BPA and the Big Brand Bra Problem

Recent research has found high levels of BPA (Bisphenol A) in women’s sportswear — especially sports bras and leggings from major global brands.

Yes, that BPA — the same one banned from baby bottles and food packaging because it’s a known endocrine disruptor. Translation: it messes with your hormones and has been linked to cancers and fertility issues.

When you exercise, your body heats up and your pores open — making it easier for those chemicals to leach through your skin. And here’s the unsettling part: BPA has been detected in newborn babies, likely passed through breast milk.

So maybe it’s not just our breasts we need to be checking — it’s what we’re wrapping them in.

Meet the Healthier Alternatives: Organic Cotton & Tencel™

Enter the heroes of this story: organic cotton and Tencel™.

These natural fibres entirely made from plants and trees are breathable, sustainable, and blissfully free from plastic. Organic cotton bras and cotton knickers let your skin breathe and regulate temperature naturally — no sweat-trapping, no itch, no hidden synthetics.

Tencel underwear and Tencel bras are made from sustainably sourced wood pulp, offering a silky, cooling touch that feels luxurious against your skin. Think spa-day softness — minus the synthetic stretch.

And here’s the kicker: most “organic cotton” underwear on the market still uses synthetic elastic, spandex and polyester thread, so they’re not truly plastic-free. Our brand is one of the few that’s 100% plastic-free, right down to the stitching.

So when we say plastic-free underwear, we actually mean it.

This October, Check Your Bras (and Your Values)

This month, while you’re checking your breasts (and please do), take a moment to check your bra labels too.

If it says polyester, nylon, or elastane — that’s plastic. And that plastic isn’t doing your health, your hormones, or the planet any favours.

We’ve been sold the idea that comfort means stretch and stretch means synthetics. But the truth? Real comfort is knowing your clothing isn’t quietly polluting your body or the Earth.

So this October, make the swap:

• Ditch synthetics for organic cotton.

• Swap plastic straps for Tencel softness.

• Choose plastic-free underwear that loves your body as much as you do.

Because self-care isn’t just about skin care — it’s about fibre care.

The Bottom Line (Pun Absolutely Intended)

Our breasts deserve better. Our skin deserves better. And, let’s be honest — our privates definitely deserve better.

No one should be wearing plastic underwear. Ever. The most delicate, absorbent parts of our bodies are the last place we should be putting polyester, nylon, or spandex.

That’s why we make 100% plastic-free undies, bras, and sleepwear — so you can breathe easy knowing what’s touching your body is as pure and natural as you are.

Choosing plastic-free clothing isn’t just a fashion statement. It’s a health decision, a sustainability choice, and a small rebellion against decades of plastic being marketed as “feminine comfort.”

So next time you reach for your bra or briefs, ask yourself: is this supporting me — or suffocating me?

Because awareness shouldn’t stop at the surface. It’s time to get real about what’s next to our skin — and start showing our bodies (and the planet) a little more love.

Shop 100% Plastic-Free Bras, Underwear & Sleepwear
Made from pure organic cotton and Tencel™ — because what touches your skin matters. AND check your breasts!

A reminder that for each order placed during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we donate $1 to The National Breast Cancer Foundation via our partnership with i=change.