Most bras are made almost entirely from petrochemicals. Polyester, nylon, spandex, synthetic elastic, polyester thread. They sit against your skin for 12 or more hours a day, they shed microplastics with every wash and wear, and at the end of their life they head straight to landfill, where they'll still be sitting in 200 years.

The Very Good Bra exists because that doesn't have to be the answer.

Where this started

I'm Stephanie, founder of The Very Good Bra. Years before this brand existed, I went through breast cancer treatment and found myself unable to source a wire-free bra in natural fibres and a proper cup size. That experience led me to start my first lingerie brand, and it planted a question I couldn't let go of: why is something that touches your body all day made from the same materials as a plastic bottle?

The more I learned about the apparel industry, the more I understood how much was being swept under the rug. Synthetic textiles are cheap, they're everywhere, and the industry has had little incentive to change. So I decided to spend years proving it could be done differently. In May 2018 I launched The Very Good Bra on Kickstarter. Over 700 people bought one within 30 days. That told me everything I needed to know.

What makes us different

We are the world's first 100% plastic-free bra, and we mean every component. Not just the fabric.

No spandex. No elastane. No nylon. No polyester. When your bra has done its job, you can drop it straight into your worm farm or compost. In 2019 we partnered with Worm Tech worm farm to put this to the test. The bra was gone in 8 weeks. Read about it here.

Why it matters for your body

Sustainability is one reason to choose natural fibres. Your health is another. Research increasingly links synthetic textiles to microplastic shedding, and skin contact over long periods is a route of exposure that most people haven't thought much about yet. A bra that sits against your body all day, every day, made from petrochemicals, is worth reconsidering. Ours is made from materials that have been worn against human skin for centuries.

Proper sizes, not afterthought sizes

We make 34 sizes because fit is not optional. Wire-free doesn't mean one-size-loosely-fits-most. My original motivation for entering this industry was the absence of wire-free options in real cup sizes, and that commitment has never changed. At present we can't go larger until a natural replacement for spandex is commercially available, but we cover all we can.

How we make things

We use a pre-sale model to fund production. This means we make what's needed, in the right sizes, without generating excess stock. It's slow fashion in the truest sense and we're grateful for your patience with it. We aim to run at least three pre-sales a year with new styles, materials, and colours. Your order is packed in recyclable tissue and shipped in 100% compostable packaging via Australia Post.

Our materials come from Australia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. We manufacture with Bratex in Sri Lanka and with partners in Portugal, where proximity to our materials suppliers gives us more stability and a shorter chain. We'd love to make in Australia but the factories, skills, and machinery left when the big brands moved offshore. We're honest about that.

Recognised for impact

Our work has been recognised in ways that mean a great deal to us:

• Good Design Awards, Best in Class for Fashion Impact, 2020
• Circle Award for Fashion, inaugural winner, 2021
• B Corp certified, 2022
• Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards - Fashion - Winner 2024
• Fast Company - top 10 Small But Mighty - The World's Most Innovative Companies - 2024
• eBay - Runner Up - Circular Fashion Fund 2025

For every order placed, $1 is donated via i=Change, and you choose which project your dollar supports.

Almost all of our competitors still use spandex, conventional nylon elastic, and polyester thread. We pay more not to. It's only by continuing to build a market for plastic-free components that we collectively push textile manufacturers to produce more, and eventually bring prices down. Over the years I've seen this begin to happen.

Stephanie Devine - Founder

Photo by @eliselockwoodphotography