AUSTRALIAN COMPANY LAUNCHES WORLD-FIRST 100%  COMPOSTABLE, PLASTIC-FREE NURSING BRA  

Australian company The Very Good Bra has today launched a ground-breaking 100 per cent compostable, plastic-free nursing bra.  

The Very Good Bra nursing bra is a world first, making it comfortable and easy for mothers to take care  of the environment and avoid dangerous toxins while nursing their newborn.  

The Very Good Bra founder and CEO, Stephanie Devine, says that creating the world’s first plastic-free  nursing bra is a dream come true. “To achieve circularity with this bra has been my mission from the  start and to do it for mothers is especially important for me,” says Devine. “The natural materials we  have used to create the bra are 100 per cent compostable, meaning it has no negative environmental  footprint through all parts of the lifecycle including end of its life, unlike most nursing bras, which include  synthetic fibres.” 

The Very Good Bra specialises in making underwear using only botanically sourced materials – organic  cotton, natural rubber, and cellulose sewing thread, which means no toxins are created through  manufacture and processing; they don’t shed microplastics; and they can be safely composted, worm farmed or buried in soil at end of life, thereby diverting textile waste from landfill. 

“Our research indicates the average woman goes through three bras during nursing and they will all end  up in landfill, as even those made with ’natural fibres’ like cotton and bamboo contain spandex, polyester  and nylon – all plastics – whereas ours use none,” Devine explains. 

In 2021, Australia was reported to have the second-highest consumption of textiles per capita in the  world, behind the US. According to the 2020 National Waste Report, only seven per cent of our textile  waste is recycled, with the remaining 93 per cent sent to landfill.1 

The Very Good Bra is focused on providing an alternative to conventional, synthetic nursing bras which can include toxin-heavy fabrics. Its new nursing bra is completely free of BPA (Bisphenol A), a chemical compound that acts as a hormone disruptor and has been linked to conditions such as asthma, heart  disease and cancer. It can be ingested through eating food or drinking water stored in plastic containers  containing BPA or absorbed through the skin.  

New research has found polyester fabrics containing spandex can contain high levels of BPA. This is  concerning as even low levels of exposure to BPA during pregnancy is associated with abnormal foetal  development. 

1 Federal Minister for the Environment media release. Roundtable to find answers to unfashionable  problem. 26 May, 2021

“It’s really important that we educate consumers better, as their health and behaviour are key catalysts  for change,” says Devine. “Over the last decade, we saw a lot of countries, including Australia, phase  BPAs out of baby bottles and sippy cups to protect sensitive populations like newborns and infants.  

“More questions are now being raised about underwear and other clothing, after sports bras tested by  the Centre for Environmental Health in the US showed that synthetic clothing could expose wearers to  up to 22 times the safe limit of BPA, based on standards set in California.2” 

The launch of the world’s first 100 per cent compostable nursing bra cements Stephanie Devine’s  position at the forefront of Australia’s push towards building new sustainable business models in the  fashion industry. The breast cancer survivor is currently working with Standards Australia on a world-first  national standard for composting textiles.  

In 2022, The Very Good Bra achieved B Corp certification, the highest standard of social and  environmental impact in the world. 

The Very Good Bra nursing bra will be available for pre-purchase with early-bird discounts via a  Kickstarter campaign launching on 29 March 2023. 

For more information or purchase of our everyday Very Good Bras visit: www.theverygoodbra.com