Made with purpose.

We believe every detail makes a difference—which is why we hand-select every stitch, step, and supplier with the greater good in mind. For us, that means treating our makers and Mother Earth well.

Purpose

At Esra, we want high-quality to be synonymous with sustainability. Comfort with eco-consciousness. Confidence with all-encompassing kindness. That’s why we partner with the most ethical suppliers and makers in the USA and source the most eco-friendly materials on Earth. Because when we support each other and reduce our impact, we create a better future for all.

These are the steps we’re taking to waste less and give more.

Step 01

Sustainably made from GOTS certified organic cotton

Conventional (non-organic) cotton is dirty. And by dirty, we mean 90% of it is genetically modified and it uses 11% of the world’s pesticides and 24% of the world’s insecticides. To top it off, it’s processed using heavy metals, petroleum, and chlorine bleaching. Gross, right?

That’s why we use GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic cotton. This means our cotton is natural, non-toxic, fair-trade, GMO-free, and grown using sustainable methods that reduce water usage, promote biodiversity, and treat workers well.

But what about other fabrics? Clothing made using common synthetics like polyester can take up to 200 years to break down and has contributed around 85% of the plastic pollution in the ocean. By using organic cotton (even our thread is organic cotton) and cotton-rubber blend elastic, our garments are 100% biodegradable and compostable.

Step 02

Lined with
organic bamboo

To enhance our organic cotton cups, we use ultra-lightweight organic bamboo lining (which is, arguably, softer than our super-soft cotton). Bamboo naturally regulates temperature, helping you stay cool in the summer and warm on chilly days, and keeps your garments fresh and odorless with natural antibacterial properties. Bamboo also makes a great companion for active lifestyles, blocking UV and wicking sweat on the go. Underrated? We think so.

Why we adore it: Bamboo is one of the strongest, fastest-growing plants on earth (we’re talking 12-inches-per-day fast) and doesn’t require any fertilizers, pesticides, or irrigation. As a fabric, it holds its shape and biodegrades much quicker than its synthetic counterparts—making it a highly-versatile and eco-friendly material. Plus, our bamboo is processed into a fiber using 100% organic chemicals and a closed-loop system.

Step 03

Dyed with plants
and flowers

Over 2,000 chemicals are used to process conventional textiles—including nasty ones like mercury, lead, formaldehyde, and chlorine. Some of these are known carcinogens and fewer than 10% used in the dyeing process are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Yikes.

Good news: there’s a (much, much) better way to dye clothes. We partner with both female and family-owned and operated natural dye houses in Washington and New Jersey that use organic dyes, botanical whenever possible, and processed sustainably in the USA. Compared to conventional color applications, our natural GOTS certified dyes are non-toxic, use less water, and biodegrade without polluting the environment. Plus, they give your essentials beautiful, all-natural hues. What’s not to love?

Step 04

Sewn by women who earn thriving wages

According to Oxfam Australia, 9 out of 10 workers interviewed in Bangladesh can’t afford enough food for themselves and their families—and this is just one city supplying the world with textiles. The fashion industry relies heavily on sweatshops across south and southeast Asia, where violence and exploitation of workers is the norm. Not cool. 


We can do better. So we’ve partnered with Blue Tin Production, a sewing co-operative run by refugee and immigrant women in Chicago, Illinois. Here, seamstresses are given opportunities for well-paid, women-centered, non-patronizing work—while also receiving support for mental and physical health, legal, social service, childcare, transportation, language, and other challenges that refugee and immigrant women face daily. As a co-op, every woman owns, manages, and has a voice within the company. We think this is pretty cool.

Step 05

Carbon neutral production
and shipping

The current climate crisis is the most pressing issue our planet faces today. Period. To do our part in doing better, we’ve gone carbon neutral with Terrapass, a company that funds projects that destroy greenhouse gasses and produce renewable energy throughout the USA.

Truth is, everyone emits carbon simply by living and making a living. But it’s actually pretty easy to strike a balance and offset our carbon footprint. We do it by calculating our annual average carbon emissions (rounding up for good measure) and purchasing carbon offset credits with Terrapass. Terrapass uses those credits to fund projects that reduce emissions across the globe. This effectively combats climate change and paves the way for a more sustainable future.

Step 06

Designed to last

Every year, approximately 92 million tons of textile waste enters landfills around the world. Why? Because fashion trends move fast—and often don’t last.

At Esra, we prefer to take it slow. We want you to wear and love our garments until the very last thread (a long, long time from now). That’s why we make timeless styles using the highest-quality materials and processes. And we keep our production limited in order to waste less, too.

Because we want your Esra pieces to last as long as possible, we even offer repairs (including carbon neutral shipping both ways). If your piece is beyond repair, we’ll recycle it into a new bra.

Environmental impact
Our Promise

We promise to continue learning, researching, and innovating in order to provide the best possible garments at the lowest cost to the environment.

Find Your Style