Sarah Jordan founded Y.O.U Underwear in a bid to help tackle pant poverty. Here she tells us more about the highs and lows of running a B Corp company, and why she believes business should be a force for good.
I was volunteering in Uganda in 2016 when I discovered the problems caused by not having underwear, something that we take for granted every day. It is estimated that 1 in 10 women and girls globally miss up to 25 percent of their education or work because they don't have any underwear, particularly during their periods.
I know how important education and economic independence is for girls and women and so I wanted to do something about it. When I subsequently discovered the problems caused by conventional cotton, one of the world's most polluting crops, and the fashion industry more broadly, I couldn't not act. That became the 3 main pillars to how we work – we only use fully Fairtrade and GOTS certified organic cotton, we source sustainably and make sure that everyone is paid and treated fairly right through our supply chain, and we donate one or two pairs of underwear to the charity Smalls for All for every pair we sell. Y.O.U stands for Your Own Underwear, because we believe everyone deserves exactly that.
I didn't set out to launch a business, I set out to solve the problem of pant poverty and wanting to keep girls in school during their periods by providing underwear. It went from there as I didn't want to empower on one end and exploit on the other, so we had to find a manufacturer we could trust and who would pay and treat people properly, and also only use organic cotton which uses no pesticides and less water and energy and so is less harmful to both the people who work with it and the planet.
What challenges have you overcome since the
company’s launch?
Lots! From initial co-founder issues to Brexit, Covid, a cost of living crisis and continued recruitment challenges, there are more – and more varied – challenges than I could ever have imagined. It’s harder work and more intense that I thought, often lonely and I have never learnt as much or as fast, but I wouldn’t change it for the world! Running your own business is amazing and when it’s making a difference to other people and having a positive impact on the world there is nothing more motivating to get you out of bed in the morning!
Tell us about your product offering.
We sell a range of stylish, comfy underwear for men, women and girls, providing a range that is made from super soft organic cotton and that is inclusive in its sizing (e.g. sizes 6 to 22 for women and XS to 3XL for men). We don’t age our girls’ ranges and instead use Ugandan town names to differentiate the sizes as we don’t want to add that unnecessary pressure to young girls and we have an empowering message inside each pair of underwear as an uplifting message to the wearer. We also make super soft pyjama bottoms / lounge pants from our end of roll fabric, and scrunchies from any smaller bits of material.
What are your most popular products?
Our most popular products are what I would call the classics, so anything in black and our bikini bottoms, which is the most traditional knicker shape. For men it’s our hipster trunks, again in black or dark colours.
Have any styles taken you by surprise with their popularity?
Our boy shorts have been really popular, as they provide a bit more coverage but in a low rise option which works well under jeans, as well as having a minimal VPL. We also introduced a new bra last year which provides more support for larger cup sizes but still without wires or synthetic fabric. That’s been incredibly popular, as have our cosy pyjama bottoms (with great pockets!)
How do you keep your designs fresh and current? Do you follow trends?
We introduce new styles only in response to customer feedback and deliberately don't follow trends as that's counter to our sustainable and slow fashion values. Our focus is on making comfortable, stylish underwear in everyday styles that are good quality and will last.
What sets you apart from your competitors?
All of the above really. There are some brands who use cotton, or even organic cotton, and others who have similar styles, but nobody with the same level of focus on sustainability and nobody with the giving-back model.
We are trying to do something different and show that fashion can be a force for good, and everything we do contributes to that. We package our underwear in reusable 100 percent organic cotton bags, use biodegradable mailers that we collect and turn into earrings, and we collect bras and recycle old underwear and socks (from all brands, not just ours) to prevent it from going to landfill.
You are a leading B-Corp business in the UK. Can you give a round-up of why you decided to gain this certification, what it means, and why it's important to your business.
I fundamentally believe that business can – and should – be a force for good, so as soon as I discovered the B Corp certification it was a no brainer as something we wanted to achieve. I initially thought we were too small to manage it, but after lots of hard work we certified in 2021 and it's actually been a great framework for us to grow with. I love the fact that it's such a holistic and rigorous certification – it measures everything you do across your business – and also having to embed your commitments into your legal business structure means it's not just a box ticking exercise. It really helps give credibility and trust to what we're doing and helps customers see that we're not greenwashing and genuinely do the things we say we do.
It's been great for customers, but also to attract staff and to help select other businesses we want to work with. Being part of the B Corp community is also a big advantage and has allowed us to add our voice to many amazing collaborations and campaigns.
Independent retail is a tough but vital part of our high streets, our communities and the wider economy. We can't – and don't want to – compete with many of our larger high street rivals but instead I believe we can offer something different. A better, greener, more inclusive and sustainable future where we are all more deeply connected to those local, independent businesses who can once again be the vibrant heart of our cities.
Are you active on social media? How is this important for the business?
Yes – and you can find us on most of the usual platforms with the handle @youunderwearuk. It's a key part of engaging with our customers and showcasing our products, as well as our values and the principles we stand for and the changes we're trying to achieve. It's a constant battle for attention and engagement though and there's a lot of noise out there. Social media takes lots of time and requires constant content, so whilst I definitely recognise its value it is really hard for us to manage, particularly as we don't have any money to spend on advertising and that's what the platforms really want to and need to get you out there.
Do you have any advice for new businesses starting out in the world of gifts?
I think for all businesses it's about having a great product and ensuring that there are customers out there who want it, whether it's for themselves or as a gift. I would really encourage a focus on sustainability though – customers are increasingly thinking about the impact of products and their purchase, and it's our responsibility to think about people and planet as well as profit.
What can we expect in the future from the company?
Hopefully a lot, although this year is all about consolidation. We've got lots to do to improve our impact, from a new recycling solution, to tracking our carbon footprint and moving towards our net zero commitment, to our B Corp recertification later this year. We've also got some new products and designs in progress, so I will be looking forward to sharing those soon too!
