Underwear Thesis: Pact Review

Everything you've ever wanted to know about underwear from Pact
My unbiased and unfiltered review of Pact underwear including the classic bikini underwear! tips and tricks from a textile designer and fabric expert to help you be a more informed consumer and better shopper. Full review including washability, inclusivity, fit, sustainability and ethical practices.

Here’s the thing about reviewing different pairs of underwear: you can only get so creative with the photography! But seriously, I am running out of ways to photograph underwear. Anyways, this week’s Underwear Thesis review is all about Pact, an organic clothing company. I think they are most known for their super soft organic basics. They definitely have a loyal fanbase and I got tons of requests to try them out because I think a lot of people curious! So if you’re in that group, keep reading to get the full scoop of my Pact review.

My Totally Unfiltered Review of Pact Underwear

If you’re new to my Underwear Thesis, I encourage you to read these posts before proceeding:

Styles Tried and Price

My unbiased and unfiltered review of Pact underwear including the classic bikini underwear! tips and tricks from a textile designer and fabric expert to help you be a more informed consumer and better shopper. Full review including washability, inclusivity, fit, sustainability and ethical practices.

Fabric Quality + Details

Grade: B

Pact isn’t messing around when they say their cotton is super soft! The classic fit bikini is 95% cotton, but what I love the most is that they used pre-washed fabric so that the panties can be shrink resistant. They have a good amount of stretch to them and a tagless label. I LOVE when underwear doesn’t have a bulky tag. I really wanted to love these… but there were a few details that were just lacking for me!

The website says that the waistband is supposed to be “smooth flat,” but that’s definitely not the case with any of my pairs. The elastic trim is surprisingly thick (I was expecting it to be softer) and puckers a lot. There are times where I can feel the waistband has flipped and when the outer part of my skin is touching it, it doesn’t feel great. Also that’s not the most flattering? I’ve only noticed this issue at the waist, thankfully, and not the leg openings. Also, the gusset is open on one side, with a serged edge, and made of the same fabric. My other gripe about the construction is that the seams on the sides are really bulky — you can even see it on the model on their website!

Manufacturing Quality

Grade: A

The underwear feels well made and sturdy. I noticed quite a few loose threads when I first got them, but none of the stitching has pulled out or come undone. I like that they used thread for stitching that stretches at the same rate as the rest of the panty!

Ethical Practices and Sustainability

Grade: A+

Sustainability is where Pact really gets the good grades! The cotton is Fair Trade Certified, plus they mention how many gallons of water are saved with ever order. Pact only works with Fair Trade Certified factories, plus they offer the option to offset carbon emissions of your shipment. I loved that option! Additionally, the packaging is minimal and almost entirely made of post-consumer recycled materials and biodegradable plastic. You can also send them your gently used clothing in the same packaging.

Inclusivity

Grade: C-

I like that the model isn’t rail-thin, but I wish Pact had shown the underwear on wayyy more body types and ethnicities. For the classic fit bikini, they offer 9 colorways and only show one on a Black woman… and it’s their ‘chocolate’ color. I understand why they chose that model, but I’m also pretty sure Black women and other POC like to wear underwear other than brown. In terms of their overall product offering being shown on different skintones, they are more inclusive there… but then a wider range of body types aren’t represented! Also, Pact’s sizing is very limited. They offer XS, S, M, L, XL, and 2XL and my definition of inclusive sizing is to go up to 5X.

Can you tell this is the section of my reviews where I get really cranky?

My unbiased and unfiltered review of Pact underwear including the classic bikini underwear! tips and tricks from a textile designer and fabric expert to help you be a more informed consumer and better shopper. Full review including washability, inclusivity, fit, sustainability and ethical practices.

Washability

Grade: B

No complaints here! They wash well, don’t pill, and don’t stretch out or shrink. I suspect the waistband issue is related to washings, but I haven’t put them in the dryer so I’m not sure… someone is shrinking despite claims that the fabric is pre-shrunk!

Fit & Comfort

Grade: B

They are pretty comfortable, but I could do with a bit more coverage on my bum. The site lists the bikini as “fuller back coverage,” but shows some cheek hanging out on the model, so I guess I should have paid better attention! The fit reminds me almost exactly of the old Gap Body ones I used to love (and a LOT of you mentioned loving, too). The cotton is so soft and breathable, so they definitely have that going for them! But I had to grade with a B because of that waistband issue that I keep mentioning.

Overall thoughts

Grade: B

I had really high hopes for Pact… and I was underwhelmed and slightly disappointed. I hate to say that because they’re doing such great things in terms of manufacturing sustainability, but some elements could be better! I was talking to a friend about this review because I was worried it would come across as super-negative. She pointed out that these panties cost $12. That’s pretty damn affordable in the grand scheme of things and the array of brands I’m trying for this project! For example, the Auden from Target underwear that I reviewed is $5, but without any of the sustainability efforts. If your two biggest criteria when shopping is price and sustainability, then I definitely think you should try any of the underwear styles from Pact.

Ready for even more Underwear Thesis reviews?? Catch up on my previous reviews:

My unbiased and unfiltered review of Parade underwear including the bikini and high-rise hipster underwear! tips and tricks from a textile designer and fabric expert to help you be a more informed consumer and better shopper. Full review including washability, inclusivity, fit, sustainability and ethical practices.

Parade Underwear Review

Ooooh boy. I have put off publishing this underwear review as long as I could, but it’s time. I need to put on my big girl panties (pun very much intended) and share my unfiltered review of Parade underwear. You might be wondering why I’ve put off this review for so long… and it’s because I was majorly disappointed. I probably should wait until the end of the post to say that, but I just needed to address the elephant in the room! Let’s dig into all of the details about why I did not like Parade’s underwear, shall we?

Read more

My unbiased and unfiltered review of ARQ underwear including the high-rise undies and wide-strap bralette! tips and tricks from a textile designer and fabric expert to help you be a more informed consumer and better shopper. Full review including washability, inclusivity, fit, sustainability and ethical practices.

Arq Underwear Review

When I first started this project, I posted to Instagram asking for recommendations of underwear you love… and if there was one overwhelming response, it was ARQ! So many people said that ARQ is their holy grail, most favorite underwear of all time… and WELL worth the higher price tag. So, naturally I needed to order a few pairs and work on an ARQ review! After a few months of washing, wearing, and generally being the picky nerd that I am, I’m finally ready to share my review. Let’s dig in!

Read more

What do you think of this Pact review?? Leave a comment and let me know!

Photography by Jojotastic.

Behind The Blog

Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.

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Please note that I use affiliate links at times here, as well as on my social media accounts. This means that if you click on a link to a product and purchase that product, I may receive a commission based on your purchase. I only feature products that truly inspire me. Any products that have been gifted to Jojotastic for review are noted at the bottom of the post. Sponsored posts are noted as such. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.

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2 Comments

  1. 5.24.23
    Claire said:

    I think you would really like the lace top briefs from pact. Its a completely different cut that the regular briefs and has the most bum coverage I’ve found with added bonus on a comfy loose top that doesnt dig in.

    • 6.14.23
      Joanna said:

      ooooo thank you for sharing that info, Claire! I really want just plain cotton ones, but now you’ve tempted me to try the lace top option!