Underwear Thesis: KENT Underwear Review

A big part of why I started the Underwear Thesis is to hopefully more sustainably made options that I love even more than the fast fashion undies I’ve worn in the past. A few people requested that I look into KENT, a brand that touts plastic-free underwear that is made of 100% organic cotton. I was extra excited to check them out because finding panties that are entirely made of cotton is surprisingly rare! Here’s my full KENT underwear review.

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

My Totally Unfiltered Review of KENT Underwear

Please keep in mind that these are my personal opinions of the product. If you love KENT underwear, that’s great! I applaud you! But if you’re on the fence about whether to buy them or not, this is what I think you need to know in order to be an informed consumer.

Styles Tried and Price

• Rouge organic Pima cotton bikini brief, size large – $24
• Honey organic Pima cotton high-waist brief, size large – $24

Fabric Quality + Details

Grade: B+

KENT uses 100% GOTS certified organic Pima cotton that is synthetic free. That means there is literally no plastic in their fabric, so it’s important to keep in mind that these panties will stretch differently than underwear with a synthetic component. The fabric is a knit, so there’s a small amount of stretch, but not much. I was so excited to finally find a plastic-free pair of underwear though!

I gave them a B+ for fabric because it isn’t that soft, despite the product description. I suspect that is because they aren’t using at softeners or washes on the final product which is a common way for companies to soften cheaper fabrics (sometimes it’s even a coating that washes away). However, KENT has such a strong focus on sustainability that they don’t use petrochemicals, thus making the handfeel less soft.

The underwear is tagless, which I love. The gusset is stitched down on both sides which isn’t my favorite for washability. But overall, the quality is superb.

Manufacturing Quality

Grade: A

Both styles of underwear are exceptionally well-made! A great example of that is the stitching at the waist and leg openings. Because the underwear is made of 100% cotton, I full on expected the stitching to not be stretchy… but it actually is and it’s quite stretchy! KENT did a great job of using a type of stitching at the waist and leg opening that gives stretch.

Ethical Practices and Sustainability

Grade: A+

By far, KENT is the most sustainable brand I’ve reviewed in this entire project. They are doing SO much including:

• Ethnically making each pair of underwear in California by offering living wages and in a factory with recycling practices
• Recyclable and compostable packaging — even the underwear is compostable and “will return to soil in only 90 days”
• Fully synthetic free — no microplastics, phthalates, petrochemicals, pesticides

The underwear is made of Pima cotton because it is more sustainable that other types of cotton. For example, Pima cotton uses 87% less water and creates 45% less CO2 than conventional cotton (source). There is actually a TON of documentation on KENT’s site about all the ways they’ve considered the environmental impact of their product. It’s incredible.

Inclusivity

Grade: B+

It’s clear to me that being more inclusive is a value that KENT is actively aligned with. Between me ordering my underwear and the writing of this post, they expanded the size range to go from sizes XS to 3XL which is a great start.

I docked them a letter grade because the product photos aren’t especially indicative of this effort, unfortunately. I would have loved to see the fit on different body types while shopping the product specifically, so hopefully they make that change soon.

Washability

Grade: A

Both pairs have washed very well and kept their shapes! Keep in mind that I don’t recommend putting underwear in the dryer ever.

Fit & Comfort

Grade: C

I wanted to love them sooooo badly, but the fit is just not what I’m looking for. I felt like the waist and leg openings fit well and I had good coverage on my butt. But in the front, there was an excess of baggy fabric which was surprising. I will say that the bikini brief fit WAY better than the high-waist style. But I still found the fit to be super unflattering because of the bagginess in the front.

Overall thoughts

Grade: B-

It was so incredibly hard to come up with an overall grade for KENT underwear. I love love love their sustainability measures and how well the underwear is made. That is such a big deal to me… but at the end of the day I want two things: a great fit and comfort. And unfortunately I didn’t get either from KENT.

The stitching at the leg openings and waist are quite bulky and I suspect that’s the case to avoid using an elastic type of thread. I found that the stitching dug in and was pretty uncomfortable.

As for the fabric… I wish it was softer. There, I said it. I know they are avoiding softeners to maintain their commitment to sustainability, but there has to be something else they can do! The underwear feels like a thick t-shirt that has never been washed before. And that isn’t the vibe I want for my delicate bits, ya know? KENT’s underwear lacked the comfort level that I prefer.

Here’s the thing though: I still wear them. These styles aren’t the ones I reach for first, but they also aren’t the ones leftover on laundry day.

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

Photography by Jojotastic.