Brook There Lingerie: Simple, Sustainable, and Made in the USA
Ellen Lewis
By ESTELLE PULESTON
Founded in 2007 in Maine by Brook DeLorme, Brook There is a lingerie brand that’s all about sustainability, minimalism, and feeling comfortable in your own skin.
Having grown up with ecologically-minded parents and a passion for sewing clothing, when she couldn’t find the ethically-made, fuss-free lingerie she was looking for in the shops, it was only a natural progression to teach herself to sew that too.
The Brook There range focuses on simple, comfortable basics – all wirefree, and all unpadded due to a current lack of sustainable padding options. The original product was the brand’s Triangle bra, a classic bralette design with a seamless pull-on band. In fact, all Brook There bras are pull-on styles, although she’s working on developing ones with adjustable back closures.
Two more bras have since been introduced to the range: Curvy Convertible, a scoop-necked style with straps that can be crossed over at the back, and Pixy, a wirefree bra that’s a touch more structured and with fuller coverage, for those who want a little extra support. Double-layered fabric also gives Brook There bras a more supportive fit than comparable silhouettes in flimsier fabrics.
For matching bottoms, you have a choice of various silhouettes such as bikini brief or thong, and there are also lounge shorts available plus a simple slip dress that could be worn to bed or worn under clothing.
DeLorme chooses US-made fabrics and components wherever possible, and everything in the current product range is made from skin-friendly, planet-friendly, GOTS-certified organic cotton which has been milled in California or South Carolina. In the past, her lingerie designs have incorporated silk and linen also.
This buttery-soft cotton is dyed into a range of colors inspired by nature – think earthy browns, ocean blues (she lives near to the sea), snowy white and the occasional pop of citrusy vibrance. These colors are achieved through fiber-reactive dyes which require less water and also lead to a more colorfast, and therefore longer-lasting, product. Notably, Brook There also offers an undyed version of each item for those who’d simply prefer no dye at all, such as customers who have very sensitive skin.
DeLorme still does all of the designing and patterning for Brook There herself, but nowadays, the garments are sewn by a small team at a Massachusetts facility that she visits regularly. It was important to her to keep manufacturing local, ensuring the ethics are high and the carbon footprint is low. The finished pieces also remain there at the factory until they ship out to customers, further reducing their environmental impact.
With a little spandex woven into the organic cotton, Brook There bras are designed for a flexible fit and come in dual cup sizes from 32AB to 38CD. Bottoms and loungewear come in XS to 2XL. Some of these sizes are fairly recent additions – DeLorme is actively working to expand the brand’s size range.
Brook There lingerie is priced from $58 to $78 for bras, $38 to $48 for bottoms, and $58 to $68 for loungewear. US orders ship free.
