Episode 127: ‘Ethical Underwear’ Changing the World One Pair at a Time’ with Sarah Jordan, Founder and CEO at Y.O.U Underwear
In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet, are joined by Sarah Jordan, Founder and CEO of You Underwear, an ethical underwear business on a mission to change the world because, globally, 1 in 10 girls miss up to 3 months of school every year due to not having underwear during their periods.
Sarah's journey began in 2016 when she was volunteering in Uganda and discovered the devastating impact of period poverty. Girls were missing up to a week of school every month, equating to 25% of their education, because they didn't have a pair of underwear. "It's literally the first thing that we put on in the morning, an item that we take for granted, which has an absolutely fundamental impact."
Alongside the period poverty aspect, Sarah quickly saw the impacts of the fashion industry and knew she couldn't solve one problem by contributing to another, so Y.O.U Underwear was built on three pillars: 1) organic cotton, 2) Fairtrade certification, and 3) a buy-one-give-one model. "We donate a pair for every pair we sell." The name itself, Y.O.U Underwear, stands for "your own underwear," because Sarah believes everybody deserves exactly that.
Transparency is at the heart of everything they do. From naming their factories to sharing their challenges and mistakes, Y.O.U Underwear publishes detailed impact reports and is a certified B Corp. "There is so much greenwashing in the fashion industry. We've tried to counter that and say, this is where we want to get to, these are the steps we're taking, this is where we go backwards, and this is where we're making progress."
After launching online in 2018, and then introducing a pop-up in Oxford, Sarah now has a new shop in Brighton, where she's able to offer the connection she experienced at the pop-up, but at scale, letting customers touch the organic cotton, try things on, and feel the difference.
The Y.O.U community goes beyond the shops and pop-ups, they have the Positive Pants Club, as well as many road trips and festivals where people are invited to photo shoots, so that photos and campaigns feature real bodies, creating space where people can feel seen, represented, and empowered. "We want everybody to be seen and reflected.” Sarah shares.
Sarah's advice to marketers is clear: be honest, connect with your values, and use your skills to amplify the businesses and causes that are making a real difference. "The best marketing, the best advertising, is incredibly inspiring. We need that to support the people that are doing things differently."
Tune in as we talk to Sarah about:
The fundamental impact a simple pair of pants makes.
Why Y.O.U Underwear is built on organic cotton, Fairtrade certification, and a buy-one-give-one model.
The power of radical transparency.
The shift from online to the high street: how physical shops build trust, community, and real human connection.
Sarah's advice to marketers.
This is a corker of an episode, packed with wisdom, over-coming challenges, passion and inspiration. Don’t miss it - and if you love it, please share it.
For more about Sarah, her mission and Y.O.U visit https://www.youunderwear.com/ .
Enjoy…
With love
Michelle & Gemma
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