Everyone who has a vagina knows the feeling. It can be terribly itchy, uncomfortable and even painful. Yeast infections are more common than you might think - 3 out of 4 women will experience one at some point in their lifetimes.
Some treatments for yeast infections include topical creams, gels and lotions designed to stop itching. And when it comes to prevention, a lot of us are told to wear breathable fabrics or eat certain foods like gut-friendly yogurt and kimchi.
For a long time, cotton was seen as the solution for yeast infections, because of its breathable fabric.
But conventional cotton is less than ideal for being so close to your intimate areas - it's often grown with pesticides. It's also not great for the planet because it's so water-intensive and can destroy soil significantly while growing.
So if conventional cotton isn't the solution, what is? Let's find out.
Hemp
Hemp is 4x more breathable than cotton, and it's antimicrobial and antifungal. There's almost no competition when it comes to how healthy this fabric is for your skin and intimate health.
On top of that, hemp is miles ahead of conventional cotton in terms of sustainability - it requires much less water and land to grow, and is one of the strongest fibres on the planet, so it'll last.
Try a pair of hemp undies here!
Organic cotton
Organic cotton is a close second when it comes to sustainability and preventing a yeast infection. It's not as breathable as hemp, but it comes very close in terms of sustainability.
Organic cotton is almost always fed with rainwater, and no pesticides are used in the process of growing. Farmers are also paid quite well usually, and there are much fewer health concerns for the farmers working with the cotton every day.
Make sure it's GOTS certified cotton and you're good to go.
Bamboo
Far from being just a very strong building material, bamboo can be made into pulp and buttery soft, breathable fabric. Like cotton, bamboo wicks moisture away from the skin, making sure you stay cool. It's actually 40% more absorbent than cotton.
It's important, however, to make sure the bamboo fabric you're buying is made responsibly. Viscose bamboo uses a vast amount of chemicals in the process to make it into a soft fabric. Make sure the fabric OEKO-TEX certified to make sure no harmful chemicals were used in the production.
So there you have it. The best underwear fabrics to buy for your vaginal health. There are some fabrics you should definitely avoid, and this includes synthetic fabrics like polyester and polyamide which don't allow your vagina to breathe. If you stick to natural fibres, your skin and the planet will thank you!