The Best 100% Cotton Underwear for Women, Tested For More Than A Year

Editor’s note: This article was last updated in April 2025 with updated prices and links. I’ve also removed a few recommendations that have (sadly) been discontinued.

There were a couple trying years in my 20s when my vagina and I just didn’t get along. It seemed like every other month, I was having issues—mainly yeast infections and BV—and when I would go to the gyno for help, my doctor would give me the same spiel:

• Don’t use any scented feminine products.
• Don’t wear underwear to bed.
• Avoid tight clothing.
• Take off wet/sweaty clothing immediately.
• And always, always wear 100% cotton underwear.

It sounds pretty straightforward, but if you’ve gone shopping for women’s undergarments lately, you may have noticed that true 100% cotton underwear is very hard to find. The vast majority of “cotton” underwear out there is actually a blend, usually mixed with spandex or elastane. This might work for most people, but my private parts like cotton and cotton only.

I have to imagine I’m not the only person who’s run into this issue, so over the past two years, I’ve spent hours online, looking for top-rated women’s cotton underwear. I’ve purchased every pair that I’ve come across and tested them out for several months. I’m sharing my findings in hopes that they come in handy for you, too.

The Best 100% Cotton Underwear

If you’re like me and are having trouble finding 100% cotton underwear, I’m sharing the (few) options I’ve tried out over the past two years. I purchased all of these options with my own money (no sponsored content here), so you don’t have to worry about me recommending products that I don’t actually like. Here are the options that I think are worth your money:

• Best Women’s Cotton Underwear: Hanro Cotton Seamless Bikini
• Best Budget Women’s Cotton Underwear: Charter Club Everyday Bikini Underwear
• Best Women’s Cotton Briefs: Jockey Elance Breathe Hipster
• Best Full-Coverage Women’s Cotton Underwear: Jockey Elance French Cut

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Best Overall 100% Cotton Underwear

Hanro Cotton Seamless Bikini

The Hanro Cotton Seamless Bikini are one of the most expensive pairs of underwear I purchased, ringing up at a cool $40 per pair. Women’s underwear is often expensive, but that’s next level. I wish I could say they were terrible and you should save your money, but after more than a year of use, I do understand the appeal of this high-end underwear. In fact, it’s the pair I reach for first the day after I do laundry.

What makes them so great? The briefs are made from super lightweight, breathable mercerized cotton, and because they’re so thin, your panty lines are minimal. The material is also very soft, and they’re definitely a good option for hot summer days, helping to prevent uncomfortable sweating. If you prefer a different cut, the brand also makes full-coverage briefs, boyshorts, and other underwear styles.

Besides the high price, my only complaint about the Hanro underwear is that you’re supposed to line dry them. I didn’t realize that and kept putting them in the dryer, and after a few laundry cycles, the elastic on the waist was a bit misshapen. It’s not so bad that they’re unwearable, but they don’t look as nice as they did originally. So if you want to keep them in good condition, you’ll want to follow the care instructions carefully.

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Best Cheap 100% Cotton Underwear

Charter Club Everyday Bikini Underwear

The Charter Club Everyday Bikini Underwear were another one of my favorite option that I bought, and they’re much more budget-friendly than the Hanro underwear. They’re comfortable and have a flattering fit, and the cotton fabric is soft with a mid-weight feel. I’m not crazy about the frilly trim around the edges, but it doesn’t itch or bother me—it’s more just a stylistic preference.

Admittedly, what I love most about these 100% cotton underwear is that they’re affordable! They’re typically $7.99 a pair but are on sale frequently. They’re exclusive to Macy’s, and the retailer frequently has big sales around major holidays, so you’ll likely be able to snag these for less than full price. I’ve seen them for as low as $3.50 each. (Not gonna lie, I scooped up several pairs during that promotion.)

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Best 100% Cotton Briefs

Jockey Elance Breathe Hipster, 3-Pack

Since originally publishing this article, I’ve kept my eye out for new pairs of top-rated women’s cotton underwear to try out, and one of the best options I found was this three-pack of briefs from Jockey. They’re made from 100% cotton with a wrapped waistband, and they come in both neutrals and more colorful patterns. I got a pack with all black underwear, and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and comfort of the design.

These underwear are more of a true brief, providing a bit more coverage than a bikini-cut, and while the fabric is fairly substantial, it has small perforations all over that make it more breathable. I also love that—unlike several of the other pairs of underwear I tried—these panties are fully machine washable and come out looking like new.

My only word of caution is that the sizing for these underwear is weird. Instead of using small, medium, large, and so on, the sizes are numbers between 5 and 11. They don’t coordinate with women’s pant sizes, either, so I’m not sure what the logic is there. I originally purchased a size 7, but they were way to big. I returned them and got a 6, which fit much better.

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Best Full Coverage 100% Cotton Underwear

Jockey Elance French Cut, 3-Pack

If you want several pairs of underwear, this set from Jockey includes three French-cut bikini briefs. The pack costs $24 at full price, which shakes out to $8 per pair, but you’ll likely be able to find them on sale. I also love that the set comes in a variety of color options, as well as sizes extra small to 5XL.

However, I will admit that the French-cut style wasn’t my favorite. The high waist may seem cool and trendy, but in reality, it’s a bit awkward and often stuck out above my pants. However, if you’re looking for full-coverage underwear, these do keep everything contained. The size large fit me well, and I also thought the fabric was a bit on the thick side and not as breathable as other options. While they’re not my favorite for everyday use, I do still wear them as “period underwear,” as I like having more coverage and thicker fabric during that time of the month.

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Other Cotton Underwear I Tried

Not all of the cotton underwear I’ve tested has been good—in fact, some pairs were just downright uncomfortable! Here are some of the other options I tried out and why they didn’t ultimately make the cut:

• Oddobody Briefs ($24): Oddobody is a smaller, woman-owned brand, and they offer several styles of 100% cotton underwear, including the popular brief style. The material is thin, soft, and breathable, which I liked, but there are a few downsides. These underwear took weeks to ship, and waistband isn’t elasticized, so the fit isn’t as flattering as other options. The brand also recommends hand-washing, which isn’t something I relish.
• Hanes Women’s Organic Cotton Panties ($17): I was hoping this six-pack from Hanes would be a good budget option, but I really didn’t like them. First, they’re only available in assorted colors and patterns—no option for neutrals. They were also quite uncomfortable, as the fabric doesn’t stretch well. I found that they dug into my bikini line uncomfortably, and I ended up just getting rid of the whole pack.
• Quinn Everyday Bikini ($25): I had high hopes for Quinn underwear. It’s a smaller woman-owned brand that seems to do a lot right, prioritizing high-quality construction and materials, as well as ethical manufacturing, but I just can’t get behind the product. These underwear were just so uncomfortable—the fabric was weirdly thick and stiff, and they weren’t flattering at all.

There are a few more options I have my eye on, and I recently ordered the following products to try out:

• Kent Organic Cotton Bikini, $24
• Blue Canoe Organic Cotton Bikini, $40

If you know of another brand that sells 100% cotton underwear for women, leave it in the comments and I’ll add it to my list to try!