Products · Clothing & underwear · Subset
Subset Organic Cotton Mid-Rise Brief
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Organic cotton briefs from Subset (formerly Knickey), listed in the GOTS database. The page names its elastics: nylon and elastane. It gives no certificate number, and the dyes and thread are not described.
Best for Someone who wants GOTS-licensed organic cotton underwear and wants to see every fiber percentage, including the elastics, before buying.
- Our quality rating
- Good (4 of 5)
- Price range
- Mid-range
- Verified marks
- GOTS: 529 LLC dba Subset, license GOTS-21368 (Control Union)
- Size
- Women’s 2XS to 4XL; single pair
- Made in
- Cotton grown and processed in India (per Subset); shipped from Ohio, USA
approx. $20 per pair (3-packs and 6-packs also sold)
See it on Subset’s site →We are not affiliated with Subset. This link goes to the maker’s own page, with no tracking code. How we're funded.
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Your review
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How we evaluated it
Why we chose it What put it on our list
- The GOTS database lists 529 LLC dba Subset: license GOTS-21368, Control Union, valid to 22 February 2027. The scope includes women’s undergarments of organic cotton with 5% elastane, which matches the 95/5 fabric on the page.
- The page names every fiber: fabric 95% certified organic cotton and 5% elastane; waist elastic 91% nylon and 9% elastane; exterior leg elastic 86% nylon and 14% elastane.
- Subset’s supply-chain page names each step: a Gujarat farm, then ginning, spinning and knitting in Tamil Nadu, with the shipping warehouse in Ohio.
- Subset says its organic cotton is “PFAS-free”, and GOTS’s standard text (version 8.1) prohibits PFAS and synthetic antimicrobial finishes. See avoiding PFAS.
Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy
- The elastics are nylon and elastane, so a little synthetic fiber touches the skin at the waist and legs. Our microplastics guide notes that synthetic fabrics shed microfibers.
- Subset shows no certificate number. The database lists it as a trading company, and we could not see the factories’ own licenses.
- Dyes are not named. Subset says the fabric is dyed with Oeko-Tex certified materials and gives no certificate number.
- About $20 a pair on 22 October 2026, more than Pact or Cottonique per pair.
What to know Details worth knowing first
Subset was formerly Knickey, and its FAQ says Knickey gift cards still work. Its briefs follow the idea behind most of this list: organic cotton, certified under GOTS. The GOTS database confirms the license, and the standard’s text rules out PFAS and synthetic antimicrobial finishes.
What sets this page apart is the detail. It gives the fabric as 95% organic cotton and 5% elastane, and it gives the elastics as nylon and elastane blends. A reader can then decide whether that suits them. Our guide to clothing chemicals says to wash new underwear before wearing it.
Two things stay open: Subset gives no certificate numbers, and it does not say what the dyes or thread are. If a rash is the reason you are shopping, the guide notes that dyes and resins can cause textile contact allergy, so ask Subset about them first.
Quality & testing How it measures up against our checklist
- Tested by
- GOTS database (Control Union Certifications B.V.)
| What we checked | What we found |
|---|---|
| Certified textiles Verified | The GOTS database lists 529 LLC dba Subset: license GOTS-21368, Control Union Certifications B.V., valid to 2027-02-22, field of operation “Trading”. The scope lists women’s undergarments of organic cotton with 5% elastane. Subset also cites Oeko-Tex, Fair Trade and FSC marks, with no numbers. |
| Natural fibers, synthetics stated Maker’s claim | Fabric: 95% certified organic cotton, 5% elastane. Waist elastic: 91% nylon, 9% elastane. Exterior leg elastic: 86% nylon, 14% elastane. |
| No PFAS finishes Maker’s claim | Subset’s home page says “PFAS-free organic cotton”. GOTS prohibits PFAS, so the claim fits the license, but what we confirmed is the license, not this garment. |
| No antimicrobial finishes Not verified | Not mentioned on the product page. GOTS (version 8.1 text) prohibits synthetic antimicrobial finishing inputs. |
| Dyes and trims named Maker’s claim | Elastics named with percentages. Thread is not named. Dyes are described only as Oeko-Tex certified materials, with no certificate number. |
What the labels mean
- Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
- Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
- Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.
Sources Where our facts come from
- Subset Organic Cotton Mid-Rise Brief product page. Maker’s page. Fiber percentages and the $20 price, read on 2026-10-22. Open ↗
- GOTS certified suppliers database: 529 LLC dba Subset. Certifier or regulator listing. Shows license GOTS-21368 and expiry 2027-02-22. Open ↗
- Subset: Behind the Seams (supply chain). Maker’s page. Open ↗
- GOTS standard, version 8.1 (June 2026). Independent source. Table 6 and the prohibited-chemicals table list PFAS and synthetic antimicrobial finishing inputs. Open ↗
Alternatives Other options to compare
- Pact Organic Everyday Classic Fit Bikini About $14 a pair. GOTS-licensed, but does not name its elastic.
- Subset Organic Cotton Men’s Boxer Brief About $30. Same 95/5 cotton fabric; the waistband is 70% recycled polyester and 30% spandex.
- Cottonique Women’s Bikini Brief (2-pack) No elastane at all, and latex-free, spandex-free elastic.