Giveaway -- "Upitees" Upcycled Underwear From La Vie en Orange

ByKaty
239 Comments

I've been writing The Non-Consumer Advocate for over four-and-a-half years, and in that time I've run giveaways of everything from tax services to video games to food bank donations to books. But never in in all these years have I come close to today's giveaway, which is an opportunity to win two pairs of . . . drum roll please . . . underwear!

Yes, underwear.

But these are not your normal underwear, as Upitees are upcycled from used T-shirts, which makes them perfect for Non-Consumer Advocate readers.

Kori, who sews these underwear was kind enough to send me two pairs to, umm . . . test out before the giveaway, and I give them the Non-Consumer Advocate Non-Wedgie Seal of Approval. They're thicker than my normal underwear, but I kind of like that. They also came packaged super cool, like so: 

I asked Koriel Jock, how she got started with such a unique business idea, and here's what she had to say:

In my family, making underwear is normal. I come from a long line of sewers, and my grandma makes my grandpa's and my dad's underwear. (He's her son-in-law, so I'm not sure if that makes it more or less weird.) It's just not weird to us, so when I needed some underwear one summer after college but didn't have a lot of money, of course I thought to make them.

And then! The "Aha" moment! It was so much fun to clean out my T-shirt drawer at the same time. My new Upitees (the name would come later) were soft, sporty, sassy and gave my old tshirts a new life. I got excited right away because I realized that underwear was something that everyone (well, almost everyone :)) needed and wore. For me, that meant that it was further removed from the cycle of consumerism and accumulating "stuff." I also felt really comfortable with recycling old tshirts for the raw materials:  there is such abundance.

I studied fashion design in college, but haven't pursued it until starting La Vie en Orange 18 months ago. It was then that I started finding a way to balance my values:  I want to achieve great fits to promote self-esteem in women, but also avoid unnecessary consumerism and waste. I want to practice eco-stewardship, but not achieve anything at the cost of other women's human rights. So I choose to make something that costs more, but lasts longer, nurtures local economies, and doesn't exploit the unfair and dangerous labor practices used by chain stores. For me, the civic responsibility and the cost need to meet in the middle.

The giveaway is for two pairs of Upitees women's underwear from La Vie en Orange in whatever size or color you wish. (Kori also does silkscreen prints, so the patterns are not completely random.)

And for those of you who do not win this giveaway, Kori is offering a free shipping coupon code of USEITUP for Non-Consumer Advocate readers that's good until the end of 2012.

To enter this contest, write your name in the comments section below. I will randomly choose a winner Friday, December 15th at 9 P.M. Please enter one time only, U.S. residents only.

Good luck!

Katy Wolk-Stanley

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."

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239 Comments

  4. Megyn!

    As a side note, my MIL used to make my hubby's boxers. It was odd when I first met him, but once I learned she didn't exactly measure certain areas, I deemed it "cool".

    Reply

  8. I have thought about doing this for some time and am glad to see that someone made a business venture out of it. It's a great way to reduce.

    Thanks for featuring uptees.

    Reply

  13. What a great idea! I'm entertained and informed every day I read your blog. My favorite post lately was your thrift shop adventure with the Miss Piggy bank...way too funny!

    Reply

  20. Lorena! (Does anyone else feel like we're announcing our names a la the Mickey Mouse Club or something? Or is it just me?)

    Anyway, great idea and giveaway!

    Reply

  39. Hi all! I'm the underwear maker interviewed above, and I'm so tickled by all your warm fuzzies! Thank you so much! I can't wait to make the giveaway winner some undies 🙂

    Reply

  41. Mary Haas
    Fantastic...I hope I win! Thanks for showcasing such an inspiring entreprenuer, esp after the factory fires in Bangledesh and Pakistan. Diane Rehm on NPR did a show on the topic today, following your lead, Katy.

    Reply

  42. Ooooo...I was just looking in my drawers drawer today thinking that I needed new underroos. If I don't win, I will definitely buy!

    Reply

  49. My MIL and SIL used to make all kinds of lingerie...and they made for all the gals in the family. It wore forever and was beautiful...but then it stopped being "in" so they stopped. I would love to win.

    Reply

  55. Amanda Swilley, please enter me!

    P.S. Funny story, I HAVE this exact tshirt! It's my favorite shirt, literally. It was my husband's, and back before we were married, I wanted to borrow one of his shirts to sleep in (he has a plethora of funny tshirts btw), and this one he didn't wear anymore because it had a small (unnoticeable to me) stain on it. I've never given it back. It's the softest shirt I have, and the best thing is that it's his. Maybe when I finally wear it out I can make underwear out of it. 😉

    Reply

  60. Totally lovin' those undies! Way to go La Vie En Orange and NonConsumer Advocate. 🙂 You guys rock. What a great idea. Love it.

    Reply

  67. I went and looked at her website the other day after seeing her ad on the side of your blog. I'm seriously intrigued!
    -Erin

    Reply

  73. Love the photo of Kori and her "personal assistant" hard at work. My assistant, Boots, supervises my sewing machine from the same vantage point! Would love me some uber-cool undies!

    Reply

  84. Does writing my name up there in the comment form section count?

    Just in case it doesn't, hey, I'm Kristen!

    Reply

  128. Jessa Nelson - Found a pattern recently to make a pair, but sadly, no sewing machine.....yet! I'll find a nice thrifted one soon I just know it, but in the meantime I'd love to try them out!

    Reply

  133. These are crazy cute! What a great idea...would love to be a winner. Wait...I am a winner, I just want some nifty panties 🙂

    Reply

  134. Yeah, would love to win a pair of undies! And if they don't fit, I can always pass them on to my college-bound daughter!

    Reply

  140. I was wondering what question you'd have people ask that would be associated with their undies...

    I think you're slipping in the sass department 🙂

    Reply

  141. I was just complaining this morning that I have so few underpants that they get lost amongst the other underthings they share space with.
    Seems like the best time to enter this giveaway!

    Reply

  149. Kori took some of my old t-shirts and made them into undies for me! You can see my awesome Party Fowl shirt above. I can honestly say they're the most darn comfortable pair of undies I've ever had. I felt awesome getting to use some old shirts that didn't fit right anymore, and I always giggle when I'm Party Fowl-ing during the day. So glad Kori and Katy could put together an awesome giveaway!

    Reply

  150. This is GENIUS! I have a ton of armpit holes in my tshirts, but can't seem to part ways with them quite yet. What a great way to reuse! (Without be grody.) ha!

    Reply

  205. I love her underwear! My grammie passed away this past summer and she took some of my grammies old cotton shirts and turned them into underwear! Brings a whole new meaning to grammie panties:) She is the underwear angel!

    Reply

    1. January! It was such a treat to work with you this summer. So glad you were able to swing by and enter the giveaway! 🙂

      Reply

  207. This is such a great idea! My favorite giveaway on this blog yet...it fits in so beautifully with everything here!

    Reply