This is not just lingerie: M&S unveil wholesale halloween costumes world's first carbon neutral bra

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Eco labels have become increasingly popular as shoppers make more effort to consume environmentally friendly products.

But now Marks & Spencer has made 'going green' even easier as it today launched the high street’s first ever carbon neutral bra.

Part of the new Autograph Leaves lingerie collection, the retail chain has calculated the footprint of the entire range, which includes four styles of bra, three knickers and a set of suspenders.

Ethical fashion: M&S Autograph Leaves bra, available in 32A to 40DD, £22, knickers, £9.50

The figure, calculated by The Carbon Trust Footprinting Certification Company, takes into account each item’s complete life cycle - from component manufacture to transportation and even the energy customers use washing and drying their underwear.

The collection was manufactured at the M&S eco-model factory in Thurulie, Sri Lanka.

The innovative renewable energy features and reduced waste initiatives implemented at this site have helped reduce the carbon intensity of the energy used by an estimated 33%, compared to typical factory production.

Paschal Little, Head of Lingerie Technology at M&S said: 'Nature is the inspiration behind Autograph Leaves so it’s fitting that this range benefits the environment too.

'As the UK’s lingerie market leader, we think it’s right that we should lead the way in exploring new, more sustainable manufacturing options.

'As a result of this project we know raw material production, such as lace manufacture, is a major contributing factor to the bra’s footprint, so we’re now working with our suppliers to find better alternatives for the future.” 

The factory’s local community is also benefiting from this initiative.

M&S has purchased offsets through a carbon credit project run by Conservation Carbon Company.  

Domino effect: The factory' s local community in in in Thurulie, Sri Lanka, will also benefiting from the initiative

Working in partnership with nine local farmers, M&S is planting over 6000 trees in the desolate land between the Kanneliya and Polgahakanda forest reserves.

Sri Lanka’s forests are home to approximately 90% of the country’s endemic species but are disappearing at a rate of 1.6% per year. To counter this 75% of the trees planted are native species, creating more natural habitats and enabling wildlife to move more easily between the two forests. 

The project will also help tackle rural poverty in the region by improving the livelihood of the farmers involved.

The other 25% of trees will be income generating varieties such as mango and lime trees that offer additional nutritional and financial security to the farmers and their families.

Under its extended Plan A commitments, M&S has pledged that each of its 2.7 billion individual products will have a Plan A attribute by 2020, with a target of 50% by 2015.

Mike Barry, Head of Sustainable Business at M&S said: 'The complexity of a bra’s supply chain makes it the ideal product to learn about the practicalities of carbon footprinting, as it contains 21 component parts from 12 different suppliers.

'We’re already applying the lessons we’ve learned to other product areas and have taken an important step towards our goal of giving every single M&S product a Plan A attribute.'

The Autograph Leaves collection is available online from the 13th April and will be in stores from this weekend.