Saving trees and inner thighs: FSC-certified bamboo underwear brand takes off after ‘unbearable chafing situation’

An Australian underwear brand that sells a pair every eight seconds has just become the first underwear brand in Australia to receive FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification for its bamboo viscose range.

Online underwear store Step One was founded by Greg Taylor in 2017 after the Australian entrepreneur experienced an “unbearable chafing situation” while hiking in New Zealand. Surprised when he couldn’t find an effective chafing solution, Taylor decided to solve the problem himself.

With just $5,000, the Step One founder and CEO built the business from his bedroom and turned it into a publicly listed company in under five years. The core range’s point of difference lies in its “UltraGlyde” panel technology, which Greg developed to minimise the chance of painful friction.

According to its website, Step One garments are designed in Australia and ethically made from Viscose derived from organically grown bamboo. Step One uses 100% organically grown and FSC-certified bamboo to make its fabrics. The FSC certification guarantees the bamboo used to make the products is sourced sustainably and responsibly.

Step One says it uses FSC-certified bamboo viscose fabric due to its sustainability, tracking, reduced environmental impact, softness and comfort, breathability, antimicrobial properties and because it is naturally hypoallergenic.

Today the brand has offices in Sydney, the UK and the Philippines and a team of 15 across the board, as well as over 50,000 five-star reviews across Google, Product Review and Trust Pilot.

In just four years, Step One has captured 6% of the Australian men’s underwear market. It now sells a pair of underwear every eight seconds in Australia, the UK, and the US to a global customer base of more than 1.2 million. 

Step One is also one of the few sole stakeholders to launch on the ASX without outside investment. According to documents filed with the ASX, Step One recorded revenue of $35.9 million for the six months ending December 31, 2022, and an average order value of $90.26. 

Taylor says the figures show how much the brand has grown since it was first launched in 2017. 

“To sort of get to that level, in such a short period of time, see the figures come through and see every eight seconds. I think it really puts into perspective just how big and quickly the brand has grown,” he told SmartCompany. 

“Underwear is more of a need than a want, so I think from that point of view there is always going to be an underlying demand for it.

“I think the proof is in the pudding. If you have that many five-star reviews, it shows that your products are great. Not only that, but that your customer experience, customer journey and consistency are the keys to people coming back.”

Taylor says consistency is vital to keeping the brand growing as a pure-play e-commerce business. 

“We’re purely online and the reason we have done that is that it enables us to control the customer experience,” he says.

“We want to make sure that the customer has the same or better experience every single time they shop with us, every single time they come to the website.”

Taylor said Step One’s commitment to sustainability is at the core of everything the brand does, and this new certification is a testament to the team’s dedication to creating a better future for our planet.