Say boo to your bum

Round & About

Elizabeth Hadley wants you to feel good in your underwear in more ways than one as she explains with her new sustainable lingerie range Bumboo

Like many of us Elizabeth Hadley took up a new hobby during lockdown and found that it soon became a passion which changed her life. 

She had always loved the idea of making her own clothes and having found an old sewing machine in the loft began experimenting with patterns and fabrics and found she soon fell in love with the creative process, making something from scratch, turning it into something with purpose. 

And that ‘something with purpose’ has led her to Bumboo, a sustainable lingerie range, which focuses on comfort, colour and conscience.  

Elizabeth says: “The more I explored sewing, the more curious I became about fabric production and the impact of fast fashion. The environmental cost of traditional materials and mass production was clearly evident. My small hobby became more pronounced when I found myself at the live auditions for the 2025 Great British Sewing Bee – what an experience!” 

With a background in biochemisty and biotechnology she was researching how bio-based materials could be transformed into useful products – and “that’s when ideas began to align”.  

“I came across new research on a next-generation technique for converting bamboo fibres into high-quality fabrics, and it immediately sparked my interest,” she explains. “This promising solution was the perfect foundation for what I was hoping to create: something that not only felt and looked good, but also did good and was grounded in science. From that point on, sustainability became central to every decision for the evolving brand – from fibres and dyes to packaging and factory partnerships.  

“Looking back, it’s amusing to realise what began as a hobby from academia actually brought me full-circle to my original scientific interests!” 

Made from bamboo lyocell, a soft, breathable and responsible fabric, the collection showcases four carefully designed styles, made in eight different patterned designs, some of which are hand painted. 

Elizabeth’s commitment to ‘change’ doesn’t end there. She is proud that Bumboo is size inclusive and body positive, grounded in sustainability – “proof that ethics and aesthetics can joyously exist”. Celebrating diversity, she adds: “Underwear should be the most comfortable thing you put on, not something that makes you self-conscious. At Bumboo, we’re focused on creating styles that fit real bodies, move with you, and make you feel good as you are.” 

Her ultimate goal is to make Bumboo a trusted and recognised name in sustainable clothing. See for yourself at bumboolingerie.com