Cotton Incorporated and outdoor skin-care brand Utu have teamed up on The Essential Layer, a limited-edition kit pairing 100-percent cotton basics with sunscreen, betting that consumers care as much about the materials in their clothes as the ingredients in their sunscreen.
The Cotton x Utu Essential Layer Kit ($40) pairs either 100-percent cotton women’s briefs or a unisex tank with Utu’s best-selling SPF 50 Lightly Tinted Sunscreen Stick ($40). The recently launched kit is available exclusively at Utu-Sun.com while supplies last.
The collaboration is built around a shared premise: Consumers are paying closer attention to everything that touches their skin, whether it is the fabric against their bodies all day or the SPF they apply outdoors. The brands are highlighting cotton as a natural alternative to petroleum-derived synthetic fibers. Unlike many synthetic garments, which can release plastic microfibers during wear and washing, cotton is a natural fiber that does not shed plastic microfibers.
The partnership taps into growing consumer awareness. According to Cotton Incorporated’s research, awareness of microplastic pollution grew from 17 percent of consumers in 2017 to 41 percent in 2026, and 77 percent now say it’s very important that their underwear be made from materials they consider healthy, ranking it the top apparel category by that measure. Cotton also ranks as the fiber consumers see as least likely to contribute to microplastic pollution, with 71 percent naming it their preferred alternative to synthetic fibers.
The brands are also positioning cotton as a potentially more comfortable choice for sensitive vulvar skin. Los Angeles OB/GYN Adriana Wong, MD, a Cotton Incorporated medical advisor, noted that vulvar skin can be especially prone to irritation, which is why many gynecologists recommend breathable fabrics such as 100-percent cotton. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists includes cotton underwear among its vulvar-care recommendations for certain conditions.
For Utu cofounder and CEO Richard Welch, the pairing reflects a broader philosophy for the brand. “Everything that touches your skin should help protect, nourish and rejuvenate it,” he said. “We’re encouraging people to think differently about every layer that touches their skin.”
