WHY IS MEN’S UNDERWEAR EXPENSIVE?
WHY IS MEN’S UNDERWEAR EXPENSIVE?
BY JARMO SIIM
It's a question we've pondered about for quite a long time - why is great underwear seemingly expensive? We love great underwear but it's nearly impossible to get something nice under $30 a pair. Why is that so? After lengthy research, it comes down to a few factors.
BETTER FABRICS
Starting with the fact that brands such as Tani USA, Hanro, and Zimmerly use better fabrics. Common materials for underwear such as cotton, nylon, polyester, Tencel, Modal, Micro Modal, Micro Modal Air, and microfiber all have restricted attributes.
Cotton is natural and extremely soft for the skin and is the most popular fiber for fabric for underwear. The demand for it is far from little, making the prices lower. This has started to change in the last few years, though, as the price in China (where a large part of cotton is sourced) has risen substantially, leading to price increases in the final products.
Brands such as Tani USA do not source cotton from China. Instead, They source cotton from among the best in the world.
Nylon, polyester, Tencel, Modal, Micro Modal, and microfiber are man-made from natural resources. They are usually designed for sensitive skin. Brands such as Tani USA use fabrics with extremely low abrasion rates to ensure that the products can be worn on all skin types and sensitivities. It is difficult for polyester to maintain color and nylon has low moisture absorbency, making you feel uncomfortable. So it’s not an optimal choice while the prices can be better.
Silk is all-natural and is produced from silkworms. Silk is the premier choice for any kind of underwear and is the most expensive fabric. There is an extensive history of silk being used by aristocrats and the wealthy class of society. But silk has never been cheap. Thus you can usually find silk underwear starting from $45.
EXCLUSIVE COLLECTIONS
But all that is half of the story. Great underwear is produced often in small quantities, leaving them in the range of exclusive editions, meaning the production is more expensive. As most of the best brands produce collections at least 4 times a year (some even monthly!) then this means the production costs are even higher. For example, check the SilkCut boxer brief underwear we have in our shop – these will never be produced again!
Considering the fact that men replace their underwear much less than they should – an average man wears a pair of their favorite undies for 3 years! – it also keeps the quantities low, leading to a higher price per pair. So, if you want to fix it – replace your underwear more often!
BETTER DESIGN
However, the many collections also mean many great designs come out of these fashion houses trumping the design of supermarket underwear or regular Calvins. But as the collections are small and a lot of design work goes into each pair, it adds up.
But the good side is that better design makes men feel much more fab due to the superior fit as well as due to their looks. Check the seems the design details as well as the colours. No comparison, right?
THEY’RE NOT
But in the end, while they might feel expensive, they’re in fact, not. The cost is usually less than a few cups of coffee or a night out and is there a better treat for yourself?