When you approach the topic of “The best fabric for men's underwear” the first topic that is placed on the discussion table is polyester vs cotton underwear. However, what if I told you there's a third, fourth and even a fifth contender?
With 2 weeks of research behind our backs, we’ve reached the finish line to determine which is the best fabric for men’s underwear. And we’re ready to lay it all bare for you. After all, your nether regions deserve the best possible support on the market.
Fabric Contenders for the Best Fabric for Men’s Underwear
So, contenders entering the ring are bamboo, cotton, PVC, Nylon, and, Polyester fabric. Each of these has been in the men’s underwear industry for many years and has a devout following! Let’s briefly (no pun intended) look at what each fabric is made from!
Bamboo Underwear
Move over, ancient fabrics! Bamboo fabric is the cool new kid on the textile block. Manufacturers have figured out how to turn those sleek bamboo stalks into a fabulous fabric that's all the rage. If you want to know all the details on how it’s actually made, you can check out our article: Behind the Seams: Where is bamboo fabric from? It may have made its grand entrance in the early 2000s, but boy, has it made a splash since then!
Cotton Underwear
Cotton is the elder in the textile industry. It has been used for thousands of years to create an array of attire suited for all manner of uses. It’s made from the cotton plant (as I am sure you guessed) and has reigned as the go-to for men's underwear fabric for as long as any of us can remember! This article is going to put this reigning champion to the test and see if it still deserves the metaphorical fabric throne.
PVC Underwear
This bad boy fabric has been in the industry for a while. PVC underwear is mostly known for its raw sex appeal and is a frequent appearance in some fetish cultures like BDSM. However, we’ve decided to add them to the Fabric Wars in any way! Even if they are not intended for everyday use!
Nylon Underwear
In the ring of men's underwear fabrics, nylon packs a serious punch. Think of it as the lightweight champion: durable, yet incredibly smooth. Nylon is the go-to contender for those seeking comfort that moves with you, not against you. Nylon underwear is crafted from a synthetic polymer, a fancy term for a type of plastic that comes from petroleum and first hit the scene in the 1930s. Thanks to its toughness, stretchiness, and knack for fighting off mildew and moths, it quickly became a hit. But, there's a catch: nylon doesn't breathe as well as natural fabrics, which might make you a bit uncomfortable in steamy or sweltering situations. Plus, since nylon comes from petroleum, it's not exactly the greenest choice out there.
Polyester Underwear
Ah, this contended stepped into the marketplace sometime in the 1950s. And since then, it’s been the fantasy of every fast fashion manufacturer! Polyester is generally made from petroleum (yes, you’ve been walking around wearing dead animal and plant matter.). It has been touted as the ideal fabric for underwear, but we’ll see about that!
Comfortability of Mens Underwear Fabric Comparison
First things first. When you’re looking at underwear, you’re looking for something to support your crowned jewels in the most comfortable way. After all, you don’t want to feel like you’re in a medieval torture chamber every time you need to slip on some undies.
So let’s get going on the comfort level of the battle of fabric for men's underwear.
The Feel
Bamboo is known for its luxurious feel. In fact, it has been compared to fabrics like cashmere and silk! You can’t get better than that for your twins, or should I say triplet? However, cotton stands its ground when it comes to fabric feel. It has proved to be comfortable and soft, which is probably one of the reasons it is so popular. PVC underwear on the other hand leaves much to be desired when it comes to feel! To be blunt, it just feels like plastic! Nylon underwear offers a smooth, silky feel with a stretchy, snug fit that wicks away moisture and dries quickly, providing luxurious comfort and practicality in a lightweight package, and then lastly, polyester may be comfy for a total of 5 minutes, after that you may start to feel some irritation and itch!
The Moisture-wicking ability
Bamboo men's underwear has an uncanny ability to absorb moisture and allow it to evaporate exceptionally fast. That means no unwanted moisture sticking around down under. However nylon and bamboo underwear are in a constant battle to outperform each other, with both materials boasting superior moisture-wicking capabilities to keep you dry and comfortable. Again, cotton underwear has pretty good moisture-wicking abilities, however, when compared to bamboo, it has scientifically been shown to be less effective in absorbing moisture. Lastly, PVC and Polyester once again fall significantly short of expectations with having no moisture-wicking ability in sight.
The Stretch
Once again, bamboo underwear takes home the crown! It is known to be stretchy, but not losing its shape. That basically translates to the feeling of your manhood being hugged by a cloud. Nylon underwear provides a moderate stretch, offering flexibility and a comfortable fit. Cotton has shown to not be stretchy at all. This isn’t the end of the world, but just worth mentioning. Polyester can be stretchy when combined with other fabrics, but on its own, it’s not stretchy at all. Lastly, PVC underwear has no stretch whatsoever.
The Thermal Regulation
Surprise, surprise! Bamboo wins once again. According to a 2017 study, bamboo fabric is better at thermal regulation than cotton. Both of these fabrics for men's underwear are adequate, but this is a battle after all, and a winner must be chosen! Nylon underwear offers basic thermal regulation, helping to maintain a steady temperature in various conditions. PVC and Polyester have virtually no thermal regulation. As a random dude on the internet once said on Quora “ I tried polyester but my balls would sweat and by noon my ass would smell to high heaven.”
- According to a 2017 study, Bamboo beats Cotton in Thermal Regulations.
- A 2018 study shows that Bamboo beats cotton in the moisture-wicking battle.
The Durability of Men's Underwear Fabric Comparison
Okay, so we’ve established Bamboo to be the clear winner of the comfortability factor. But let’s get to business on durability. Let's get the Bamboo vs Nylon vs PVC vs polyester vs cotton underwear battle started:
The color-fastness
I know you’re probably getting annoyed with the scientific stuff, but I have to do it! A study from 2016 showed that Bamboo has better color fastness than cotton fabrics. That means your bamboo undies will stay bright if you treat them well! Nylon underwear has decent color-fastness, retaining its vibrant hues through multiple washes without significant fading. PVC fabric color can stain, fade or degrade when exposed to UV (sunlight). Polyester on the other hand does not fade easily but will fade eventually with repeated wear and tear.
The Wear-and-Tear Trials
Bamboo underwear has a typical lifespan between 3 - 5 years depending on how often it is being worn. Nylon underwear withstands moderate wear-and-tear and, with proper care, typically has a lifespan of a few years before showing signs of aging. Cotton has a similar lifespan, but the color typically starts to fade after the 5th or 6th wash. When it comes to PVC, it is durable, however, any type of scratch or rubbing against a rough surface can cause irreparable damage! And I mean, who has the patience to be that careful with underwear? Lastly, polyester is okay in this category, however, it does become stretched after a while.
Sustainability of Mens Underwear Fabric Comparison
Last, but most certainly not least, we need to look at where these materials come from as well as where they are going once they have completed their service to your crowned jewels. It’s important that we think of the environmental impact of the clothing we wear!
Raw Materials
We do wonder why the most frequently asked questions are about polyester vs cotton underwear when there are other options available. Polyester, Nylon, and PVC are all synthetic fabrics derived from petroleum (a compound derived from ancient decaying animal and plant matter). Obviously, this means it is not a sustainable raw product as we need to wait millions of years for it to be replenished once it’s gone.
When it comes to Bamboo underwear vs. Cotton underwear they are both derived from natural plant fibers which is sustainable. However, when looking into the finer details, the production of bamboo fabric is more sustainable and eco-friendly. When compared with cotton, bamboo:
- Uses significantly less water than cotton.
- Does not need any pesticides to grow compared to cotton fields which need extensive pesticides to thrive.
- Grows exceptionally fast and the same plant can be harvested repeatedly whereas cotton fields need to be replanted every season.
- Provides a much higher crop yield per sq meter than cotton, therefore, it needs less area to farm large quantities of bamboo.
Decomposition
PVC can take up to 450 years to naturally decompose, while polyester isn’t far behind taking up to 200 years to decompose. These two fabrics will be around long after we are all gone. Nylon can take up to 40 years to decompose. However, cotton and bamboo both decompose naturally without much hassle.
Cotton can take up to 5 months to decompose while Bamboo can decompose naturally in as little as 5 weeks!
Which cloth is best for underwear men?
When taking all the factors into consideration, it is quite obvious that when it comes to the best fabric for men's underwear Bamboo is the clear winner. Sure, there are a few sub-categories like wear-and-tear where the others can give Bamboo fabric a run for its money. But overall, Bamboo came out as the top dog in almost each and every category!
Going Bamboo for your booty is a no-brainer at this stage!
Other frequently asked questions about men’s underwear
So now you know that Bamboo is the best fabric for men's underwear we can move on to some other pressing matters. These are some of the questions we get quite frequently. What cut of underwear is best for men?
Without getting into a ton of details, the short answer is, the underwear cut you feel most comfortable in is best. Some factors to take into consideration are your body shape, your lifestyle, and, your personal style preference. But if you are specifically looking for advice on which men’s underwear cut is the most flattering for your body, or most suitable for your lifestyle you can check out our in-depth guide: 5 Steps to Underwear Nirvana
