A Guy’s Guide to the Most Comfortable Underwear

Underwear is the most intimate piece of clothing a guy owns. No garment gets closer to the body than underwear, so it is important when shopping for new underwear that you consider the choices very carefully. Shopping for underpants used to be a straightforward choice between boxers and briefs. Today, the options are endless ranging from boxer trunks, bikini briefs, jock straps and even thongs for men.

Once upon a time, cotton briefs were just about all you would find in a man’s underwear drawer. Contemporary guys are now opting to wear pants in different fabrics ranging from silk and bamboo to stretchy Lycra.

The choices may be many, but our advice is to try different styles and fabrics to suit your personal preferences.  And another tip:  if your underpants have seen better days, it is time to shop for a new pair or three.

At Activemen Clothing we stock a range of fashionable, undiscovered men’s underwear brands that are designed to make you look and feel good as well as being a comfortable and easy-to-wear fit. These include ranges such as Bluebuck, Björn Borg, Mounk, Niku and Pursue Fitness.

The Most Common Men’s Underwear Materials

Once you have settled on a style that best meets your needs, it’s then time to consider the various fabric types which will also come down to personal choice. Cotton is one of the most common fabrics used for men’s underwear, and most briefs and boxer trunks are made of cotton weaves or cotton blends. Many cotton blend briefs and boxer trunks include elastic qualities to ensure a closer, yet comfortable fit. Cotton is great for absorbing perspiration, and as a lightweight fabric does a very good job at being breathable and keeping the wearer cool.

Spandex and nylon are synthetic choices that are stretchy yet also very supportive. These synthetic materials are often used to make underwear to be worn for athletic activities. They are perfect for wicking sweat away from the body, as they do little to actually absorb moisture. Since spandex and nylon are synthetic, these fabrics lack the softness that is characteristic of silk, bamboo and cotton underwear. Most guys choose to wear them for specific physical activities, but not as all-day, everyday underwear.

Silk is extremely smooth, soft, and lightweight. It dries fast, and has an overall luxurious look and feel. It is rare to find briefs and boxer trunks made from silk, as it lacks the natural elasticity that these styles of underwear require. Instead buyers can find briefs and boxer trunks made of silk blends. In the past, silk underwear was not considered a particularly ‘manly’ choice. However, silk’s luxurious feel and the popularity of designer underwear for men has seen a mainstream crossover for silk underwear.

Environmental Considerations

This may surprise you but many men, particularly the younger generation who are less set in their ways, take into account other factors when selecting their underwear. These can include  appropriateness for a situation such as sports and also the environmental impact involved in the manufacture and transport of the clothing.

We believe this is why the Bluebuck underwear is such a popular best seller from our Activemen clothing website. Available in briefs and trunks, this eco-friendly range is made from organically grown cotton which requires no use of synthetic fertilizers.  The underwear is produced in Europe, in factories which use as much renewable energy as possible and is transported by road rather than by air from factories in Portugal and Austria.

The underwear is designed for maximum comfort at the waistband and label and crafted with 96% organic cotton for a soft, irritation free finish and 5% elastane for comfort and fit.

The Mounk brand also ticks all the boxes when it comes to combining comfort with environmental ethics.  This underwear range is manufactured from an antibacterial and odour resistant fabric which stops bacteria growing and spreading in the fabric.  The bamboo fabric is ultra-soft to the touch and very comfortable to wear.  From an ethical perspective, because Mounk underwear is made from bamboo which grows quickly, it causes far less damage to the environment, unlike cotton which is a thirsty crop.

So, if the environment is one of your criteria when it comes to choosing your underwear, then Bluebuck and Mounk are the brands for you.