Today, lingerie accounts for 4% of the women's clothing category sold online in the US and UK markets. This may seem like a small percentage, but according to Allied Market research, global sales of the underwear market are expected to reach $325.36 billion by 2025, so this 4% is worth fighting for.
Fashion is a circle. Underwear styles tend to be retro
According to data, by 2025, the global underwear market is expected to reach 325.36 billion US dollars.
Although women's underwear is usually associated with keywords such as sexy and seductive, female consumers at this stage pay more attention to the comfort of intimate underwear. Over the past few years, an increase in active lifestyles has prompted consumers and retailers alike to move away from the bust-emphasized bra styles that were popular in the '90s. In the market for the past two years, the trend of push-up underwear, mainly propped up by Victoria's Secret, has fluctuated slightly. Although some new styles have appeared on the market, push-up underwear is relatively stable compared to the relatively stable investment in the triangle cup style underwear. The investment in type models continued to decline. Market consumers are most responsive to this shift, with 16% more triangle bras sold in 2019 than push-up bras in the U.S. alone.
At this stage, the comfort and functionality of underwear is what consumers value most. In 2018, the average selling price of a push-up bra was $39.81. Today, the style's average price is down to $27.70, down from $33.30 for its less technical but more popular triangle bra. In the US and UK markets, push-up bras are the fourth most-invested bra style, behind sports bras and triangle bras. Although the market share of this style has declined, it is still the most dominant style on the market today. Sellers don't need to invest much in stocking it, though, as the style has 36% less market share in both the US and UK compared to two years ago. In addition, the sports bra market share in the UK market alone has grown by 17% since 2018. Growth in the style is expected to continue as more fast-fashion retailers enter the activewear segment. The sales of maternity underwear and breastfeeding underwear, which have not yet been widely developed in the market, have increased by 7% at this stage, highlighting the market potential of this style.
In both the UK and US markets, briefs occupy the bulk of the underwear styles. By region, there is more market demand for thongs in the United States. The UK has caught up, however, with sales of thongs up 13% since 2018. High-waisted underwear is still the preferred underwear style for market consumers. Over the past two years, retail sales of these styles have increased by 29%, while sales of the more "hippie" styles have fallen by 68%.
What consumers want: Nude underwear
Like the beauty industry, more and more brands are trying to create nude lingerie that covers all skin tones. British brand Nubian Skin has become a leader in the underwear market. The brand is beloved by Beyonce and Lizzo, and Nubian Skin has curated a line of lingerie and socks for women with darker skin tones. The site also provides a handy guide for women to choose underwear in four shades (coffee, cinnamon, caramel and berry) based on skin color. Nubian Skin has recently expanded its product range into athleisure and men's underwear, challenging the industry's previous stereotypes about darker-skinned people and gaining insights through advertising campaigns in London's transport hubs. £500,000 in revenue. In addition, Savage X Fenty also launched a nude lace bra in seven shades.
Riahnna's brand, known as "he new neutrals," often develops underwear in new nude shades to appeal to a more diverse audience. In addition, the ThirdLove 24/7™ Classic T-Shirt Bra is available in at least 5 shades from pale pink to espresso for consumers to choose from. Victoria's Secret t-shirt bras are currently available in three nude shades, while Aerie offers no less than four natural shades for market consumers to choose from. Monki broke into the space last year with a new line of nude underwear in five skin tones, alongside a campaign promoting inclusivity and self-love.
Industry Inclusiveness No longer limited by "perfect size"
In 2019, more brands advocated for consumers to face up to and embrace themselves in their advertisements. Tu by Sainsbury's launched the "All Boobs Welcome" campaign, and in December of the same year, ThirdLove launched the "Every Body Is Beautiful" campaign. Although the runway is still slow to show models of different body types, especially in the underwear category, there are more and more designers in the industry who will redefine "sexy" and give women the meaning of empowerment. According to The Fashion Spot, in spring 2020, more than 86 plus-size models appeared in the circle, an increase from 50 in fall 2019. Swimwear brand Chromat led the way with the most size-inclusive runway show. Plus, because inclusivity is at the heart of its brand, Rihanna has added models of all shapes and sizes to Savage X Fenty since its inception, offering consumers sizes from 32A to a 44E, and from XS to 3X. In September 2019, Rihanna also broke with the traditional fashion week model, inviting models of different shapes, sizes, ethnicities and identities to release the brand fashion collection in the form of a TV show. One thing to say, in this market, there is still a lot of room to provide consumers with extremely inclusive sizes, and the market demand for large underwear continues to grow.
But as far as the underwear styles currently in the US market (in XXS-XXL sizes), there are very few extra-small or extra-large sizes, and sizes S, M and L have similar proportions. XS and XXL accounted for 18% and 17%, respectively. Only 5% of panties are in size XXL, while XXS makes up 2% of the total and XXXL makes up 1%.
The future is promising. The future of sustainable products in the underwear market is good
People in need wear underwear every day, and the lack of sustainable and eco-friendly options for underwear is both a market oversight and an opportunity. Brands that make sustainability part of their brand core cater to this, generating a lot of revenue, but even then, underwear is only a small part of these companies' businesses. Promote transparency throughout its supply chain.Both the US and UK markets focus on retail underwear at $20 (£20) or less. Given the popularity of underwear outpacing options at these prices, the U.S. market is likely to work harder to push it into the higher price range. The UK market may do the same.
What is the ultimate trend of the underwear market?
With data showing that 75% of women are expected to wear the wrong underwear size, brands are increasingly interested in investing in online fitting services as digital technology matures. Notably, underwear startup Cuup recently raised $11 million in funding. While most online lingerie brands advertise size guides or algorithmic quizzes to suggest the best size, Cuup offers a personal remote try-on service. This feature is so popular that there is even a month-long waitlist to try it out. In addition, the brand strives to be size-friendly, offering underwear in 40 sizes from 30A to 38H.
Underwear will continue to come under scrutiny for environmental impact due to the amount of dye used in cheap underwear and the unsustainable nature of polyester due to its use. As with most categories, sustainability will remain a key focus for Gen Z and millennial consumers.
In some people with special sexual orientation, the diversity and inclusiveness of underwear will be of great significance, and the underwear industry needs to re-evaluate the gender image that the industry traditionally focuses on. Australian brand JBC Lingerie has identified opportunities in this space with gender-differentiated products, and Les Boys and Les Girls are also market players. Sellers can think more about this direction.