Types of Underwear: Styles, Fabrics and Construction Explained

The main types of underwear are briefs, hipsters, bikinis, high-cut briefs, thongs and boyshorts for women, and briefs, trunks, boxer briefs and boxers for men. They differ in rise (where the waistband sits), leg cut and back coverage. Fabric and edge finish matter as much as the cut: cotton, modal and nylon-elastane microfibre each feel and wear differently.

This guide covers the common women’s and men’s styles, the fabrics used, the construction details a factory will ask about, and how to size a range. It is written for brands planning a first underwear or loungewear drop. For production, see our lingerie and underwear manufacturer page.

Women’s underwear styles

Women’s styles are defined by three things: rise, leg cut and back coverage. Rise is where the waistband sits relative to the natural waist. Leg cut is how high the leg opening sits on the hip. Back coverage runs from a full seat to a narrow strip.

• Briefs: Mid to high rise with full back coverage. Sometimes called full briefs. The most coverage of any style and a steady seller in multipacks.
• Hipster: Low rise, sitting on the hips, with wider side panels and a fairly straight leg line across the top of the thigh. Full or near-full back coverage.
• Bikini: Low to mid rise with narrow sides and a moderate leg cut. Moderate back coverage. A common everyday cut.
• High-cut: Leg openings cut high on the hip, which makes the leg look longer. Usually mid to high rise. Often made in ribbed cotton or seamless knits.
• Thong: A full front panel with minimal back coverage and a narrow back strip. Worn mainly to avoid visible lines under fitted clothing. Needs a soft, well-finished back strip and a reliable gusset.
• Boyshorts: A short leg that extends a little down the thigh, low to mid rise and full back coverage. Close in shape to men’s trunks and often worn for lounge or sleep.
• Seamless and laser-cut: A construction rather than a cut. Seamless styles are knitted in a tube on circular seamless machines. Laser-cut styles are cut from flat fabric and the edges are left raw or bonded instead of elasticated. Both aim for no visible lines.
• Period underwear: Cut like a brief, high-waist or boyshort, but with a multi-layer absorbent gusset. This is usually a wicking top layer, an absorbent core and a leak-resistant barrier. Absorbency claims need lab testing, and some markets have specific rules for products sold for menstrual use, so check each country before you make claims. Ask suppliers to confirm that barriers and finishes are free of PFAS, which a growing number of regions restrict.

Men’s underwear styles

Men’s styles are defined by leg length, fit and front construction. Most knitted men’s styles have a shaped pouch or front panel, and some have a working fly.

• Briefs: No leg, a full seat and a low to mid rise. The leg elastic sits at the top of the thigh. Close fit, with a front pouch or a Y-front fly.
• Trunks: A short leg that ends at the upper thigh. Close fit, often styled with an exposed logo waistband.
• Boxer briefs: A longer leg that sits around mid-thigh, in a close-fitting knit. A strong all-round seller because the leg stays in place under trousers. Leg length is a key spec.
• Boxers: A loose fit, usually in woven cotton poplin, oxford or flannel, sometimes in knit jersey. A covered elastic waistband, often with a button or open fly, and a separate back seat panel for movement.
• Jockstrap: An athletic support garment with a waistband, a front pouch and two elastic straps at the back. Traditionally worn for sport, sometimes with a pocket for a protective cup. A niche product that needs strong elastic and careful pouch shaping.

Front construction varies. Common options are a contoured pouch made from two or three shaped pieces, a horizontal fly, a Y-front fly or a plain flat front. Pick one and draw it clearly in the tech pack, because the pouch pattern drives fit more than any other piece.

Underwear styles compared

Underwear fabrics

Underwear sits against the skin all day and is washed often, so fibre content, stretch and recovery matter more than in most categories. Most knitted underwear fabric is single jersey or rib, blended with elastane so it holds its shape.

• Cotton: Breathable, soft and easy to care for. Usually blended with around 5% elastane for recovery. Combed or ring-spun yarns give a smoother surface and less pilling. GOTS organic cotton is a common upgrade.
• Modal: A cellulosic fibre made from beech wood pulp. Very soft and cool, with good drape, and it keeps its colour well after many washes. Usually blended with elastane. Read more in our guide to what modal fabric is.
• Microfibre (nylon-elastane): Smooth, light and quick-drying, with high stretch and recovery. The usual base for seamless and laser-cut styles because the cut edge does not fray. Elastane content is normally higher than in cotton blends. See our guide to spandex and elastane.
• Bamboo viscose: Soft and drapey, made by dissolving bamboo pulp and regenerating it as viscose fibre. It must be labelled as viscose (or rayon in the US) made from bamboo, not simply as bamboo. Claims such as antibacterial need evidence.
• Lace: Usually nylon-based, with elastane in stretch lace. Used for full panels, trims and waistbands. Scalloped lace edges can replace elastic at the leg. Rigid lace needs a stretch lining or careful pattern work.

Whatever the outer fabric, the gusset lining is normally cotton jersey. Ask your mill or factory for test results on colourfastness, pilling and shrinkage, because underwear is washed hot and often.

Construction details that change the product

Two pairs of briefs in the same fabric can feel very different because of the trims and finishes. These are the details your factory will ask you to decide.

Gusset

The gusset is the crotch panel, usually a double layer with a cotton lining. It is sewn into the front crotch seam and either the back seam or caught into the leg elastic at the sides. Specify gusset length, width at the narrowest point, lining fabric and whether the back edge is enclosed or left free. In period underwear the gusset becomes the main technical part of the garment.

Waistband types

• Exposed jacquard elastic: A knitted or woven elastic with a logo or pattern, sewn to the top edge and left visible. The classic branded men’s waistband. Custom elastic often has its own minimum order with the elastic supplier, so check this early.
• Covered waistband: Elastic enclosed in a folded band of self-fabric, so the elastic does not touch the skin. Softer and cleaner looking. Common on boxers, women’s briefs and modal styles.
• Plush-back elastic: Elastic with a brushed inner face for comfort. Used at the waist and leg of many women’s styles.
• Fold-over elastic: A soft elastic that folds over a raw edge like binding. Light and flexible.

Edge finishes

• Picot edges: Elastic with a small looped decorative edge that sits just outside the garment. A traditional lingerie finish for leg openings and waistbands.
• Bonded and laser-cut edges: The edge is cut cleanly on a fabric that does not fray, then left raw or reinforced with heat-bonded adhesive tape. There is no stitching, so no visible lines. Works best on nylon-elastane microfibre. Poor bonding tape can peel or let the edge roll.
• Lace edges: Scalloped stretch lace used as the finished edge instead of elastic.

Seams

• Flatlock: A flat, low-bulk seam that joins two edges side by side. Comfortable against the skin and common on men’s trunks and sports underwear.
• Overlock: The standard joining seam for knits. Stretchy and fast, but it leaves a small ridge inside.
• Coverstitch: Two or three rows of stitching on top with a looper underneath. Used for hems and for attaching elastic.
• Zigzag: Used to attach elastic on lingerie so the seam stretches with the fabric.

Underwear sizing and grading

Women’s underwear is usually sized XS to XL or wider, based on waist and hip measurements. Some labels also show numeric UK, EU, US or AU sizes. Men’s underwear is usually sized S to XXL by waist measurement. Publish a size chart with body measurements, not only garment measurements, because customers buy underwear by body size. Many retailers do not accept returns of worn underwear for hygiene reasons, so a clear chart saves complaints.

These are the key points of measure for underwear:

• Waist relaxed and extended: The waistband measured flat at rest and fully stretched. The extended measurement must pass over the hips comfortably.
• Hip: Measured at a set distance below the waistband.
• Leg opening relaxed and extended: Controls how firmly the leg elastic grips.
• Front and back rise: From the crotch seam to the top of the waistband.
• Inseam: For trunks, boxer briefs and boxers.
• Gusset length and width: Measured flat.

Check every elastic measurement in both relaxed and extended states. Small garments show errors quickly, so keep tolerances tight and approve a fit sample in more than one size before bulk.

What to put in your tech pack

1. Fabric: Composition, construction (jersey, rib, mesh or lace), weight in GSM and colour references for both the outer fabric and the gusset lining.
2. Elastics and trims: Type (jacquard, covered, plush-back, picot or fold-over), width, colour and the artwork file for any custom logo elastic.
3. Seams and stitches: Overlock, flatlock, coverstitch or zigzag for each seam, with stitch density if you have a preference.
4. Edge finishes: Which edges are turned, elasticated, bonded or laser-cut, plus the bonding tape spec.
5. Gusset: Dimensions, lining fabric and how it is attached.
6. Points of measure and grading: Relaxed and extended waist and leg measurements for every size, with tolerances.
7. Labels and packaging: Printed tagless label or sewn label, care and composition text, and how each pair or multipack is folded and packed.

Our guide on how to create a tech pack walks through the full document step by step.

How Fabrickly can help

Fabrickly is a tech pack and low-MOQ clothing manufacturing studio headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with production at audited partner factories in Bangladesh and China. We turn underwear designs into factory-ready tech packs in 7 days and make branded samples before bulk, as private label or full custom cut and sew. Orders start from 50 pieces per style, and sizes can be mixed within the 50. Our standard fabrics are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, with GOTS organic cotton on request. Production gets in-line QC and an AQL 2.5 final inspection, and we ship DDP (delivered duty paid) to the UK and EU. Send your designs through our quote request and get an itemised quote within one business day.

Frequently asked

Q: What are the main types of women’s underwear?

The main styles are briefs, hipsters, bikinis, high-cut briefs, thongs and boyshorts. They differ in rise, leg cut and back coverage. Most of these styles can also be made in seamless or laser-cut versions.

Q: What is the difference between trunks and boxer briefs?

Both are close-fitting knitted styles with a leg. Trunks have a short leg that ends at the upper thigh. Boxer briefs have a longer leg that sits around mid-thigh.

Q: What is the best fabric for underwear?

Cotton with a small amount of elastane is breathable and easy to care for. Modal is softer and keeps its colour well. Nylon-elastane microfibre is smooth, quick-drying and suits seamless and laser-cut styles. Most styles use a cotton gusset lining whatever the outer fabric.

Q: What is a gusset in underwear?

The gusset is the crotch panel, usually a double layer with a cotton jersey lining. It adds comfort and is sewn into the front seam and either the back seam or the leg elastic.

Q: What is the difference between an exposed and a covered waistband?

An exposed waistband is a visible elastic, often a jacquard with a logo, sewn to the top edge. A covered waistband encloses the elastic in a folded band of fabric so the elastic does not touch the skin.

— Hasebul, Fabrickly