Authors:
Avinash Singh, Amit Patil
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Men's Underwear Market Size & Share 2026-2035
Report ID: GMI5477
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Published Date: October 2026
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Men's Underwear Market Size
The men's underwear market was valued at USD 37.9 billion in 2025, is expected to reach USD 39.7 billion in 2026, is projected to grow at a 4.9% CAGR (2026–2035), and is forecast to reach USD 61.1 billion by 2035.
Mens Underwear Market Key Takeaways
Market Leader: Hanesbrands Inc. led with over 7.2% market share in 2025.
Leading Players: Top 5 players in this market include Hanesbrands Inc., Fruit of the Loom, PVH Corp, Jockey International, Gildan Activewear, which collectively held a market share of 22.8% in 2025.
The market is moving beyond routine replenishment toward more deliberate choices around fit, fabric performance, comfort, and purchase convenience. This shift supports higher-value product mix, particularly where digitally enabled discovery and repeat purchasing allow brands to articulate functional differentiation without relying solely on traditional shelf visibility.
GMI Analyst View
Based on our primary demand-side research across all five geographic regions, we expect the global men's underwear market to reach USD 48.40 billion in 2030. This midpoint supports the view that demand expansion is being sustained by a broad-based shift in consumer expectations around comfort, performance, and branded product choice rather than by a narrow geographic or channel-led cycle.
Men's Underwear Market Trends, Growth Drivers & GMI Forecast Outlook
Digital access, fabric-led differentiation, and more purposeful purchase behavior are expanding the value captured from an historically habitual apparel category. The forecast depends on premium products remaining relevant to mainstream consumers while brands manage raw-material exposure and preserve compelling value propositions across high-volume price-sensitive channels.
Key Drivers
Evidence anchors use cited external data; demand implications and forecast conditions represent GMI analysis.
Digital commerce changes the economics of category participation as much as it changes the point of sale. It reduces dependence on mass-merchant shelf allocation, supports fit education and replenishment prompts, and gives specialist brands a route to consumers seeking more than a basic multipack. In lower-store-density markets, mobile-first platforms can establish branded innerwear access where conventional specialty retail would be difficult to scale.
Premiumization is supported by a consumer trade-up path that is more accessible than luxury consumption. Modal, bamboo, and performance blends allow brands to pair tactile comfort and practical claims with visibly differentiated positioning. The resulting mix shift can strengthen market revenue even where unit replacement cycles remain stable, provided that product claims, fit consistency, and digital merchandising justify the higher purchase price.
Key Restraints
Evidence anchors use cited external data; demand implications and forecast conditions represent GMI analysis.
Cotton-linked sourcing exposure remains especially consequential for economy and mid-range suppliers because consumers in these tiers are less receptive to abrupt price pass-through. OECD-FAO identifies downward pressure on international cotton prices from the second quarter of 2024 amid strong production and softer downstream demand, while competition from man-made fibers adds complexity to sourcing decisions [3]OECD-FAO. oecd.org. Blends can moderate dependence on cotton, but they introduce different procurement and input-cost sensitivities.
Private-label programs further constrain the ability of branded entrants to convert product innovation into durable pricing power. In a low-involvement category, availability, promotion, and familiar multipack formats can outweigh awareness alone. Brands therefore need clear functional proof, reliable fit, and repeat-engagement mechanisms to defend acquisition spending and avoid being compared solely on unit price.
GMI Analyst View
We see the market developing along two distinct commercial paths. Brands with credible fabric, fit, and direct consumer propositions can create a more defensible premium position, whereas basic-product suppliers will continue to compete in an environment shaped by procurement discipline, promotional intensity, and retailer bargaining power.
Men's Underwear Market Segment Analysis
By Product Type
The men's underwear market's product mix is led by boxer briefs, which generated USD 9.10 billion in 2025 and are projected to reach USD 15.50 billion by 2035. Their commercial appeal stems from a versatile balance of support and coverage that suits everyday use as well as activewear-adjacent occasions, making the format well positioned for consumers seeking one product across multiple routines.
Briefs generated USD 6.60 billion in 2025 and are expected to account for 17.0% of product-type revenue by 2035. The format retains a durable role in familiar comfort-led purchases and economy multipacks, although younger buyers are increasingly favoring silhouettes that provide a more contemporary fit profile.
Trunks generated USD 2.60 billion in 2025 and are forecast to reach USD 4.50 billion by 2035. Their shorter-cut construction aligns with fashion-conscious purchasing and pairs effectively with stretch and performance fabrics, supporting adoption among consumers who place greater weight on styling alongside comfort.
Crew-neck undershirts represented 18.2% of product-type revenue in 2025 and are projected to reach USD 10.80 billion by 2035. Demand is reinforced by professional layering needs, with product quality increasingly assessed through neckline retention, moisture management, and compatibility with varied outerwear.
Boxers accounted for 11.9% of product-type revenue in 2025 and are forecast to reach USD 6.70 billion by 2035. The style remains relevant in casual and sleep-oriented use cases, where looser construction and familiar product expectations continue to support demand.
By Fabric & Material
Cotton generated USD 20.20 billion in 2025 and is expected to account for 47.0% of fabric and material revenue by 2035. Its scale reflects entrenched consumer familiarity and broad suitability across price tiers, but the category is gradually losing mix as buyers place greater value on softness, stretch recovery, thermal comfort, and differentiated sustainability positioning.
Polyester and synthetic blends represented 24.0% of fabric and material revenue in 2025 and are projected to reach USD 14.60 billion by 2035. These materials remain important in moisture-management and compression products, where technical performance can outweigh consumer preference for natural-fiber composition.
Modal accounted for 11.3% of fabric and material revenue in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 8.50 billion by 2035. Its 7.1% CAGR (2026–2035) reflects its role as an accessible premium material: it offers a perceptibly softer hand feel than conventional cotton while remaining compatible with broad everyday-wear positioning.
Bamboo generated USD 2.30 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at a 10.5% CAGR (2026–2035). Its momentum reflects the convergence of sustainability-led communication, comfort claims, and temperature-regulation positioning, enabling brands to present a differentiated proposition without limiting the product to a specialist performance audience.
By Functionality
Standard and basic innerwear generated USD 20.90 billion in 2025 and is expected to account for 45.0% of functionality revenue by 2035. The category remains foundational to global consumption, but its relative position is being reshaped as consumers increasingly recognize functional features as relevant to daily wear rather than solely to athletic use.
Moisture-wicking products represented 20.1% of functionality revenue in 2025 and are projected to reach USD 15.30 billion by 2035. Moisture management is often the most intuitive upgrade from basic cotton products, allowing brands to introduce practical performance benefits at price points that remain accessible to mainstream consumers.
Anti-odor innerwear generated USD 3.10 billion in 2025 and is forecast to expand at an 8.3% CAGR (2026–2035). Treatments that were previously concentrated in specialty sportswear are increasingly relevant to commuting, travel, and all-day wear, broadening the addressable demand base for odor-control propositions.
Compression products accounted for 9.5% of functionality revenue in 2025 and are expected to reach USD 6.70 billion by 2035. Demand is supported by both sports participation and everyday preferences for support-oriented garments, giving the segment a wider use case than performance apparel alone.
By Application
Daily and casual wear generated USD 26.10 billion in 2025 and is expected to account for 62.0% of application revenue by 2035. It remains the market's central purchase occasion, although consumers are increasingly selecting products for a defined comfort, layering, or performance requirement rather than treating innerwear as an undifferentiated basic.
Sportswear and athletic applications represented 21.1% of application revenue in 2025 and are projected to reach USD 15.30 billion by 2035. Athleisure has expanded the relevance of moisture-wicking and supportive products beyond formal exercise, allowing performance-oriented innerwear to participate in everyday wardrobe decisions.
Layering and professional applications generated USD 2.40 billion in 2025 and are projected to grow at an 8.8% CAGR (2026–2035). Hybrid work and more varied daily routines are increasing demand for undershirts that manage perspiration, maintain a clean silhouette, and work unobtrusively beneath professional attire.
By Distribution Channel
Online e-commerce generated USD 12.90 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 26.30 billion by 2035. The channel supports guided discovery, replenishment convenience, and subscription-led repeat purchasing, while helping differentiated brands explain fit and material benefits more effectively than a conventional retail fixture can.
Supermarkets and mass-retail channels represented 31.1% of distribution-channel revenue in 2025 and are expected to reach USD 17.40 billion by 2035. Their scale remains anchored in high-volume multipacks and convenience purchases, making the channel strategically indispensable even as consumers migrate some premium discovery and replenishment activity online.
Department stores generated USD 5.20 billion in 2025 and are expected to account for 12.0% of distribution-channel revenue by 2035. Their continuing relevance lies in curated premium assortments, gifting, and tactile product evaluation rather than in broad-based volume growth.
Specialty stores represented 11.9% of distribution-channel revenue in 2025 and are projected to reach USD 6.40 billion by 2035. These outlets retain a role where fit consultation, fabric feel, and premium-brand storytelling are central to conversion.
Brand-operated direct-to-consumer stores generated USD 3.50 billion in 2025 and are expected to account for 6.1% of distribution-channel revenue by 2035. Physical DTC locations remain useful for brand experience and product trial, but investment priorities are shifting toward digitally scalable customer acquisition and retention models.
By Price Range
The economy tier generated USD 17.80 billion in 2025 and is expected to account for 42.0% of price-range revenue by 2035. It remains the principal volume platform for the category, particularly where multipack affordability, retailer access, and established purchase habits determine consumer choice.
The mid-range tier represented 38.0% of price-range revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 24.40 billion by 2035. This tier is the most practical destination for consumers trading up from commodity basics, as it can combine recognizable functional benefits with price points that remain accessible to a broad audience.
The premium tier generated USD 5.70 billion in 2025. Its growth is supported by consumers who view fit, fabric quality, and product longevity as worthwhile daily-use investments, creating space for specialist brands to distinguish themselves from private-label offerings.
By Age Group
Consumers aged 26-35 generated USD 10.60 billion in 2025 and are projected to reach USD 17.70 billion by 2035. This cohort is particularly receptive to digital discovery, newer fabric propositions, and brands that position innerwear as part of a broader personal-care or active-lifestyle purchase decision.
The 36-45 age group represented 25.1% of age-group revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 15.90 billion by 2035. Their purchasing behavior supports premiumization because comfort, quality, and dependable replenishment can take priority over the lowest available unit price.
Consumers aged 46-55 generated USD 6.80 billion in 2025 and are expected to account for 18.0% of age-group revenue by 2035. Comfort-oriented purchasing and established brand familiarity give this cohort a meaningful role in demand for premium fabrics that retain familiar product construction.
The 15-25 age group represented 17.9% of age-group revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 10.40 billion by 2035. Social commerce and brand-led digital content can materially influence trial in this cohort, particularly where product identity, style, and fabric credentials are visible and easy to understand.
Consumers aged 55+ generated USD 4.20 billion in 2025 and are forecast to grow at a 3.9% CAGR (2026–2035). Demand remains centered on familiar comfort, dependable sizing, and accessible pricing, which moderates the scope for rapid mix migration.
GMI Analyst View
We believe segmentation is becoming more commercially important than simple category scale. The strongest opportunities sit where format, material, function, and purchase occasion reinforce one another, allowing brands to create a clearer reason to trade up and a more durable basis for repeat purchase.
Men's Underwear Market Regional Analysis
North America Men's Underwear Market Analysis
The men's underwear market in North America generated USD 9.90 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at a 4.4% CAGR (2026–2035). The region combines mature retail infrastructure with a deep premium and performance product ecosystem, creating a market where mass-retail volume and digitally enabled brand differentiation coexist.
United States
The United States generated USD 8.80 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 13.60 billion by 2035. National brands retain broad retail reach, while direct-to-consumer specialists have demonstrated that fit communication, subscription models, and premium materials can support higher-value purchasing alongside large-scale multipack demand.
Canada
Canada generated USD 1.10 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a 3.7% CAGR (2026–2035). Shared retail formats and cross-border e-commerce link the market closely to the United States, while a mature consumption base and dispersed population centers moderate the pace of incremental volume expansion.
Europe Men's Underwear Market Analysis
Europe represented 25.6% of global men's underwear market revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 14.50 billion by 2035. The region's established brand ecosystems, consumer familiarity with textile quality, and attention to sourcing credentials support premium product development, although household spending conditions remain more measured than in faster-growing markets.
Germany
Germany generated USD 2.00 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 3.00 billion by 2035. Discounters, drugstores, and broad-based retail networks preserve a strong mid-to-economy foundation, while sustainability-oriented premium brands have a receptive consumer base.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom accounted for 5.0% of global market revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 2.80 billion by 2035. Department-store heritage and early adoption of digital subscription and direct-to-consumer models give the market a distinct ability to support both established brands and premium challengers.
France
France generated USD 1.60 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a 3.3% CAGR (2026–2035). Brand loyalty and mature mass-market purchase patterns provide stability, but they can also slow the adoption of disruptive premium propositions outside well-established fashion and luxury channels.
Italy
Italy represented 3.4% of global market revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.80 billion by 2035. Domestic textile heritage and consumer familiarity with quality knitwear support premium and luxury positioning, particularly through department stores and specialist channels in key urban markets.
Spain
Spain generated USD 850 million in 2025 and is expected to account for 2.0% of global market revenue by 2035. Mid-range retail remains influential, while e-commerce is widening the consumer reach of differentiated brands beyond major urban catchments.
Asia Pacific Men's Underwear Market Analysis
The men's underwear market in Asia Pacific generated USD 13.10 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 22.90 billion by 2035. The region combines large-scale consumer expansion in China and India with mature premium demand in Japan, South Korea, and Australia, giving it a uniquely broad mix of volume and value drivers.
China
China generated USD 5.60 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 9.60 billion by 2035. Urban consumers' growing brand awareness, social-commerce engagement, and interest in upgraded products support opportunities for both domestic and international brands across higher-value innerwear formats.
India
India accounted for 8.7% of global market revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 7.00 billion by 2035. Urbanization, a young consumer population, and the expanding reach of domestic manufacturers are strengthening the mid-range opportunity, with distribution growth extending beyond the largest metropolitan centers.
Japan
Japan generated USD 1.55 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a 3.5% CAGR (2026–2035). Sophisticated quality expectations and an established market for moisture-wicking, compression, and anti-odor products support value, even as demographic conditions limit volume-led expansion.
South Korea
South Korea represented 2.2% of global market revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.30 billion by 2035. Strong digital commerce adoption and fashion-conscious consumer behavior make the market receptive to premium fabrics and product narratives that link grooming, style, and performance.
Australia
Australia generated USD 520 million in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a 3.3% CAGR (2026–2035). The market is mature and premium-oriented, with established domestic brands and growing e-commerce access to international offerings, although population density and high existing per-capita spend constrain rapid volume growth.
Latin America Men's Underwear Market Analysis
The men's underwear market in Latin America generated USD 2.73 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 4.30 billion by 2035. Regional demand is supported by large domestic markets and improving organized retail access, though macroeconomic volatility and changes in purchasing power continue to influence category affordability.
Brazil
Brazil generated USD 1.47 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 2.40 billion by 2035. Domestic manufacturers benefit from established sourcing, distribution, and price positioning, while e-commerce and installment-payment infrastructure are broadening access across income groups.
Mexico
Mexico represented 2.1% of global market revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.20 billion by 2035. Proximity to the United States supports product and brand spillover, while mobile commerce is creating an additional route for mid-range and branded innerwear adoption.
Middle East & Africa Men's Underwear Market Analysis
The men's underwear market in Middle East & Africa generated USD 2.42 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at a 5.4% CAGR (2026–2035). Young demographics, expanding organized retail, and rising digital access create a favorable demand setting, although income dispersion remains a material determinant of product-tier adoption.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia generated USD 740 million in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a 5.6% CAGR (2026–2035). Retail infrastructure investment, urbanization, and a young consumer base support demand for both global premium brands and broader organized-retail assortments.
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates represented 1.3% of global market revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 870 million by 2035. Its affluent and internationally diverse consumer base, combined with advanced mall and e-commerce infrastructure, supports premium innerwear discovery and brand-led purchasing.
South Africa
South Africa generated USD 360 million in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a 4.3% CAGR (2026–2035). Formal retail development in urban centers supports distribution, but income inequality, currency sensitivity, and limited premium-category penetration constrain the consistency of high-value demand.
GMI Analyst View
We view Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa as the markets with the most consequential long-term expansion potential. Their demand profiles pair demographic momentum with increasing brand engagement and digital accessibility, creating more room for category development than is available in mature Western markets.
Men's Underwear Market Share & Competitive Landscape
The men's underwear market share landscape remains fragmented, with the top five companies collectively holding approximately 22.8% of global market value in 2025. Competitive advantage is therefore shaped less by a single dominant player than by an ability to combine sourcing scale, channel access, fit credibility, and clear product positioning across distinct price tiers.
Gildan Activewear Inc. has strengthened its scale position through the acquisition of Hanesbrands Inc., whose pre-acquisition share was 7.2% in 2025. The combined portfolio brings wholesale manufacturing capability together with established consumer brands, increasing its strategic relevance in mass retail while creating scope to fund brand and supply-chain investment across multiple markets.
Fruit of the Loom, LLC held a 6.6% market share in 2025. Its positioning is centered on high-volume economy and lower mid-range formats, where sourcing scale, retailer relationships, and dependable multipack availability are central to defending share.
PVH Corp. held a 4.7% market share in 2025 through its Calvin Klein Underwear and Tommy Hilfiger innerwear businesses. The company competes through aspirational brand equity, premium retail presentation, and marketing that positions innerwear as a considered lifestyle purchase rather than a commodity replenishment item.
Jockey International, Inc. held a 2.4% market share in 2025. The brand's comfort-led product architecture and recognition in North America and South Asia give it a meaningful platform in markets where trusted fit and longstanding consumer familiarity influence repeat purchasing.
Competitive intensity is pronounced in performance-oriented and premium segments as Under Armour, Puma, Ralph Lauren, Wacoal, Hugo Boss, Bjorn Borg, Calida, Mey, Tommy John, SAXX, Zimmerli, and Organic Basics compete through material innovation, fit engineering, heritage, and direct customer relationships. In India, Rupa & Co., Lux Industries, and Dollar Industries use local distribution reach and price-tier breadth to defend their positions against international challengers. Across the market, supplier scale alone is insufficient; brands must align product differentiation with the distribution model best suited to their target consumer.
Recent Industry Developments
Gildan Activewear completes acquisition of Hanesbrands Inc. Gildan completed its acquisition of Hanesbrands on December 1, 2025. The company identified expected annual run-rate cost synergies of at least USD 200 million, positioning the transaction as a significant consolidation event for basic apparel supply, brand investment, and mass-retail competition [4]Gildan Activewear Inc. gildancorp.com.
Knix launches MNTD men's underwear line. Knix introduced its MNTD men's innerwear, socks, and T-shirt collection in November 2025, extending the company into the men's category through a premium and mid-range offering supported by both direct-to-consumer and wholesale distribution [5]The Globe and Mail. theglobeandmail.com.
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