What is the best fabric for boxer shorts?

Men’s underwear, much like socks, are all-too-often an afterthought. But getting these daily details right is not just the foundation to effortless style, but also to a great day. Whether you are a boxers, briefs or tighty whities kind of guy (hey, no judgements from us), when it comes to your pants, you will never regret investing in the best. And the best isn’t just about what label is in them. The best comes down to comfort, quality, style and, now more than ever, sustainability. And material is at the heart of all of this.

So, what is the best fabric for men’s boxers? Well, lucky for you, London Sock Company have done the research so you don’t have to. When designing our own boxer briefs, we tested the most popular materials to make sure that the pairs we crafted were what you and your, umm, best bits deserved. Scroll down for the details …or here’s what we learned in brief.

• Organic Cotton: the most traditional choice. Soft and natural, it is a sustainable and comfortable material, but cotton will soak up moisture (leading to odours), so not ideal for summer or active wearers.
• Nylon / polyester: synthetic fibres like these perform well – they don’t absorb moisture, are flexible and are great for action. But they are not eco-friendly, feel cheap and tend to take on smells.
• Lyocell: relatively new on the scene in the grand scheme of things but an instant winner for undies and your new favourite. A man-made but plant-based cellulose fibre that is 50% more moisture-wicking than cotton and three times softer.

Organic Cotton

Cotton boxers are a classic choice, and understandably so. They are soft, breathable and comfortable. But as a natural fibre, cotton has a tendency to absorb moisture (read: sweat). Cue words like ‘chafing’ and ‘odour’. Particularly in summer. We’ll pass.

Nylon / Polyester

Polyester and nylon are popular for high performance pieces. They are both hard-wearing and stretchy fibres, moving with you no matter the activity. Polyester also wicks away moisture and sweat, unlike cotton, which absorbs it all, so you will stay dry. The downsides are important though: they are unsustainable. Polyester is petroleum-based and nylon is a resource intensive material to make. So what about a manmade alternative that is sustainable? Could such a super material exist?

Lyocell

Enter Lyocell, a very clever synthetic material that comes from renewable wood sources. It is as close to a no-compromise wonder material as you can get, which is why we chose it for our collection of boxer briefs. You can’t beat Lyocell for feel, function and sustainability. It feels silky smooth on your skin. It is ultra-breathable, has natural moisture-wicking and anti-bacterial properties. It supports your body’s natural temperature regulation. Importantly it is extremely durable and eco-friendly. See? A mega material.

Since only a matchless combination of fit, feel and quality would do for our first foray above the knees, we knew that Lyocell was the fabric for our underwear. It has allowed us to craft impossibly comfortable, seriously good-looking boxers that will definitely transform your everyday. Fancy pants, if you will.

Find out for yourself why we thing London Sock Company’s Lyocell boxer briefs are the comfiest, most stylish pants you will ever wear.