Underwear is worn to protect the most intimate areas. Therefore, underwear should be comfortable and healthy to wear. Let’s see which materials are best for underwear.
The best materials for underwear are natural materials – cotton, bamboo, silk, or micro modal. Natural materials are soft, stretchy, breathable, absorbent, and sweat-wicking. Underwear made of synthetic materials is not recommended for everyday use.
In the rest of this post, I’ll introduce you to different underwear materials and tell you which ones are the best. All I can tell you now is that there is no clear winner and that there are even better and more comfortable underwear materials than cotton.
What underwear material is best?
The best materials for underwear are natural materials – cotton, bamboo, silk, or micro modal. Often, you will find underwear made from synthetic materials – polyester or nylon – in ‘fast fashion’ stores. Such underwear should be avoided for everyday use.
The table below will show you a comparison between these materials. You are probably most familiar with cotton, which is the most popular and affordable because of its low price. There are other natural materials that are even more comfortable than cotton.
It is especially important for women that their underwear is comfortable and breathes and absorbs sweat. Because women’s private areas are more sensitive to bacteria than men’s.
For men, the most important thing is to wear underwear that is loose enough and does not put too much pressure on our testicles. This heats up the testicles, which can reduce sperm count and fertility.
You can learn more about what underwear is best for men and women here.
Which underwear material is best: natural materials
| Cotton | Bamboo | Silk | Modal | |
| Breathability | Is a more breathable material than polyester. | Is a breathable material like cotton. | Is a breathable material like cotton and bamboo. | Is a breathable material like all natural materials. |
| Moisture absorption | Absorbs moisture but doesn’t dry quickly. | Absorbs and repels moisture and dries quickly. | Silk can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling damp. | Modal is up to 50 percent more absorbent than cotton. |
| Sweat repellency | Repels sweat away from the skin. | Repels sweat away from the skin. | Repels sweat away from the skin. | Repels sweat away from the skin. |
| Comfort | Light-weighted, warm, soft, and smooth material. | Light-weighted, warm, soft, and smooth material. Even more than cotton. | A literally silky smooth surface that is softer and more comfortable than cotton and bamboo. | Keeps a soft and silky texture even after frequent washing. |
| Odor resistant | Natural materials such as cotton are odor resistant, so you will not have a bad smell from sweating. | Bamboo is odor resistant. | Silk is odor resistant. | Modal is odor resistant. |
| Price | From $2/piece | $5/piece | $12/piece | From $8/piece |
Cotton is the most popular material in all clothing, including underwear. It is most popular for its comfort-to-price ratio. For as little as $2/piece, you can get cotton underwear. If you are willing to spend a little more money on underwear, there are better alternatives – bamboo, silk, or modal.
Chances are you haven’t given bamboo, silk, or modal underwear a chance yet. But there are many reasons why you should. I’ll tell you more about that later in this article, but let’s look at synthetic underwear’s properties.
Which underwear material is best: synthetic materials
| Polyester | Nylon | |
| Breathability | Is more breathable than nylon and as breathable as natural materials (cotton). | Is breathable material, but not as polyester, because it is made to keep out cold and heat. |
| Moisture absorption | Doesn’t absorb moisture and is quick drying material. | Absorbs moisture and is quick drying material. |
| Sweat repellency | Repels sweat away from the skin. | Repels sweat away from the skin. |
| Comfort | Light-weighted and smooth material. | Light-weighted, warm, soft, and smooth material. |
| Odor resistance | Synthetic materials such as polyester are NOT odor resistant, which means you may have a bad smell from sweating. | Synthetic materials such as nylon are NOT odor resistant, which means you may have a bad smell from sweating. |
| Price | From $2/piece | From $4/piece |
Synthetic materials are available at very affordable prices, thanks to their mass production in factories. However, as you have seen, they do not have nearly as good features as natural materials.
They can only be compared with them in terms of breathability. In other aspects, however, natural materials outperform them because they are better at wicking away sweat, are more absorbent, are more comfortable, and, as a result, are healthier for the skin and the private areas.
You can read the full comparison between polyester and cotton underwear here.
Is Bamboo A Good Material For Underwear?
Bamboo is one of the best materials used to make underwear. It is more comfortable and dries faster than cotton. It does not require insecticides and pesticides, which are often used to grow cotton and has antibacterial activity on the skin.
These are the five qualities that make bamboo one of the best materials for underwear:
- Bamboo absorbs a lot of sweat, so your skin stays drier for longer, breathes better, and feels cleaner.
- Bamboo dries fast. Bamboo absorbs a lot of moisture and also dries quickly. So your underwear will stay dry all day long and is even more suitable for sports activities than cotton.
- Bamboo is very comfortable. Bamboo is very soft and comfortable and does not need any additional treatment to achieve silky smooth softness.
- No insecticides or pesticides are used to produce bamboo. Bamboo has antibacterial properties, making the use of insecticides unnecessary.
- Bamboo is antibacterial, which is also a positive feature for wearing underwear, especially for people with allergies and sensitive skin. This feature is particularly positive for women, who need quality underwear to protect their private areas, which are more sensitive than men’s.
You can read the full comparison between cotton and bamboo underwear here.
These are the bamboo underpants that I have found to have the best quality/price ratio.
Men’s Bamboo Underwear: youlehe Men’s Bamboo Underwear
- 95% Bamboo Fiber and 5% Spandex
- Can be Machine Washed
- Healthy natural materials, friendly to skin, no irritation.
- Soft and breathable. Good elasticity. Wicking properties
- Fashion design, three-dimensional cut. Sexy and comfortable.
- Bright color, no fading, feels smooth.
Get your youlehe Men’s Bamboo Underwear.
Women’s Bamboo Underwear: Women’s Bamboo Underwear
- Underwear materials: 95% Bamboo Viscose Fiber and 5% Spandex.
- Can be Machine Washed
- Healthy natural materials, friendly to skin, no irritation.
- Soft and breathable. Good elasticity. Wicking properties
- Fashion design, three-dimensional cut. Sexy and comfortable.
- Bright color, no fading, feels smooth.
Get your Women’s Bamboo Underwear.
Is silk good material for underwear?
Silk is the material of choice for underwear because it wicks and absorbs 30% of its own weight in sweat. It is very comfortable on the skin and in intimate areas. It is, therefore, pleasant to wear, and you do not even feel that you are wearing it.
Pros of Silk underwear:
- Silk absorbs moisture, so it doesn’t build up on the skin, keeping it drier for longer.
- Silk is a fast-drying material that can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling damp. This is much more than cotton, which dries more slowly and feels damp when wet. Quick-drying materials prevent soaked underwear, which can cause irritated skin due to chafing.
- It wicks sweat well away from the skin before absorbing it to keep the skin as dry as possible for as long as possible.
- It is a breathable material that keeps the skin fresh throughout the day.
- It is one of the most comfortable materials available. It is literally silky smooth, which is why it does not distract us while wearing it and makes us feel like we are wearing nothing.
Cons of Silk underwear:
- Silk is much more expensive than cotton.
- It is very delicate, and hand washing is recommended.
Is modal good material for underwear?
Modal is one of the most comfortable fabrics to wear, which is why it is most often used to manufacture underwear and pajamas. Micro modal is a semi-synthetic material whose main advantages are lightness, breathability, and softness.
Pros of Modal underwear:
- Modal absorbs moisture, so it doesn’t build up on the skin, keeping it drier for longer.
- Modal is a fast-drying material that can absorb up to 50 % more moisture than cotton.
- Modal dries quickly and doesn’t feels damp when wet. Quick-drying material such as modal prevents soaked underwear, which can cause irritated skin due to chafing.
- It wicks sweat well away from the skin before absorbing it to keep the skin as dry as possible for as long as possible.
- It is a breathable material that keeps the skin fresh throughout the day.
- It is one of the most comfortable materials available. Modal has soft touch material, which is why it does not distract us while wearing it and makes us feel like we are wearing nothing.
- It does not shrink or crease, so we don’t have to pay much attention to maintaining and ironing it.
Cons of Modal underwear:
- Modal is a more expensive material compared to cotton.
These are the modal underpants that I have found to have the best quality/price ratio.
Men’s modal underwear: DAVID ARCHY Men’s Underwear 4 Pack
- 92% Modal, 8% Spandex
- Can be Machine Washed
- Superior underwear for men using a patented separate pouch designed to keep a man’s personal area comfortably separate, resulting in a dry environment all day.
- A breathable panel allows air to flow freely, which reduces the sticking problem most men experience, usually requiring embarrassing “adjustments.”
- Super soft micro modal material feels cool on the skin and silky to the touch. Equally embraced by athletes who perspire during sports activities and men who must sit for long hours every day.
Get your DAVID ARCHY Men’s Underwear 4 Pack.
Women’s modal underwear: Amazon Essentials Women’s Modal
- 95% Modal, 5% Spandex
- Can be Machine Washed
- Pull On closure
- Panty pack with a smooth and comfortable fit
- Pack of 4
Get your Amazon Essentials Women’s Modal.
What underwear material is best? – Conclusion
The best materials for underwear are natural materials. We all know and wear cotton underwear. But there are other materials that are not so well known but have more positive qualities than cotton. These are bamboo, silk, and modal.
These fabrics are similar to cotton, but are more comfortable, absorb more moisture, and dry quickly. Bamboo and modal are materials that are also suitable for working out. This is not true for cotton, as bamboo absorbs a lot of moisture and then becomes damp.
If you haven’t already, read the suggestions above for buying underwear for men and women.