Bombas, a direct-to-consumer sock brand, broadens its product line to include underwear.
### Disrupting the Intimates Market: Bombas's Expansion into Underwear
The intimates industry is experiencing significant growth and transformation, driven by evolving consumer preferences for comfort, inclusivity, and sustainable products. In this dynamic landscape, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands like Bombas are making a substantial impact, reshaping the market with their digital-first strategies, focus on consumer comfort, ethical values, and direct engagement.
Bombas, initially renowned for its sock products, has recently expanded its product line to include underwear. The brand's underwear collection is part of a broader trend among DTC brands to diversify their offerings, capitalising on the surge in e-commerce sales during the pandemic.
The collection features underwear made from moisture-wicking fabrics, including beechwood-based modal fabric, prioritising comfort and quality. The range caters to a wide audience, with women's sizes ranging from extra small to 2X, and men's sizes from small to 3XL. Prices for the underwear collection range from $18 to $28 per pair.
Bombas's underwear collection aligns with the industry's trend towards premiumisation and sustainability. The collection is designed with no tags, reduced seaming, soft leg openings, and waistband elasticity for improved fit. The brand's commitment to social responsibility is also evident, as with every pair purchased, a pair is donated to the homeless.
The intimates business has undergone disruptions, leading to the rise of new brands like Lively, ThirdLove, Adore Me, and Aerie. These new entrants focus on comfort and fit, contrasting with traditional brands like Victoria's Secret that emphasise a more sexualised view of underwear.
Bombas's expansion into underwear is a strategic move to capitalise on this shift in consumer preferences and to respond to market share losses by large players in the intimates business. The underwear collection is available in three different silhouettes for both men and women, with additional styles in seamless for the women's collection.
The underwear market is expected to reach approximately $99 billion in 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 8.28% towards $147 billion by 2030[2]. The broader intimates category, including men's underwear and women's lingerie, is also growing steadily, with projections indicating continued expansion through the decade[4].
As DTC brands like Bombas continue to disrupt the traditional market, it will be interesting to see how established players adapt and respond to this evolving landscape.
[1] "The Rise of Direct-to-Consumer Brands in the Intimates Industry." Forbes, 28 May 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2020/05/28/the-rise-of-direct-to-consumer-brands-in-the-intimates-industry/?sh=512f81c1382e
[2] "2021 Lingerie Market Report." Statista, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/market-report/2257353/lingerie-market-in-the-us
[3] "The Future of the Lingerie Industry: Trends and Predictions for 2022 and Beyond." GlobeNewswire, 14 Jan 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/01/14/2382644/0/en/The-Future-of-the-Lingerie-Industry-Trends-and-Predictions-for-2022-and-Beyond.html
[4] "Global Intimates Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Intimates, Lingerie, Men's Underwear, Swimwear), By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028." Grand View Research, 15 Mar 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/intimates-market
- The AI-driven marketing strategies of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, such as Bombas, are influencing the fashion-and-beauty industry, steering the intimates market towards a focus on comfort, inclusivity, and sustainable products.
- The pandemic has led to a surge in e-commerce sales, prompting DTC brands like Bombas to diversify their product offerings, with home-and-garden and shopping categories becoming more prominent.
- Bombas's expansion into underwear, featuring tech-infused fabrics and a variety of sizes catering to a wide audience, reflects the trend towards premiumisation and sustainability in the industry.
- The Underwear and broader intimates market, already valued at approximately $99 billion in 2025, is expected to reach $147 billion by 2030, as new DTC brands challenge the dominance of traditional players like Victoria's Secret.
