Beech Trees
(IN PHOTO) Local youngsters Bella (L) and Daisy run through a forest covered in bluebells near Marlborough in southern England, May 4, 2015. The Savernake Forest and West Woods, managed by the Forestry Commission and replanted in the 1930s to 1950s with beech trees, provide one of the most spectacular sites in Britain for seeing bluebells at this time of year. Reuters

It’s quite hard to imagine that there are actual innovations when it comes to underwear. The global familiarity is modest: people think that as long as a piece of underwear does the job, then it should be fine. However, luxury underwear brands are shaking up the market, and several lines are getting recognition based on varying features and effects that make investing on expensive undergarments practical.

New York City-based men’s undergarments brand Mack Weldon recently unveiled a line comprised of underwear made with silver, cotton and Lycra. The silver component is Silver X-Static XT2, a material approved by NASA, the US Special Forces, and used in garments for Olympians. If Mack Weldon underwear can perform in the most extreme environments, day-to-day use is surely more satisfying.

The silver material has antimicrobial technology that utilises silver to prevent odour as long as the underwear is being used. The brand combined 10 percent of the Silver Static XT2 with 84 percent cotton and 6 percent Lycra for comfort and durability. These make the underwear very reliable under situations that require high endurance.

Because of its impressive concept, the underwear line received $4 million in Series A funding.

“Our mission is to turn the traditional process on its head by delivering products that maximize comfort and performance through a shopping experience that is easy, consistent and repeatable,” said Brian Berger, Mack Weldon co-founder, in a statement.

While Mack Weldon focuses on performance-high underwear, several brands are minimising the use of cotton to switch to high-end fabrics to give utmost comfort and ease. Mosmann’s M-Series sources fabric from beech trees, giving the wearer a luxurious feel. Tani uses silk from Spain and Austria, while Tommy John has developed moisture-wicking polyester for its Second Skin and Cool Cotton collections. Luxury brand Naked, works with pima and modal fabrics, a more absorbent and softer kind of rayon, to give the effect of almost wearing nothing underneath.

Advancements in tailoring are also being adapted by several underwear brands. C-IN2 developed a kind of stitching that employs the right amount of tension to prevent the waistband from moving up and down. Brand, obviously, focuses on the pouch section of underwear as it offers different types and sizes of sacks, which includes one for an anatomically free fit, another for maximum support and one for a slim fit.

To contact the writer, email: vittoriohernandez@yahoo.com