There are a multitude of truly wonderful things about being a woman, including the prerogative to have a little fun. However, even the patron saint of “girl’s night out” tunes, Shania Twain, can’t deny that there are a lot of ways that men have it easier, especially when it comes to underwear choices. Men may have a smaller selection of choice when it comes to underwear type (boxers, briefs, boxer briefs, maybe a jock strap if they’re feeling adventurous) but they can basically just pick up a pair, make sure it fits, and go on their way. On the other hand, us ladies have a bit more to worry about in the underwear department… namely, our precious lady bits.
Between thongs, g-strings, briefs, and boyshorts, you may already be feeling overwhelmed by the number of choices on the market, but you should be aware that the style of your women’s underwear is far less important than the fabric type. There are a number of factors to keep in mind when choosing fabric for your women’s underwear: breathability, bacteria, friction, comfort, how it affects pH levels, just to name a few.
We aren’t going to beat around the bush here (pun fully intended) — in this article, we’re going to delve into different kinds of fabric, which one is the best for women’s underwear, and which ones keep your vagina the healthiest.
Why is choosing the right fabric for women’s underwear important?
Think about it. Underwear serves an important purpose to begin with by protecting your delicate bits from the harsh fabrics — like denim jeans — that can cause excess friction and irritation. However, women’s underwear goes the extra mile. In addition to protecting your body from your clothes, it also protects your clothes from your body, serving as a barrier that stops menstrual blood and vaginal discharge from staining or discoloring your bottoms (or worse, leaking through your pants and staining your couch).
Even more paramount is the fact that women’s underwear can actually help the vagina regulate itself, even preventing unhealthy bacteria blooms, but it depends on the type of fabric used.
The BEST fabric for women’s underwear: cotton and other natural fabrics.
Hands down, the best practice when choosing fabric for women’s underwear is to keep it natural. This is why cotton is the fabric type most commonly seen used for underwear — at least, for women’s underwear that is more full-coverage.
First of all, cotton is extremely soft to the touch. It is smooth and delicate, making it a great choice for underwear since it covers an area that is prone to irritation.
Better yet, cotton is extremely breathable while being mildly absorbent. As you likely already know, our nether regions tend to become a bit moist or damp with sweat, which occurs naturally even if you are not doing any particularly demanding activities. This moisture, if not properly wicked away from your body, paired with the warmth from your body — which is especially warm near the innermost portions of your body, also known as your genitals — creates the perfect conditions for bacteria to grow.
While it is true that the vagina naturally houses bacteria, it is important that you keep that bacteria balanced between good and bad bacteria. Unfortunately, these warm and sweaty conditions usually breed bad bacteria, which can lead to uncomfortable, unsightly, and unpleasant issues caused by bacteria growth, such as yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis.
Luckily, cotton (or other fabrics made from 100% natural fibers) offer such superior levels of breathability that it doesn’t let this moisture sit stagnant. Instead, the vagina can breathe, almost as if it were unhindered by fabric at all. Plus, cotton is just absorbent enough that not only can the genitals breathe, any excess moisture is gently wicked away from the body, preventing bad bacteria blooms.
Though cotton is the most common natural fabric seen in women’s underwear, other types include flax, hemp, bamboo, or jute — but they have to be 100% natural, not chemically processed.
Though cotton and other natural fabrics are the best choice for women’s underwear, that is not to say that synthetic or synthetic blend fabrics aren’t a great choice, too, provided that they are worn with some discretion.
Synthetic fabrics for women’s underwear aren’t the best, but they aren’t bad, either!
Unfortunately, synthetic fabrics like polyester, modal, or spandex don’t offer the same breathability that natural fabrics do. In fact, these fabrics can actually trap and hold moisture and heat, and when used for women’s underwear, this can lead to harmful bacteria production, yeast infections, and bacterial vaginosis.
However, this fact should be taken with a grain of salt, because wearing women’s underwear made with synthetic fabrics can be perfectly healthy as long as the underwear is constructed well and the wearer takes certain precautions.
A majority of stretchy or seamless thongs or briefs are made using synthetic fabrics, and their superior stretch and moisture-wicking properties makes them a great option to wear when doing high-impact activities, like exercising. That may seem counterintuitive considering that is when your vagina will be the most warm and damp, but as long as you take a nice, hot shower and change your underwear after getting sweaty, it will be perfectly fine.
You can also avoid bacteria blooms by opting for women’s underwear made using synthetic-blend fabrics. This can be done in two different ways. The first is that the entire fabric is a blend of a natural fabric, like cotton, and a synthetic material. This is commonly seen because it gives the underwear the breathable properties of cotton and also has the same stretch and smoothness of synthetic fabrics. The second option is that the majority of the women’s underwear can be made with a synthetic fabric except for on the gusset — which is the weird little pocket on the crotch of your panties. Since the gusset is the part of the women’s underwear that gets the most intimate with your body, it is beneficial for that part of the garment to be made of a fabric that is healthy for your vagina.
Want to create women’s underwear with the best fabric blends for you?
At BKage, we are the professional underwear manufacturer. Whether you’re looking for cotton briefs or desire a workout thong that can stand up to your sweat, our custom undies manufacturing have you covered. Contact BKage Underwear Factory today!
