Tell me what underwear you’re wearing and I’ll tell you how the economy is going
The lingerie industry is experiencing an investment boom. Between inclusiveness and innovation, the FDA also takes part in this revolution and authorizes the first item of underwear for protected oral sex
Investment boom in the lingerie sector. Even underwear is evolving and becoming more and more attentive to people's health, so much so that, in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (Fda) has approved the marketing of a type of disposable latex briefs from the Lorals company. as a method of protection against diseases that can be transmitted during oral sex.
AN ABSOLUTE FIRST
It is the first time that a piece of underwear, albeit disposable, has received a similar authorization from the US government agency that deals with the regulation of food and pharmaceutical products.
HOW BRIEFS ARE MADE
Melanie Cristol, founder of Lorals, told the New York Times that this particular type of slip, in addition to being flavored with vanilla, is very thin and elastic. According to a user in the newspaper, it is "as if you were eating a biscuit".
They are made of latex, the same material as condoms, and provide a protective physical barrier. Lorals ensures that it is a superior product compared to the only other option on the market and always authorized by the Fda: the dental dam. This device, in fact, not being particularly comfortable and easy to use, would seem not to be very successful.
COST AND WARNINGS
Lorals briefs come in a pack of four in different designs for $ 25.
The Fda has granted the authorization to trade following the same procedure adopted for condoms, or by evaluating the documentation submitted by the company on thickness, elasticity, resistance and other characteristics of the product.
But beware, while it is effective as a method of protection from communicable diseases during oral sex, it is not a contraceptive and therefore cannot be used to prevent pregnancy.
In addition, according to some experts interviewed by the NYT , although this is good news, additional health information and analysis of data "from the real world" are needed to confirm the effective protection capacity.
BOOM IN INVESTMENTS IN THE LINGERIE
But Lorals' briefs are just the latest in a sector, that of lingerie, which is experiencing a surge in investments and innovation. Indeed, asQuartz reports citing data from Crunchbase, venture capital-backed underwear brands raised $ 457 million in 2021 alone, the highest figure in five years.
THE NUMBERS OF UNDERWEAR
According to the Intimate Wear Market report published by Allied Market Research, the global underwear market is expected to generate $ 325.36 billion by 2025, up 8.1% from 2018 to 2025.
At $ 61 billion, Quartz reports, Asia is the fastest growing lingerie market.
INNOVATION AND INCLUSIVITY
If even the beautiful and perfect angels of Victoria's Secret (which very few people could identify with) have become a little more "human" it is a sign that underwear is experiencing a new era.
In fact, brands have understood that in order to bring new consumers (and investors) closer, it is necessary to focus on innovation and inclusiveness.
Among the examples also reported by Quartz , the Thinx brand, known for its reusable briefs designed for the menstrual cycle which, in addition to being a novelty, are helping to normalize topics sometimes still considered taboo thanks to intelligent marketing campaigns.
Rihanna's Savage by Fenty (launched in 2018 and valued at $ 1 billion three years later increased revenue by 200% from 2019 to 2020) offers a wide range of sizes and Slick Chicks is producing underwear with side closure to better fit. to people with mobility problems.
But even Adidas, despite being a sports brand, has created a new collection of bras designed with scientists to adequately support the breasts.
TELL ME WHAT UNDERWEAR YOU BRING AND I WILL TELL YOU HOW THE ECONOMY IS
As confirmed by all these initiatives and news, linen is a serious matter. So serious that even the economy controls whether and how many underwear men buy in a predictive key.
The Men's underwear index, literally the index of men's underwear, is in fact an economic index that is thought to detect the beginning of a crisis or an economic recovery. As CNN recalls, sales of men's underwear in the United States fell significantly from 2007 to 2009, during the Great Recession, but regained strength in 2010 as the economy recovered. Just coincidence?
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/economia/dimmi-che-intimo-porti-e-ti-diro-come-va-economia/ on Tue, 17 May 2022 09:24:09 +0000.