The choice of fabric plays an essential role in the comfort of underwear. Depending on the season, the level of support desired and individual habits, some fabrics will be better suited than others.
At Mazarin, boxer shorts and boxers briefs are made from several fabrics selected for their comfort, breathability and quality: linen, cotton poplin, cotton oxford, classic cotton jersey or Sea Island cotton.
Linen: lightweight and breathable
Linen is particularly appreciated for its exceptional lightness and excellent breathability. Its long fibres allow air to circulate easily and naturally wick away moisture, making it especially pleasant when temperatures rise.
To the touch, linen initially has a slightly drier texture than cotton, but it has the particular quality of becoming softer and more supple with each wash.
For a loose-fitting pair of boxer shorts, it offers a very light and airy feel, ideal in spring and summer.
Choose it if: you prefer lightweight, breathable and fine fabrics that can be worn all year round.
Cotton poplin: fine and versatile
Poplin is a cotton fabric with a tight weave, recognizable by its smooth, fine and even appearance.
It offers an excellent balance of lightness, softness and durability. Less textured than oxford, it gives boxer shorts a neater, lighter appearance.
Its fineness makes it easy to wear all year round, particularly under smart or relatively fitted trousers.
Poplin is therefore an excellent choice for those looking for classic, versatile boxer shorts, with a feel similar to that of a high-quality cotton shirt.
Choose it if: you are looking for a fine, soft and versatile fabric for everyday wear.
Cotton oxford: softer and more textured
Oxford differs from poplin through its more visible and slightly thicker weave. Its texture gives it a softer feel and a generally more relaxed appearance.
This fabric remains breathable while giving boxer shorts more substance. It is particularly well suited to those who appreciate loose-fitting underwear with a little more structure.
Oxford also has the advantage of being especially pleasant after several washes, which help make the fabric even softer.
Choose it if: you are looking for comfortable cotton that is slightly thicker and more relaxed than poplin.
Cotton jersey: soft and stretchy
Unlike linen, poplin and oxford, which are woven fabrics, jersey is a knit.
This construction naturally gives it greater softness and stretch. Jersey therefore moves easily with the body and follows the silhouette more closely.
For this reason, it is particularly well suited to fitted boxers, which require a fabric that is supple enough to provide good support without restricting movement.
Cotton jersey also retains cotton’s natural qualities: softness, breathability and easy care.
Choose it if: you are looking for comfortable, soft and close-fitting boxers.
Sea Island cotton jersey: exceptional softness and fineness
Sea Island cotton is particularly sought after for the length and fineness of its fibres. These make it possible to produce a very even, soft and silky yarn. This exceptional fabric stands out for its rarity. In fact, Sea Island cotton accounts for only a very small proportion of the cotton produced each year and grows only under demanding conditions.
Made into jersey, it retains the characteristic softness of this knit while offering an especially pleasant feel against the skin.
The result is a boxer that is lightweight, soft and comfortable, with a more refined feel than classic cotton jersey.
Sea Island cotton jersey is therefore intended for those who are primarily looking for luxurious underwear that feels exceptionally soft against the skin.
Choose it if: you are looking for very soft, fine and comfortable jersey with an especially luxurious feel.
Which fabric should you choose?
The choice mainly depends on the type of underwear and the feel you are looking for.
For loose-fitting boxer shorts, linen offers maximum freshness, poplin prioritises fineness and versatility, while oxford provides a slightly more textured feel and greater structure.
For fitted boxer briefs, jersey is naturally better suited thanks to its softness and stretch. Classic cotton jersey is an excellent everyday option, while Sea Island cotton offers a higher level of fineness and softness.
Whatever fabric you choose, the goal remains the same: to prioritise underwear that is comfortable, breathable and pleasant to wear throughout the day.
