Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global lingerie market size was valued at USD 81.10 billion in 2020
The global lingerie market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% from 2021 to 2028
The European lingerie market accounted for the largest revenue share of over 33.0% in 2020
80% of women prioritize comfort over style when purchasing lingerie
The average American woman owns about 9 bras
Approximately 64% of millennial women have purchased lingerie in the last 6 months
The shapewear market size is expected to reach USD 3.7 billion by 2028
Sales of sports bras grew by 6x more than the total bra market in 2021
The 'bralette' segment grew by 20% in sales volume in 2019, marking a shift away from push-ups
Online channels accounted for over 28% of global lingerie sales in 2020
Online lingerie sales in the US grew by 43% during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns
Mobile devices account for 65% of traffic to lingerie e-commerce sites
Victoria's Secret held a 19% market share of the US women's intimate apparel market in 2020, down from 32% in 2015
Savage X Fenty reached a valuation of $1 billion in 2021
Sri Lanka is a major manufacturing hub producing over 10% of the world's high-end lingerie
Consumer Behavior & Demographics
- 80% of women prioritize comfort over style when purchasing lingerie
- The average American woman owns about 9 bras
- Approximately 64% of millennial women have purchased lingerie in the last 6 months
- 40% of women say they wear sports bras for non-sport activities due to comfort
- Women aged 25 to 39 are the largest consumer segment for lingerie globally
- Nearly 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra
- 33% of female consumers prefer nude/skin-tone lingerie over other colors
- Men purchase approximately 20% of the lingerie sold as gifts
- During Valentine's Day, lingerie sales typically see a surge of over 50% compared to average weeks
- 47% of consumers check for sustainability credentials when buying underwear
- Brand loyalty in lingerie is high with 56% of women sticking to their preferred brand for over 3 years
- 26% of women admit to buying lingerie to boost their own confidence rather than for a partner
- Gen Z consumers are 30% more likely to buy gender-fluid or unisex intimate apparel
- 42% of women dislike underwire bras and actively seek wire-free alternatives
- Women spend an average of $80 per year on bras alone in the US
- 60% of women wash their bras less frequently than recommended (every 3-4 wears)
- 72% of shoppers cite 'fit' as the most difficult aspect of buying lingerie
- Purchases of shapewear by Gen Z increased by 50% in 2021
- 37% of lingerie purchases in the UK are made by women over the age of 55
- 54% of women prefer cotton underwear for daily wear due to breathability
Interpretation
These statistics make one thing clear: lingerie has quietly transformed from flashy romance into a comfort-first, fit-obsessed, sustainability-minded wardrobe essential; women want bras that actually fit and feel good, Gen Z is rewriting gender rules and boosting shapewear, and predictable spikes from Valentine's and gift-buying keep the industry profitable.
Market Size & Valuation
- The global lingerie market size was valued at USD 81.10 billion in 2020
- The global lingerie market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% from 2021 to 2028
- The European lingerie market accounted for the largest revenue share of over 33.0% in 2020
- The North America lingerie market was valued at approximately USD 24.1 billion in 2018
- By 2025, the global lingerie retail market value is forecast to reach approximately 325.36 billion U.S. dollars
- The luxury lingerie market is projected to reach USD 16.3 billion by 2024
- Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing regional market with a CAGR of 6.9% forecast through 2028
- The global intimate apparel market size was valued at $98.6 billion in 2021
- The U.S. women's underwear market was valued at about 11.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2021
- Bra accounts for the largest market share in the lingerie market, constituting over 50% of revenue
- The global erotic lingerie market size was valued at USD 19.8 billion in 2019
- France's lingerie market revenue is estimated at approximately 2.4 billion Euros annually
- The UK lingerie market is estimated to be worth over £4 billion
- The global maternity lingerie market size is expected to reach USD 3.6 billion by 2025
- China's lingerie market is expected to reach $64 billion by 2022
- The bridal lingerie market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% up to 2027
- The hosiery market, often grouped with lingerie, was valued at USD 33.7 billion in 2018
- The global sleepwear & loungewear market size was valued at USD 13.75 billion in 2020
- India’s lingerie market is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of 15% during 2020-2025
- The global plus-size women’s clothing market, largely driven by lingerie, was valued at $178.5 billion in 2019
Interpretation
Like an expertly engineered corset, the global lingerie industry is cinching ever tighter around consumer wallets, with Europe claiming the largest share, bras making up over half of revenue, rapid growth in Asia Pacific driven by China and India, and luxury, plus-size and maternity niches pushing the market from tens of billions into the hundreds by mid-decade.
Product Segments & Trends
- The shapewear market size is expected to reach USD 3.7 billion by 2028
- Sales of sports bras grew by 6x more than the total bra market in 2021
- The 'bralette' segment grew by 20% in sales volume in 2019, marking a shift away from push-ups
- Knickers typically account for 30-35% of the total lingerie market volume
- Demand for sustainable lingerie using recycled fabrics has grown by 82% year-on-year
- The period panty market was valued at $113 million in 2019 and is rapidly expanding
- Seamless underwear demand is growing at a CAGR of 7.2%
- Nursing bras account for approximately 15% of the maternity apparel market revenue
- The plus-size lingerie segment is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% through 2027
- Thongs accounted for 29% of panty sales in 2018, decreasing slightly in favor of briefs
- Searches for 'high-waisted underwear' increased by 45% on fashion search engines in 2020
- Wireless bras constituted nearly 40% of bra sales in the US in 2020
- Lace remains the most popular fabric for luxury lingerie, present in 65% of premium SKUs
- Adaptive lingerie for people with disabilities is a niche market growing at 10% annually
- Men's lace underwear searches increased by 26% in 2020, showing a gender-fluid trend
- Bodysuits saw a sales increase of 15% as they crossed over into outerwear
- Bralettes with padding (hybrid styles) saw a 12% rise in SKU counts in 2021
- Silk lingerie makes up approximately 8% of the global market by material value
- Red remains the second most popular color for lingerie purchases after Black during Q1 (Valentine's impact)
- Search interest for 'corsets' surged 123% following the release of Bridgerton
Interpretation
Once all about glamour, the lingerie industry is rewriting its rulebook: shapewear is on track to hit $3.7 billion by 2028 while sports bras grew six times faster than the overall bra market in 2021, bralettes rose 20 percent in 2019 as push-ups lost ground and wireless styles made up nearly 40 percent of US bra sales in 2020, knickers still account for roughly one third of volume even as thongs retreat, demand for recycled fabrics jumped 82 percent year on year and period panties and seamless styles are rapidly expanding, plus-size and adaptive segments are climbing steadily, men’s lace searches and corset interest spiked after pop culture moments, bodysuits have crossed into outerwear, hybrids and padded bralettes are multiplying SKUs, and luxury remains lace-dominant while silk is a modest eight percent, proving shoppers now choose comfort, sustainability and inclusivity without sacrificing style.
Sales Channels & E-commerce
- Online channels accounted for over 28% of global lingerie sales in 2020
- Online lingerie sales in the US grew by 43% during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns
- Mobile devices account for 65% of traffic to lingerie e-commerce sites
- The return rate for online lingerie purchases is approximately 25-30% due to fit issues
- Virtual fitting room technology reduces lingerie return rates by up to 20%
- Offline distribution channels (physical stores) still held a 70% share of revenue in 2019
- Multi-brand retail outlets contribute the highest revenue share in the offline segment
- Subscription box services like Adore Me witnessed a 20% subscribe rate increase in 2020
- Amazon is the largest seller of clothing (including lingerie) in the US, capturing over 11% of the apparel market
- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) lingerie brands have grown 3x faster than traditional retailers since 2016
- Social media referral traffic to lingerie sites has increased by 15% year-over-year
- ThirdLove, an e-commerce native, gathered 1.3 million data points on breast shapes to improve fit
- The conversion rate for lingerie e-commerce is approximately 1.9%, slightly lower than general apparel
- 68% of shoppers expect free returns on online lingerie orders
- Live-stream shopping for lingerie in China drove $3 billion in sales in 2020
- 58% of women check online reviews before buying a new lingerie brand
- Personalized email marketing drives 20% of revenue for online lingerie startups
- Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) usage for lingerie baskets over $100 increased by 40% in 2021
- AI-driven size recommendation tools are used by 15% of top lingerie retailers
- Cross-border e-commerce represents 15% of the UK lingerie market sales
Interpretation
The lingerie industry is getting a digital lift as pandemic-driven jumps in online and mobile shopping, rapid DTC growth and data-rich fit technologies like virtual try-ons and AI sizing tackle stubborn return rates while personalized marketing, BNPL, social and live-stream channels expand reach even as multi-brand stores and Amazon still hold substantial revenue.
Supply Chain & Key Players
- Victoria's Secret held a 19% market share of the US women's intimate apparel market in 2020, down from 32% in 2015
- Savage X Fenty reached a valuation of $1 billion in 2021
- Sri Lanka is a major manufacturing hub producing over 10% of the world's high-end lingerie
- The cost of raw silk, a key premium material, rose by 20% in 2021 due to supply chain constraints
- Hanal Brands (owner of Hanes and Maidenform) generates over $6 billion in annual revenue
- China accounts for approximately 40% of global lingerie exports
- Aerie (American Eagle) reported a 25% revenue growth in Q1 2021, outpacing competitors
- Marks & Spencer holds roughly 27% of the total UK lingerie market share
- Calzedonia Group operates over 4,800 production/retail units globally
- Wacoal Holdings Corp generated revenue of roughly 161 billion yen in 2020
- Manufacturing labor costs in Vietnam (a key lingerie hub) are approx 50% lower than in China
- 85% of lingerie production involves manual assembly due to the delicate nature of fabrics
- Spanx was valued at $1.2 billion in a deal with Blackstone in 2021
- Fast fashion players like Zara and H&M have captured 12% of the intimate apparel market share
- Topform International, a major OEM bra manufacturer, produces over 80 million bras annually
- Invista (owner of Lycra) supplies spandex to 70% of the world's lingerie brands
- Triumph International operates in over 120 countries, making it one of the most globalized lingerie brands
- Proof became a leader in leakproof underwear after raising a Series A funding, reflecting supply chain innovation
- The average lead time for lingerie production from design to shelf is 6-9 months
- Jockey International generates estimated annual revenues of $500 million
Interpretation
The lingerie industry's cup size is shifting: legacy giants are losing volume as nimble, capitalized challengers and fast-fashion players seize market share, while global manufacturing hubs, labor-intensive assembly and rising raw material costs force brands to balance speed, scale and innovation.
References
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