Why Are Thongs So Uncomfortable?

Yeah, it’s not just you.

In order to create a wearable thong, we had to find out why they are uncomfortable in the first place. After wearing pair after pair and many interviews, here's what we found.

Almost everyone we interviewed described the same thing: they didn't like that the thongs gave them “wedgies”. Some said it felt like a camel-toe-wedgie, others said butt floss. But when we analyzed the feedback and our own experiences, we realized the issue isn’t where the fabric sits but that the fabric travels upwards.

This will probably resonate if you started the day off fine in a thong, but an hour in, you're constantly wishing you could pick at it.

We broke it down further on why the thong in particular is so uncomfortable:

1. Fabric moves to where there’s less resistance.
    When material is stretched tighter in one area, it tries to migrate somewhere looser. That’s why waistbands creep upward, the waist is usually the thinnest part of your torso. If you've ever worn a tube skirt, this phenomenon will be familiar, but when it’s underwear, the crotch will come along for the ride.
   
   

2. The crotch panel is narrow by design.
   Like sitting on a narrow saddle, less surface area means more pressure per inch. Wider fabric distributes pressure better; thinner pieces dig in more easily.
   
   

3. Stretchy fabric amplifies the problem.
   Most underwear is made from high-stretch material so it hugs the body. But the narrower the material, the more it stretches. Think how a thin rubber band stretches more easily than a thick rubber band. That turns every step into a small upward tug.
   
   

Put those three factors together and you’ve got the perfect storm: the one wedgie you can't pick (because there's not enough fabric to).

If that sounds familiar, stick around for our next blog: we’ll break down a solution that addresses all three points.