The waistband is the part of a pair of underwear that has to do a job. It has to hold the garment in place without being noticed. There is more than one way to build one, and the choice changes what sits against a child’s skin all day. Here are the four approaches, and which one we use.
Four ways to build a waistband
| Exposed elastic strip | Fabric-encased elastic strip | Single-layer self-fabric | Two-layer self-fabric (Primal Play) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separate elastic component | Yes | Yes | No | No — no separate elastic tape or strip |
| Material against skin | Elastic | Fabric | Garment fabric | Garment fabric |
| Band construction | Elastic strip | Elastic wrapped in fabric | One fabric layer | Two fabric layers |
| How the band is cut | n/a | n/a | Varies | Cut on the cross grain, and cut slightly shorter than the body so it is eased into place |
| Finished band height | Varies | Varies | Varies | 3.00 cm, every size |
| Construction published | — | — | — | Yes — see below |
Exposed elastic strip
- Separate elastic component
- Yes
- Material against skin
- Elastic
- Band construction
- Elastic strip
- How the band is cut
- n/a
- Finished band height
- Varies
- Construction published
- —
Fabric-encased elastic strip
- Separate elastic component
- Yes
- Material against skin
- Fabric
- Band construction
- Elastic wrapped in fabric
- How the band is cut
- n/a
- Finished band height
- Varies
- Construction published
- —
Single-layer self-fabric
- Separate elastic component
- No
- Material against skin
- Garment fabric
- Band construction
- One fabric layer
- How the band is cut
- Varies
- Finished band height
- Varies
- Construction published
- —
Two-layer self-fabric (Primal Play)
- Separate elastic component
- No — no separate elastic tape or strip
- Material against skin
- Garment fabric
- Band construction
- Two fabric layers
- How the band is cut
- Cut on the cross grain, and cut slightly shorter than the body so it is eased into place
- Finished band height
- 3.00 cm, every size
- Construction published
- Yes — see below
How ours works
Ours is the fourth kind. The band is two layers of the same fabric as the rest of the garment — 90% modal, 10% spandex — folded and stitched, with no separate elastic tape or strip inside it.
Two things make that work. The first is the direction of the cut. A knitted fabric stretches more across its width than along its length, so the band is cut on the cross grain, where the give is. It stretches to go on and comes back to its own shape rather than staying stretched.
The second is easing. The band is cut slightly shorter than the body of the garment it is sewn to, then eased into place as it is attached. That small difference is what keeps the band against the body: the fabric is already under a little tension when the garment is lying flat, so it sits close without being pulled tight.
The finished band is 3.00 cm tall on every size, 2T to 14/16.
What we don’t claim
A fabric waistband isn’t new. Flat seams aren’t new. Modal isn’t new. Other brands make good underwear for sensitive kids, and some of them make it much the same way we do.
What we can tell you is exactly how ours is built — the number of layers, the direction of the cut, the finished height in centimetres, which seams exist and which don’t. Most brands don’t publish that, so you’re left comparing adjectives.
We’d rather you compared construction. That’s why it’s on this page. We say modal, not bamboo, because that’s what the fibre is. We don’t say revolutionary or ultra-soft, because those don’t tell you anything you can check.
The specification
- The waistband contains no separate elastic tape or strip.
- It is two layers of the same 90% modal, 10% spandex fabric as the garment, cut on the cross grain.
- The finished band is 3.00 cm tall in every size, 2T to 14/16.
- There is no side seam and no centre back seam on the boxer briefs.
- The care label is heat-printed inside the garment, not sewn in.
- The fabric is knitted to 185 gsm.
Start with one pair. If your child keeps it on, come back for the three-pack.
More: size guide · boxer briefs