Underwear Brands Around the World

International Brands

Want to get acquainted with international underwear brands that might not be on your radar just yet? We’ve got you covered. After all, the international underwear world is glittering with pieces for just about everyone, so you’re bound to find a new favorite among these brands. From Japan to Italy to Switzerland, it would be near impossible to pick just one. So, we’ve got 10 for your consideration.

While not even close to an exhaustive list of our favorites, our list of seven international men’s underwear brands that belong in your dresser includes:

Addicted and ES Collection: Best For Fetish

Barcode Berlin: Best For Berlin Style

Code22: Best For the Gym

Bluebuck: Best For the Traditionalist

Hom: Best For Thongs

Impetus: Best For Patterns

Muchachomalo: Best For Sexiness

Pump: Best For the Party Boy

Teamm8: Best For the Beach Bum

Read on for details about some of our favorites from around the world, including some of the pieces we love the most.

10 Best International Men’s Underwear Brands to Shop in 2022

Here’s what you need to know about what each of these brands has to offer, including what they sell, why they sell it, and when to wear it.

Addicted and ES Collection: Best For Fetish

Addicted, ES Collection, and AD Fetish are a collection of brands that certainly resonate with gay men around the globe. Given the commercial success of various lines, it’s often you’ll see ‘em out in the wild, be it at the gym, on a guy via Twitter, or when your partner’s getting naked.

What began in 2009 as a swimwear brand “focused on the male gay public” and made with “a lot of pride and love” in Barcelona, is now three brands that sell superb underwear, swimwear, sportswear (particularly fetish-style), outright fetish gear, and more. As of press time, Addicted has more than 240 points of sale worldwide – this is one you’re likely to see shopping at a gay boutique in the gayborhoods of major cities. As far as the underwear goes, expect bold cuts that leave little to the imagination, patterns in bright colors like leopard- and zebra-print, and a substantial, signature waistband.

Barcode Berlin - Best For Berlin Style

“Sexy, independent, authentic, Berlin” says it all, doesn’t it? Welcome to East Berlin, where the nights never end and premium fetish-wear reigns supreme. There’s a reason boys from far and wide come knocking for jocks, gym socks, seriously sexy hoods and masks, singlets with all the cutouts, and much more: Barcode is creative in its designs and usually ahead of its time. Fulfill your fantasies in the fit that’s circuit-ready, be it head-to-toe mesh or just your everyday brief.

We love a harness, so Barcode Berlin gets a nod of approval for the Colin Harness, well-priced and well-made. (Surviving those sweaty nights on the dancefloor takes a tenacious kind of build.) This model is available in both green and pink: that’s up for you to decide.

Code22 - Best For the Gym

Born in 2015 with a mission to dress a lifestyle defined by pride and self-confidence, Spanish designer Michel Massaea’s Code22 hit the scene. In the underwear department, you’ll find a host of underwear that accentuate your assets with the help of push-up pouch technology, a whole lot of one-piece suits, all sorts of gymwear, and more.

One piece we love is the Code 22 Naval Brief in Pesto. A polyester-elastane blend, this brief has perforations for maximum airflow, that signature push-up pouch, and a cut that’s insanely flattering. If you’re in need of a gym buddy, look no further.

Bluebuck - Best For the Traditionalist

Over in the UK, Bluebuck brings simple designs to life in silhouettes you know and colors that are decidedly understated – all in organic cotton. Garments scream “utility” with classic appeal that tends to attract guys who like to keep things simple. We think this brand shines especially with its more nautical-looking offerings, like trunks in white and blue, plus briefs fit for a sailor.

Hom - Best For Thongs

When Highsnobiety calls it “the French underwear label you should know,” you simply have no choice but to listen. “Hom is more than just underwear for men,” says the brand itself: “It’s a bona fide French way of life.” We couldn’t agree more.

Pretend you’re French actor Lucas Bravo on the set of “Emily in Paris” in pieces like one of our favorites, the Freddy Thong in Red. This cotton-elastane thong comes in black and blue too, but where’s the fun in that? Cut to hold to the natural curves of his body, Hom is minimal, masculine underwear done right. The label’s origins date back to 1968 in Marseille, which is a fun fact to be able to whip out about your underwear. Hom also makes wicked-good socks.

Impetus - Best For Patterns

If fortune favors the bold, stepping out in Impetus is a one way to court it. Made in Portugal, what began as a family business in 1973 is now a commercial powerhouse, and one that makes seriously good men’s underwear and nightwear.

Expect fun, geometric patterns in inoffensive colors and on standard briefs and boxers (even old-school button-fly boxers). Waistbands are elastic and high-quality, so they’re apt to keep up even with your most rigorous activities.

Muchachomalo - Best For Sexiness

Calling all bad boys.

When a label’s sold 20 million pairs of underwear, you know there must be something special afoot that keeps ‘em coming back. Founded in Amsterdam, Muchachomalo (Spanish for “bad boy”) is for the guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and doesn’t shy away from a good time. Playful yet gentlemanly, this brand makes notably durable underwear: many, many washes in, they keep well without any real signs of aging.

If you’re bad enough, pick up the Muchachomalo Solid Brief in Red. We like the branding on so many of these pairs, but this one stands out thanks to barbed-wire-esque zig-zags on the waistband: they draw attention in a simple, yet innovative way. A cotton-elastane blend, they have a decent amount of stretch and are soft to the touch. This brief is also on sale in black and in two shades of blue, but where’s the fun in that? Bad boys wear their passion on their waists, IMO.

Pump - Best For the Party Boy

Headquartered in Montreal, Pump is a hard brand to miss – no, literally, because of how bold the colors are. Look and you’ll see it peeking out of shorts on the dancefloor of any circuit or circuit-adjacent gay party, and for good reason: the brand is undeniably sexy in its designs and famously vibrant in its color choices. Come for trunks, briefs, or jocks, stay for swimwear, outerwear, and all sorts of other goodies. When you want all eyes on you, this is a sure way to get ‘em.

Where to turn first? Sexy and low-rise, the Pump! Cruise Brief is our pick because of its eye-catching perforated design. If you’re the type to want to show off your assets in a brief, there’s nothing better than a peek-a-boo style like this one. Stare long enough and he’ll be able to make out what’s under there, but probably not without you catching him first. Don’t worry, though: your member is still safe and sound under a contoured pouch that also draws attention.

Teamm8 - Best For the Beach Bum

Now, meet one of Australia’s finest exports: Teamm8. Whether you’re shopping for work, rest, or play, this Sydney label wants to have you feeling your best in underwear, swimwear, and all sorts of activewear. Another brand popular with gay men, particularly Aussies and men over in the UK, Teamm8 sells its pairs across the US, UK, Europe, and Asia.

So, what’s a boy to expect in the underwear department? Well, high-quality briefs, boxer briefs, jockstraps, thongs, and G-strings, naturally. But also, some seriously sexy cut-out styles! Waistbands are well-sized and usually feature a single, simple logo on the front. Lots of styles dry quickly and come in a slate of neutrals, which makes ‘em solid picks to wear to the gym or to the beach. For loungewear-lovers, Teamm8 also makes some ultra-soft lounge sets to wear over your undies.

Conclusion

The upshot? There’s a hell of a lot of good underwear out there!

Investing in international brands is a great way to treat yourself to something luxurious and markedly different from your run-of-the-mill everyday picks. If you’re the type who likes to be wearing something no one else is, you’re way more likely to do so if you shop internationally, too. There are seriously great options from around the world for just about every size, shape, style, and taste you can think — all you have to know is where to look.

Want something interesting, but not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered. Try out the Underwear Expert curated subscription. You tell us what you like and we’ll ship you a box of fresh designs every month to keep your style up to date. So, snag a pair and step out of your comfort zone with confidence: the experts have got your back.