How Often Should You Replace Your Briefs?

Short answer: There is no fixed rule, but a good guide is to replace briefs when the elastic goes slack, the fabric grows thin, or the shape is gone. For many people that works out at around once a year for the most worn pairs. Quality and gentle washing extend the lifespan considerably.

The signs that it is time

Look for slack elastic in the waist and legs, fabric worn thin or holed, discolouration that will not wash out, and a fit that no longer sits close. A brief that rides up or bags does not do its job. If the drawer needs refreshing, see the range of bamboo briefs.

The elastic is the best test

Pull the edge at the waist out and let go. If it snaps straight back, it is fine. If it hangs for a moment or has grown visibly wider than when it was new, the pair is finished however tidy it otherwise looks in the drawer.

Hold the pair up to the light

If you can see light clearly through the fabric at the back, it is worn down. It is the same spot every time, because that is where the fabric stretches most in wear. A pair worn thin holds neither the shape nor the moisture, and that is why it suddenly feels different.

How many pairs to own

The more pairs in rotation, the longer each one lasts, because each is washed less often. Enough pairs for two weeks is a workable rule of thumb, and then you can wash once a week without running short. A bigger drawer is cheaper per year in practice than a small one.

A year is an average, not a rule

A pair worn every other week lasts for years, while the favourite pair worn weekly and tumbled can be finished in six months. So count in wearings and washes rather than in months. Use and treatment decide it, not the date on the calendar.

How to make them last longer

Wash at 30 to 40 degrees, avoid the tumble dryer and skip the fabric softener. Elastane does not tolerate high heat, and a wash bag protects the edges from being torn by zips. Those three habits alone can double a pair's lifespan without costing anything.

Clear the drawer once you have decided

If the worn pairs sit among the good ones, they end up on the body on a busy morning. Take them out straight away. A drawer where everything is usable is the only way to avoid a day in a pair that rides up or chafes from the start.

Hygiene rather than age

A brief does not become unhygienic through being old, as long as it is washed properly. It is the fit and the function that go first, not the cleanliness. So replace it when it stops working, and not because the calendar says so. See bamboo underwear for women. See also washing guide for bamboo clothing and bamboo and economy.