Why Do We Choose Naphor Fabrics So Carefully?

Underwear is one of the garments that stays closest to our skin throughout the day. That is why, at Naphor, we never see fabric simply as the surface that gives a piece its colour and appearance. Texture, cotton content, stretch, adaptability and the way it feels on the body are all considered together when we select a fabric.

Because each collection is designed to create a different feeling on the body, we do not make every Naphor piece from a single fabric. AIR, TOUCH and SIGNATURE use structures with a high proportion of certified organic cotton, while SHADE uses a different fabric structure that combines organic Pima cotton with greater stretch.

For us, a good underwear fabric should do more than feel soft. It should move with the body, stretch where it needs to and allow the intended shape of the garment to work as designed.

What Does Certified Organic Cotton Mean?

The main component of the fabrics used in our AIR, TOUCH and SIGNATURE collections is 95% certified organic cotton. Here, “organic” is not simply a description of softness or the fact that cotton is a natural fibre.

Organic cotton is cotton handled according to defined organic production criteria, from cultivation through processing. Certification means that the material is assessed within a system designed to verify and trace compliance with those criteria.

For Naphor, choosing certified organic cotton is about more than placing a label on a product. Because underwear sits directly against the skin, we believe it is important to pay attention to the origin and standards of the primary fibre we use.

Why Do We Use Elastane in Underwear?

Cotton can form the foundation of a fabric, but cotton alone cannot provide everything a close-fitting modern underwear piece needs. Panties and bras constantly move with the body as we sit, walk and go about the day.

This is where elastane becomes important. Elastane helps give the fabric stretch, adaptability and the ability to recover its shape after movement. Instead of simply resting on the body, the fabric is better able to move with it.

That is why AIR, TOUCH and SIGNATURE use 95% certified organic cotton and 5% elastane. Cotton remains the dominant fibre, while the 5% elastane supports the stretch and adaptability we expect from underwear.

SHADE has a different purpose. To create a structure with greater stretch and a closer fit to the body, we use 80% organic Pima cotton and 20% elastane. The percentage of elastane is not arbitrary; it reflects the level of stretch and adaptability we want from the collection.

Why Isn't Underwear Always 100% Cotton?

At first glance, “100% cotton” may sound like the ideal choice for every underwear piece. But using 100% cotton throughout an entire garment does not always provide the performance we want, particularly in modern close-fitting designs that need to stretch.

Cotton does not naturally provide the same degree of stretch and recovery as elastane. A panty or bra designed to sit close to the body needs controlled stretch to accommodate movement, adapt to different body shapes and support the intended fit during wear.

For us, the principle is therefore not simply “more cotton is always better.” What matters is combining cotton with the right amount of elastane for the needs of the design. The difference between the 5% elastane used in AIR, TOUCH and SIGNATURE and the 20% used in SHADE reflects exactly that approach.

We use elastane not because we want less cotton, but because it helps a cotton-rich fabric meet the movement, stretch and fit requirements of modern underwear.

So Why Do We Use 100% Cotton in the Gusset?

While stretch is important throughout the main body of the garment, we expect something different from the gusset — the part of the panty that sits directly against the intimate area. This is why Naphor panties use 100% cotton fabric in the gusset.

Here, we specifically choose a non-stretch cotton structure. We do not want the gusset to behave like the main stretch fabric, continuously stretching and wrapping tightly around the intimate area. Stretch is used where the body of the garment needs it, while 100% cotton is used in the area of direct contact.

Rather than enclosing the gusset completely on all four sides, we sew it along three edges. It is a detail that may be invisible from the outside, but it reflects how our approach to fabric continues even into the parts of a Naphor piece you may never see.

AIR, TOUCH and SIGNATURE: 95% Organic Cotton, 5% Elastane

AIR, TOUCH and SIGNATURE share the same fundamental fabric composition: 95% certified organic cotton and 5% elastane. But sharing a fabric composition does not mean that all three collections feel the same.

AIR's fine 6 mm bands create a lighter, more minimal structure, while TOUCH's 2.5 cm band gives the collection a different presence on the body. SIGNATURE completes the same cotton-rich foundation with its distinctive bands made with Italian yarn.

The result is three collections built on the same fabric composition, yet distinguished through their shapes, bands and design details.

SHADE: Organic Pima Cotton with Greater Stretch

One of the defining differences of the SHADE collection is its fabric. SHADE uses a distinct composition of 80% organic Pima cotton and 20% elastane.

Pima cotton is known for its long, fine fibres. For SHADE, we choose organic Pima cotton and combine it with a higher proportion of elastane, allowing us to retain a cotton-rich structure while achieving the greater stretch the collection is designed to provide.

The 20% elastane content is intentional. SHADE is designed to embrace the body more closely, provide greater stretch and work with its seamless construction, so what we expect from its fabric is different from AIR, TOUCH and SIGNATURE.

The result is a fabric that brings together the character of organic Pima cotton with high stretch and a body-adapting structure.

There Is No Single “Right Fabric”

Our approach to fabric at Naphor starts with a simple idea: the right fabric depends on what you are designing and what you expect that piece to do.

Sometimes that means a high proportion of certified organic cotton with just enough elastane to support the fit. Sometimes, as with SHADE, it means combining organic Pima cotton with a higher proportion of elastane to achieve greater stretch. And in the gusset, where the fabric sits directly against the intimate area, our priorities change and we choose 100% cotton.

For Naphor, fabric is therefore much more than a composition printed on a label. It is one of the fundamental elements that determines how each collection feels, moves and adapts to the body.