You can buy underwear in the softest cotton there is and still feel it all day. The reason is usually not the fabric. It's the elastic.

Most underwear is built around a band of synthetic stretch at the waist and legs. That band sits directly on your skin, in the places where you move, sit and sweat the most. It's the part you notice, and it's the part we decided you shouldn't have to.

Where the discomfort really comes from

Turn almost any pair inside out and you'll see it: a strip of elastic stitched straight onto the edge of the fabric. Sometimes it's covered with a thin decorative trim. Sometimes it's bare.

That exposed band is behind most of the small complaints people have about underwear:

• It digs. A narrow band concentrates pressure into a line, which is what leaves marks at the waist and thigh.
• It rubs. Elastic and synthetic trim feel rougher than a soft knit, especially through a warm day.
• It holds heat. Synthetic stretch doesn't breathe the way cotton does, right where you'd most want air.
• It wears out first. Exposed elastic meets the washer and dryer head-on. It's usually the first thing to go wavy or brittle, long before the fabric does.

What "encased" means

An encased waistband takes the same elastic and wraps it completely inside a channel of fabric. The stretch is still there, so the piece stays in place. But your skin only touches the fabric around it.

At VIMERA, every waistband and every leg opening is fully encased in the same 100% organic Peruvian Pima cotton as the rest of the piece. The body of the knit has no polyester or elastane blended in. So from waist to leg, the only thing against your skin is cotton.

It's a slower way to sew. Each band has to be wrapped and sewn closed by the seamstresses who make every piece in Lima. We think the closest layer is worth it.

Why it changes how underwear fits

Without a tight synthetic edge, the fit comes from the cotton itself. A band wrapped in soft cotton holds gently, so it stays put without biting in. Pure cotton also drapes instead of squeezing, so a pair feels more like a second layer than a garment holding you in place.

That difference is worth knowing before you choose a size. Our guide on how cotton underwear should fit walks through it, and the Size Guide has hip measurements for every size.

How to spot exposed elastic before you buy

1. Turn it inside out. If you can see a strip of elastic that's what touches your skin.
2. Feel the edge. An encased band feels like a soft, flat cotton band. Exposed elastic feels slick or ribbed.

Questions we hear

Will underwear with encased elastic stay up? Yes. The elastic is still there; it's just wrapped in cotton. You get the hold without the band touching your skin.

Is underwear without elastic better for sensitive skin? Many people with sensitive skin find exposed elastic is what bother them most. Keeping only cotton against the skin removes that contact.

How do I make the elastic last longer? Heat is what breaks elastic down. Wash cold, lay flat to dry and skip the high-heat dryer. Our washing guide has the full routine.

Do all VIMERA pieces have encased elastic? Yes. The Thong, the Bikini and the High Brief all have fully encased waistbands and leg openings.

The closest layer

The first layer sets the tone. Every piece in Series 01, the Thong, the Bikini and the High Brief, keeps only 100% organic Peruvian Pima cotton against your skin, in Bare and Noir. Try one, or all three in The Rotation Trio. Read our story.