Are there demographic or cultural factors that predict men choosing thongs?

1. What the numbers actually say: small slice, growing visibility

Specialty brands and blogs report that thongs make up a modest share of male underwear preferences—examples include 10.5% in a 505‑respondent 2025 brand survey and analyst summaries that place regular thong wearers closer to 1–4% in broader surveys—figures vary by sample and methodology ^{[1] [2]}. These are not population‑representative national studies; they come from brand surveys, trade blogs and industry podcasts that sample engaged shoppers or listeners, so their percentages document visibility and market interest rather than definitive prevalence ^{[1] [3]}.

2. Age and experimentation: the clearest demographic signal

Multiple industry writeups identify younger men—particularly men in their 20s and 30s—as more likely to experiment with thongs and other non‑traditional cuts, often citing fashion‑forward tastes and body‑confidence trends as drivers ^{[2] [1]}. Brand content and blogs emphasize “younger demographics” and “fashion‑forward lifestyles” as the main demographic correlation reported in these sources rather than older cohorts ^{[1] [2]}.

3. Cultural and style drivers: social media, body image and masculinity norms

Sources attribute the shift to cultural dynamics: social media normalizes unconventional underwear; fitness and aesthetic cultures promote minimal, form‑fitting silhouettes; and changing notions of masculinity reduce the stigma around traditionally “feminine” garments ^{[1] [3] [4]}. Industry pieces frame this as an aesthetic and identity choice—comfort, confidence and concealment of panty lines—rather than a function of immutable demographic traits ^{[1] [4]}.

4. Sexual orientation and identity: mentioned but not quantified

Some sources note that gay men are a visible segment in thong marketing and community discourse—blogs and retailer messaging say the style resonates in parts of LGBTQ+ culture because of confidence and aesthetics—but the sources do not provide robust, representative data quantifying how sexual orientation predicts thong choice ^{[4] [5]}. The available reporting suggests a cultural association in marketing and communities, not a statistically proven predictor in the public literature ^{[4] [5]}.

5. Practical factors: sport, climate and fabric matter

Writers for apparel brands and retailers point to practical reasons men choose thongs: athletic needs (reduced fabric under compression clothing), hot climates and breathable fabrics, and the desire to avoid visible underwear lines under tight clothing ^{[1] [5]}. Retail content highlights design innovations—supportive pouches and eco fabrics—as selling points that cut across demographics in the sources ^{[1] [6]}.

6. Limitations and hidden agendas in the reporting

All cited material is produced by underwear brands, retailers, podcasts and enthusiast blogs, which have commercial incentives to amplify trends and normalize products; those sources are candid about fashion forces but not about sampling bias or representativeness ^{[1] [3] [4]}. No independent academic or nationally representative survey data appears in the provided set, so claims about who wears thongs are shaped by marketing, community voices and small or self‑selected samples ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

7. Takeaway for readers seeking reliable predictors

If you want reliable demographic predictors (race, religion, income, geography) the available reporting does not supply them; what the trade and culture coverage do consistently report is: younger men, social‑media influence, athletic/fit subcultures and identity/fashion motivations are the strongest recurring themes in why men choose thongs ^{[2] [3] [4]}. For rigorous, generalizable conclusions you need independent, representative surveys or academic research—available sources do not include those (not found in current reporting).

Sources cited: industry and brand reporting on men’s thong trends and surveys ^{[1] [2] [4] [6] [5] [3]}.