How prevalent is thong use among men in different age groups and cultures?
Executive summary
Available surveys and market reporting show men’s thongs remain a minority choice but are rising in visibility: small consumer surveys cite thong preference around 10% of respondents [1] and a niche 2017 U.S. survey found only single-digit percentages of men ever wore thongs, with older men far less likely [2]. Industry coverage and fashion reporting indicate growing retail supply, design interest and cultural visibility—especially online, in LGBTQ+ communities, and via fashion runways—while hard, representative prevalence by age or culture is scarce in the sources provided [3] [4] [5].
1. Popularity numbers: niche but rising
Two small-to-midsize surveys cited by underwear brands and blogs report thongs and bikinis together accounting for roughly 10% of self-stated preferences in recent samples (10.5% for thongs in one 505-person 2025 sample) [1]. Another retailer survey cited 84 of ~824 respondents preferring men’s thongs, a similarly modest share [6]. Market research describes overall underwear market growth and greater retailer interest — not direct thong market share — suggesting product availability is expanding even if wearers remain a minority [7] [3].
2. Age patterns: older men wear them less, limited recent data
A 2017 Statista chart shows very low reported use among men 51+ (about 4% reported ever wearing a thong at least occasionally in that age group; 96% reportedly never did) and overall rare frequent use (near-zero daily wearers) [2]. More recent breakdowns by age are not available in the provided sources; the newer industry and trend pieces point to rising interest among younger and body-conscious buyers but do not provide representative age-based prevalence estimates [1] [4]. Available sources do not mention detailed, representative age-stratified prevalence beyond the 2017 Statista data.
3. Cultural and regional variation: fashion, climate and norms matter
Sources link higher visibility and acceptance in certain contexts: Latin America and beach/swim cultures historically normalize minimal male swimwear and thongs (mentioned in a cultural advice thread) and fashion runways and celebrity moments have normalized thong aesthetics for wider audiences [8] [5]. Industry pieces and podcasts say social media, LGBTQ+ communities and nightclub/fitness subcultures have driven adoption and visibility, but these are descriptive and not population-representative [4] [9] [10].
4. Who’s driving the trend: design, identity and performance
Authorities in the fashion press and brand blogs attribute the rise to multiple drivers: designers launching men’s thongs, niche brands marketing for athletic fits and body-conscious consumers, and LGBTQ+ communities embracing thongs as expression and confidence-building [11] [12] [9]. Podcasts and blogs highlight social media communities and Reddit groups as amplifiers rather than proof of mass adoption [4]. Market reports show the larger men’s underwear category is growing, enabling more styles to be stocked [3] [7].
5. Limitations and what’s missing from the record
No provided source offers a large, nationally representative, multi-country dataset that quantifies thong use by detailed age bands and cultural groups. Market forecasts give revenue and product mix context but not thong-specific penetration rates [7] [3]. The most granular prevalence number in sources is the 2017 Statista U.S. frequency-by-age chart; more recent claims of “rising popularity” come from brand surveys, podcasts and fashion reportage that may reflect self-selected audiences [2] [1] [4]. Therefore, definitive prevalence by age and across cultures is not established in current reporting.
6. Competing interpretations and potential agendas
Brand and retailer sources frame growth as consumer-driven and normalize thongs [6] [1] [13]. Fashion media and cultural pieces frame the trend as tied to runways, celebrity influence and revived Y2K aesthetics [5] [14]. Independent statistical reporting (Statista 2017) suggests actual wearer rates were low and concentrated in younger men at that time [2]. Commercial outlets have clear incentives to portray rising demand; trend coverage may amplify visibility without proving mass adoption [6] [3].
7. Bottom line for your question
Current available sources show men’s thong use is increasing in cultural visibility and retail presence, with small survey pockets reporting around 10% preference in sampled groups [1] and older U.S. men much less likely to wear them [2]. However, there is no robust, up-to-date multinational dataset in the provided reporting to map precise prevalence by detailed age groups and cultures; conclusions about widespread adoption rest on trend signals, niche surveys and industry narratives rather than representative population data [7] [3] [4].