South America Lingerie - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The south america lingerie market size was valued at USD 5.57 billion in 2025 and estimated to grow from USD 6.03 billion in 2026 to reach USD 8.95 billion by 2031, at an 8.22% CAGR during the forecast period (2026-2031). This report is Segmented by Product Type (Brassiere, Briefs, Other), Price Range (Mass, Premium), Material (Cotton, Silk and Satin, and More), Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Online Retail Stores, Other Distribution Channels), and Geography (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Rest of South America). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

South America Lingerie Market Trends and Insights

Growing E-Commerce Penetration Offering Wider Product Variety

Digital commerce is addressing distribution gaps in second- and third-tier cities, where specialty stores face economic limitations. In 2025, Brazil's online lingerie sales surged, driven by mobile devices that enabled seamless discovery and purchases. Local payment systems like Pix, capturing 40% of online transactions, reduced checkout friction and cart abandonment, especially for low-cost items like panties and bralettes. Marketplaces such as Mercado Libre and Shopee aggregated diverse SKUs from regional brands, allowing consumers to compare fit, fabric, and price in one session - an advantage physical retail cannot match. The rise of TikTok Shop highlights social commerce's growing influence, pulling market share from brick-and-mortar stores. This shift is fueling premium segment growth, as online platforms attract affluent consumers seeking unique fabrics, inclusive sizing, and direct-to-consumer brand stories.

Influence of Social Media and Influencer Marketing

Influencer-led discovery is redefining the path from awareness to purchase, disrupting the traditional marketing funnel. Creator content now drives online engagement, with consumers increasingly making purchases through interactive formats like live streams. The expanding creator ecosystem has opened marketing channels to smaller and regional brands, reducing reliance on large advertising budgets. Collaborations with micro-influencers are proving cost-effective, boosting engagement and follower growth. Social platforms targeting young, trend-driven audiences are fostering emerging labels that emphasize sustainability, inclusivity, and authenticity over legacy branding. Visual-first platforms are becoming discovery engines, where peer-generated content shapes product perception and buying decisions. Specialty retail stores are struggling to compete with the personalized, trust-driven influence creators deliver at scale.

High Competition From Unbranded And Low-Cost Imports

Unbranded imports from Asia are squeezing margins in the mass segment, where most of the 2025 revenue is concentrated. These imports offer price points 30-50% lower than domestic brands, without matching investments in fit development or fabric quality. In 2025, Argentina reduced tariffs on over 90 product lines, including polyester and fabrics. While this move has cut input costs for local manufacturers, it has also facilitated the entry of finished goods imports that undercut regional production. In January 2025, Brazil's textile capacity utilization in Argentina was a mere 33.9%. This chronic underutilization hampers domestic players' ability to achieve economies of scale and compete on price. Marketplaces like Shopee and Shein, which aggregate Chinese manufacturers and dropship directly to consumers, sidestep traditional import duties and quality inspections, creating an uneven playing field. The World Customs Organization's Operation FRONPIAS, carried out in January 2025, seized 13.8 million pieces across 332 cases in 14 countries across the Americas. Accessories and clothing were the focus of 71 seizures each. However, enforcement of these measures varies significantly across borders. As a result, branded players face a dilemma: compete on price and erode gross margins or invest heavily in brand differentiation. This differentiation comes through sustainability, influencer partnerships, and omnichannel experiences, all aimed at justifying premium pricing.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Rising Focus on Sustainability and Ethical Fashion
• Rising Self-Care and Wellness Focus in Personal Grooming
• Online Shoppers Grapple with Fit-Related Issues

Segment Analysis

In 2025, brassieres contributed 51.23% of product-type revenue and are projected to grow at 8.96% annually through 2031, driven by innovations like wireless designs, adaptive sizing, and moisture-wicking fabrics suited for humid climates. This category remains a repeat-purchase staple, with Brazilian women buying an average of 7.6 lingerie items annually, 40-50% of which are brassieres. The shift towards comfort, fueled by remote work, has boosted demand for wireless bras, with brands like Leonisa leading the trend through body-positive messaging and large-scale production. Brazilian brand Ouseuse differentiates itself with copper-ion linings that eliminate up to 99% of fungi and bacteria. Additionally, the LYCRA Company's bio-derived LYCRA EcoMade fiber, launched in Brazil's LIVE! Upfit collection in January 2025, combines performance features like compression and UPF50+ sun protection, blending lingerie with activewear and supporting premium pricing.

Briefs and other categories - camisoles, shapewear, and sleepwear - account for 48.77% of revenue but grow slower as consumers focus on core products. Briefs, with lower prices and frequent purchases, act as entry points for new brands but face margin pressure from unbranded imports. Shapewear sees growth with rising female workforce participation in Brazil and Chile, though sizing challenges and in-person fitting needs limit expansion. Camisoles and sleepwear, positioned as self-care indulgences, grow modestly due to premiumization trends but remain niche with limited repeat purchases. The convergence of lingerie and activewear, highlighted by Riachuelo's February 2021 "Mais Sustentável Fitness" collection using biodegradable polyamide, expands the market while complicating segmentation.

In 2025, the mass segment dominated with 72.35% of revenue, reflecting South America's income distribution and the focus of specialty stores and hypermarkets on volume over margin. Meanwhile, the premium segment is growing at 9.21% annually through 2031, outpacing the market's 8.22% CAGR. Rising disposable incomes, influencer-driven trends, and sustainability messaging are driving demand among urban middle-income groups. In Brazil, premium lingerie is increasingly seen as an accessible indulgence. Victoria's Secret's flagship store launch in Buenos Aires in November 2025 highlights confidence in premium demand, despite economic challenges. The brand's Q3 2025 sales rose 9.21% year-on-year to USD 1.471 billion, reflecting global players' success in the premium tier. E-commerce is fueling premium growth by offering SKU variety and price comparisons unavailable in physical stores. With gross margins 20-30 percentage points higher than the mass market, the premium segment is attracting new entrants.

Mass-market brands are responding with vertical integration, localized production, and competitive pricing, but margin pressures are driving consolidation. Gildan's USD 4.4 billion acquisition of HanesBrands, announced in August 2025 and closing in early 2026, will create a combined entity with over 40 manufacturing sites in Central America, enabling faster lead times and USD 200 million in annual cost savings. Brazilian brand Nayane, which achieved 30% revenue growth in H1 2025 and expanded to 4,000 wholesale clients, is scaling through automation and plans to open a third factory in H2 2025. However, unbranded Asian imports, priced 30-50% lower than domestic brands, are squeezing margins, forcing mass-market players to invest in differentiation or exit. Argentina's tariff cuts on over 90 product lines, including polyester and fabrics, have reduced input costs but also increased competition from finished-goods imports, challenging local producers.

Complete Report Scope:

• By Product Type
  • Brassiere
  • Briefs
  • Other Product Types
• By Price Range
  • Mass
  • Premium
• By Material
  • Cotton
  • Silk and Satin
  • Synthetic
  • Recycled and Bio-based Fibers
• By Distribution Channel
  • Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
  • Specialty Stores
  • Online Retail Stores
  • Other Distribution Channels
• By Geography
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Colombia
  • Chile
  • Peru
  • Rest of South America
  • Oat

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• Adore Me
• Groupe Chantelle
• Victoria's Secret & Co.
• CLO Intimo
• Leonisa S.A.
• Sissi Bordeaux
• Carmel
• Catalogo SAC
• AEO Inc.
• Lili Pink
• PVH Corp.
• Triumph International
• Hanesbrands Inc.
• Jockey International Inc.
• H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB
• Hunkemöller International B.V.
• MAS Holdings
• The Gap Inc.
• Zivame
• Loungerie

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support