M&S knickers - what’s happened?

[gillefc82]

I’m in my 40s and for most of my life I’ve bought my everyday wear knickers (thongs to be precise) from M&S. They’ve always washed well and lasted but I’ve found that the ones I’ve purchased during the last year or two have fallen off a cliff in terms of quality, e.g. holes appearing around the stitching after only a couple of washes.

Is it just me or are others having this issue? And can anyone recommend somewhere else where I can buy quality, comfortable cotton thongs that will last more than a few months?

Yes me and my failsafe cotton Brazilians are nigh on impossible to find - I don’t want microfibres ones thanks! They’ve also narrowed the hip band so it cuts in. I now go to Sainsbury’s and they’re perfect!

And they're all microfibre now! No thank you!

Yes!
I used to buy the midi knickers which are now called something else, and they're DIFFERENT, don't fit the same. Why oh why do they do this

Haven't bought pants in M&S for years, always get them from TU (Sainsbury's).

Glad it’s not just me ! They’re awful
now and don’t even get me started on how narrow the gusset is - I can’t use thier full
briefs with sanitary towels at all now as they are far too narrow .

Yes, they’re called shorts and they have the nerve to say they’re midis. They’re not. I bought my knickers in M&S for half a century but not any more.

Ex M & S knicker buyer here too. You should try British Boxers. I'm a convert. Started buying about 3 years ago. Cotton mostly but last purchase was bamboo and they (bamboo) are so soft https://british-boxers.com/collections/high-leg-knickers

Yes, they’re crap now. The quality went down the pan a few years ago. I noticed because I bought a pack of their no VPL knickers about 10 years ago and they were brilliant and lasted for many years. I bought another pack of them a few years later to replace some other underwear and they were great too. Eventually they all wore out and I replaced them with a new pack a couple of years ago. Awful. Holes along the seams after the first wash. Thought I had a faulty batch so returned and got another pack. They were the same.

This is a well known issue, so much so that I can’t believe M&S aren’t aware of customer feelings.

I wonder what the sales figures are like?

Personally, I think M&S has really lost it’s way in general.

I hate that they stock other brands now (so less space for what used to be good quality affordable stuff) making it no different to anywhere else.

Thank goodness someone else has noticed this! It has now stopped me buying from them.

I went to m and s last week to get knickers. They were all rubbish quality. I got some in Primark. They won’t last but they were cheap.

I agree! Mine literally started coming apart at the waist band after one wear, I even emailed them and they essentially said tough! Never buying from them again

Microfibre? That sounds so gross

Microfibre knickers are so comfortable. The gusset has to be cotton though.

My problems with M&S knickers is that the elastic breaks after a couple of washes. Really poor quality. This is not from wearing them but from the wash! I still wear them because it seems a waste to throw them away when they are fairly new.

Agree awful quality. They’re practically see-through they’re so thin!

Not m and s but I compared two sets of underwear- one old one new and the new ones had less material:( I think quality is going out the window with col

Yes, I noticed this last time I bought a pack of high legs, which I’ve been wearing for years! They’ve really skimped on the cut and the material and elastic just weren’t as good. I had to bin them and carry on wearing my old ones. I bought some Wirapa as recommended on here but those were more like a full brief which I don’t like as much. They’ll do for now.

The best knickers I've had recently were from tesco. Seriously. High leg cotton, with a band of pretty lace at the top. Normal width gusset. Wash well.

Conversely, I've found it a lot easier lately to find my size bra in M&S, and the Flexifit ones are so comfortable.

Totally agree. M&S kickers get holes is really quickly, elastic comes off and they go really thin. Also the gusset has gone narrow, which might be fine if you haven’t had a baby!! I always used to buy their high leg knickers but now I pay extra money for triumph cotton underwear which is excellent quality and a great fit for me (I’m size 14). They last very well too.

This

Agreed, they’re rubbish now. I’ve tried Tu and Next, both of which are fine.

I thought it was just me that had problems with them. The last pack I bought the elastic is coming away from the fabric and the elastic at the top no longer stays up.

I've still got a pair of m and s Brazilian knickers from 2008 when I started a uniformed job. Still going strong unlike the latest from there!

Wow - that is a pretty iconic job! You must be popular at parties (not sarcasm, I'd be fascinated to know about that)...

Sounds like you got out at the right time, they are definitely made of thinner, sadder cotton now... no one wants sad loins...

No one wants sad loins! Brilliant!

another ex M&S shopper here. I am TU all the way now.