The Thunderpants fabric is 90% organically grown cotton and 10% spandex to give it that super comfy, soft stretchy feel. The waist and leg bands are constructed in the same, lovely fabric eliminating the need for the addition of nasty, grippy elastic and adding to the enjoyment of your Thunderpants experience. All the garments are made locally and lovingly in Portland, OR, USA.
A little bit of history…
Thunderpants USA is an off-shoot of the original Thunderpants brand out of New Zealand. TPUSA owner, Celeste, was introduced to the brand when her younger sister moved to New Zealand in 2005 and sent her a pair of Thunderpants. Knowing of Celeste's on-going search for a pair of comfortable underwear (I mean really!), obsession with sustainable clothing, and love for Calvin and Hobbs, when her sister found a pair of organic cotton full coverage underwear in a rocket ship print (Calvin fans will remember he had lucky rocket ship underwear) she snatched them up and sent them off. Celeste still has that pair: talk about quality. Thus began Celeste's obsession with Thunderpants, the cutest and most comfortable underwear in the world. When she opened Radish Underground in 2008, a little boutique in downtown Portland, Or, she had to sell them. She imported Thunderpants for years and helped grow the US market.
In 2016, to meet US demand and keep in line with our mutual commitment to local production Celeste licensed the NZ brand and launched Thunderpants USA made right here in Portland, Or.
Brooke joined the TPUSA team right after the launch in 2016 or should we say Brooke made TPUSA a team. Brooke does all the marketing and most cute note writing, while Celeste manages production and obsessively analyzes reports. A team of two Thunderpants lovers on a mission to eradicate wedgies and uncomfortable underpants. Here's to happy bums!
Quality over quantity - a philosophy
Thunderpants NZ and USA have the shared value sustainability: not just in how our organic cotton is grown and in our manufacturing practices, but in our own lives as well. We work hard but we also believe life shouldn’t be taken too seriously. As family run businesses, work has become an extension of home. We love what we do as much as the product we make.
The Thunderpants business models are based on similar principles of slow growth, family before business and lifestyle over work. And it’s worked pretty well for us so far, proving that it is possible to work in a sustainable way that supports your local economy.
More than just underpants, Thunderpants are a way of life and, yes, it may seem a bit daft and cliched - it is only clothing afterall - but for us, Thunderpants embodies and embraces the more important things in life like slowing down and enjoying the fruits of our labour.
We really hope you experience the same freedom and peace of mind when you wear Thunderpants.
