A Landscapes Case Study
Apparel Basics Category Deep Dive
Published September 2025
Inside the Report
Everyday apparel may seem predictable, but consumer decisions in this category reveal complexity, tension, and untapped opportunity. Our report highlights just a few insights from a typical Langston research study leveraging our Landscapes insights ecosystem.
Our case study includes:
A category deep dive into the apparel basics market (underwear, socks etc.), exploring how legacy brands and newer players are positioned, what drives purchase decisions, and where gaps remain.
Funnel metrics with Life Lenses, our distinct consumer segments, which include those who value style vs. practicality, value vs innovation, and how they differ in perception, conversion, and willingness to pay.
How well current products meet consumer needs, which functions are under-served, and which are over-served or well met.
What We Found
Even in a well-established category like apparel basics, there is still significant room for innovation beyond incremental improvements. Consumers are looking for features and aesthetics that “stretch” further than the familiar combination of comfort, durability, and value.
Brands must find the right balance between serving core shoppers who expect reliable products and engaging higher-spend segments who seek premium quality, advanced materials, and unique designs that fit their lifestyles. Success requires clarity in messaging, thoughtful distribution, and product line strategies that connect with both planned and impulse purchases across digital and retail channels.
If brands overlook unmet needs or misalign pricing with what consumers actually want, they risk losing ground to competitors who can appeal to style-conscious and innovation-driven shoppers.
Landscapes by Langston
Landscapes is a research solution that delivers in-depth insights into how consumers think, decide, and behave in as little as two weeks. We leverage a vast, category-specific dataset and layer custom analysis to provide answers that align directly with your business goals.
This greatly reduces the time and cost of category research, provides sharper and more actionable understanding of customer groups, highlights white space opportunities and competitive gaps, and ensures that insights can be translated with confidence into strategy, messaging, product development, and prioritization.
Let’s Talk
We’d love to show you how Langston Landscapes makes your data work harder and your marketing faster and smarter.
DISCLAIMER: We base our research, recommendations, and forecasts on techniques, information and sources we believe to be reliable. We cannot guarantee future accuracy and results. The Langston Co. will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by a reader's reliance on our research.
More insights, more data. Download this study to learn more.
In order to conduct unbiased and objective research, this study was privately funded by The Langston Co. We did not receive endorsement or financial support of any kind from any third party.
Thanks for taking time to read our research. With questions, comments, or suggestions about this study, please contact us at contact@thelangstonco.com.