Branwyn’s inclusion on this list of breakout challenger brands reflects growing commercial demand for performance innerwear made from natural fibres.
Branwyn, the Bend, Oregon-based women’s Merino performance innerwear brand, has been named to The Lead’s 2026 Foremost 50 List, which recognises challenger brands redefining established consumer categories.
The Lead, a research-driven US media company covering fashion, beauty, home and consumer sectors, uses the Foremost 50 to spotlight fast-growing brands differentiated by product innovation, go-to-market strategy and category vision. The 2026 edition is available at the-lead.co.
Seamless Merino as category disruptor
The recognition centres on Branwyn’s technical approach: ZQ Merino wool – an ethically sourced certification standard for New Zealand and Australian wool – applied through seamless knitting construction. Launched in 2019, the brand has focused on next-to-skin performance, positioning its products as non-toxic alternatives to the synthetic fabrics that dominate innerwear and baselayer categories.
Seamless construction, typically associated with synthetic stretch performance fabrics, has rarely been applied to high-content natural fibre yarns at performance specification. Branwyn’s differentiation lies in merging the thermal regulation, moisture management and anti-microbial properties of Merino wool with the fit and durability advantages of seamless manufacturing.
Natural fibres are gaining ground
Consumer demand for alternatives to PFAS and other synthetic chemical treatments has opened commercial space for natural fibre brands to compete on performance metrics previously owned by synthetics. That shift is particularly pronounced in innerwear and baselayers, where skin contact and health considerations weigh heavily in purchase decisions.
The women’s performance segment is undergoing structural change. Several incumbent brands have historically adapted menswear fit standards to female bodies rather than engineering from women’s physiological and lifestyle needs. Brands like Branwyn that build from that premise – and can substantiate the technical case for natural fibre performance – are finding a receptive audience amongst active women seeking longevity and comfort alongside function.
See also our earlier report: Branwyn named top Athletech startup to watch.
