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Key Takeaways
- Jared bought hundreds of underwear brands from around the world trying to find something that actually fit
- The ABCD pouch classification brings aerospace standardization to men's intimate apparel
- Real Men designs in 3D while most factories think in 2D - because bodies aren't flat
- Single pouch design beats multi-compartment systems by working with natural anatomy
- Same pricing for all sizes (S-5X) even though larger sizes cost significantly more to produce
- Modal fabric (from beech trees) is twice as soft as cotton with antimicrobial properties
- The company targets 95% fit coverage without custom pricing
From Aerospace to Underwear: The Unlikely Journey
Jared Mortensen spent 20 years in aerospace before making a career shift that had everyone questioning his sanity. First to a pet products company (where he learned online selling), then to something even more unexpected - founding a men's underwear company.
"A lot of people, like in my family and others, it's like, hey, why would you even do this? I didn't even talk about it for a little while as far as when I got the idea."
The motivation was personal and persistent: "One issue I've had for a long time is just men's underwear just does not fit very well, doesn't fit a men's body."
The Hundred-Brand Research Phase
Before designing anything, Jared became his own test subject: "I literally bought hundreds of different brands from all over the world trying to find stuff that would fit better."
What he discovered was a universal problem with no good solution:
- Some had decent fits but confusing sizing ("Mega Man" vs "Superman" - how do you know which you are?)
- Quality products were prohibitively expensive
- Affordable options had poor construction
- Nobody provided clear resources to help men find proper fit
This research phase evolved from personal quest to business opportunity over a couple years, leading to serious sample development in summer 2021.
The Alibaba Sketching Phase
Armed with frustration and determination, Jared started sending sketches to factories through Alibaba, connecting with manufacturers primarily in India and China. Each sample cost $100-150 - "not a small amount of money" when you're burning through your savings perfecting a design.
The timeline moved quickly once he committed:
- Summer 2021: Started serious sampling
- August 2021: Officially incorporated the business
- November 2021: Placed first production order
- March 2022: Started selling
The 3D Thinking Revolution
Here's where aerospace experience met intimate apparel: "Most factories, and this is a struggle as I work with factories and other individuals, they really think in a 2D model, but our bodies are not designed that way."
The Real Men approach: Design products to fit in 3D, accounting for:
- Width variations
- Protrusion differences
- Material stretch patterns
- Daily size and shape changes
"Our bodies change shape and size as we go throughout the day. Thanksgiving's coming up, we eat a little too much, things expand."
The ABCD Classification System
Drawing directly from aerospace's standardization principles, Jared created the ABCD pouch classification: "Very important to have things standardized so that you can replace things and people know what they're gonna get."
This system allows men to identify their size (B, C, etc.) and get consistent fit across all product types - boxer briefs, trunks, briefs, or thongs.
Chris puts it bluntly: "When he talks about unique size and shape, we're not just talking about waist. We're talking about the size of your junk... It's not just about the frank length, it's not just about Barry's size, it's just the whole package."
Single Pouch vs. Multi-Compartment Design
While some brands separate "berries in one and twig in the other," Jared found these designs problematic: "There was like these seams that kind of cause a lot of chafing. And it's like, how do you find something that actually fits?"
The single pouch solution accounts for natural variation:
- Some men have larger berries
- Others have a larger twig
- Positioning varies (higher or lower) between individuals
- Everything stays together naturally
"How did God design our bodies? How do we actually sit naturally? How do you design a product that is really going to support and accentuate that natural form versus forcing it into unnatural positions?"
The 95% Fit Philosophy
Real Men aims to fit 95% of men without custom pricing: "We're providing a custom fit without the custom price."
This involves accommodating:
- Package size variations
- Waist differences
- Thigh measurements
- Hip proportions
- Anatomical positioning (higher vs. lower)
The pouch is positioned "low enough that we can accommodate the majority of guys but if they're positioned higher, they're gonna be able to fit there."
Size Inclusivity Without Price Punishment
One of the company's core principles challenges industry norms: "We charge the same for 3, 4, or 5X that we do for a small, even though it costs a whole lot more for us to make."
Jared's reasoning is simple but powerful: "We don't feel like you shouldn't be punishing guys just because they're large. It happens a lot with guys on the larger side, that they're just paying through the nose for products that actually fit them."
Chris emphasizes this philosophy: "All you other guys with all your other shapes, you are welcome here at the table. Your fit matters, your size matters."
The Material Difference: Modal Magic
When addressing the price point ($39 for a three-pack), Jared explains the quality equation: "There's only certain products that I'm willing to put on my body."
Typical brands (Hanes, Fruit of the Loom): Cheap cotton or polyester
Real Men's Modal fabric:
- Made from beech tree fiber
- Twice as soft as cotton
- Antimicrobial properties
- Anti-odor technology
- Superior durability
"I'm only gonna sell stuff that I actually like, things that I would actually want to put on my body."
The Executive Boardroom Problem
Jared distinguishes Real Men from corporate competitors: "A lot of these other brands are designed by executives in boardrooms. They really don't care about your fit and feel if they cram the same designs down, just trying to make more money on people for like 40, 50 years."
Real Men's approach focuses on three pillars:
- Superior materials
- Quality construction
- Longevity of wear
"It's really about investment in your comfort and whether you wanna be comfortable as you go throughout the day."
The Price Perspective
For men buying Hanes 12-packs at Walmart, the price might seem high. But Jared reframes the conversation: "Some guys would rather spend more on a Big Mac than they would on a high quality pair of underwear."
More importantly, Real Men's target customers "are already purchasing products that are 30 or $40 a pair."
The value proposition: "We can give somebody a better cost, a better price, better fit for a third to half the price of a Tommy Johns or a Saks or these other brands that have a pouch product."
The Engineering Mindset Applied
Throughout the conversation, Jared's 20 years in aerospace shine through:
- Standardized sizing systems
- 3D thinking in product design
- Material optimization for stretch and flexibility
- Systematic testing through hundreds of samples
- Focus on consistent, replaceable fit
While he clarifies "I'm not an aerospace engineer," his experience in tooling design and working with design teams informed every decision.
The Personal Investment
The journey from idea to product required significant sacrifice:
- Years of personal testing
- Spending savings on $100-150 samples
- Months of factory negotiations
- Risk of leaving stable aerospace career
- Family skepticism about the venture
But the payoff comes in customer feedback, particularly from larger sizes: "We get a lot of feedback on that, particularly from guys that are on 3, 4, or 5X. The fact that the fit works a lot better for them."
Looking Forward
This episode marks the beginning of a series with Jared, promising more insights into the company's development and philosophy. As Chris notes, this conversation is already better than their first attempt: "The last time the set wasn't as good, I was not as good at asking questions or saying words."
The Uncomfortable Truth About Comfort
Jared's story reveals an uncomfortable truth: most men have been settling for subpar underwear their entire lives. Whether it's confusing sizing systems, poor material choices, or designs created by executives who don't wear the products, the industry has failed men for decades.
Real Men Apparel Company represents more than just better underwear - it's the application of engineering principles, inclusive pricing philosophy, and genuine care for customer comfort converging in an unexpected product category.
When an aerospace professional spends years and his savings perfecting underwear design, you know there's magic in the details. The ABCD system isn't just clever marketing - it's standardization solving a real problem. The single pouch isn't just different - it's designed around how bodies actually work. The same pricing for all sizes isn't just nice - it's revolutionary in an industry that typically punishes larger men.
Next week's continuation promises more insights into this unlikely success story. Until then, men everywhere can appreciate that someone finally applied rocket science thinking to their daily comfort.
