Step One

Step One, bamboo viscose underwear designed in Australia

Step One is an Australian underwear brand that presents itself as a direct-to-consumer online retailer. Its catalogue focuses on garments made from bamboo-derived viscose, a fabric the company describes as breathable, soft, moisture-absorbent and durable, as well as coming from a renewable resource that requires little water and pesticides to grow. The company claims to have transformed the underwear market with innovative design and a loyal fan base, and notes that it operates in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Men's garments and collections

The men's line includes boxer briefs with a 6-inch inseam, boxer brief fly with easy access, 4-inch trunks, classic-cut briefs and 8-inch boxer sport designed for physical activity. Technical variants include the Cloud Mesh range, with an ultra-light construction, and CloudPress Pro, a compression line the brand describes as breathable, available in knee-length, ¾-length and full-length versions. The catalogue is completed by the X-Cup line and cricket underwear.

Women's, active and absorbent underwear

For women, Step One sells the SmoothFit collection, with a lift-and-support bra, moderate-coverage bikini brief, full brief, thong and low-rise, stretchy boyleg. The active and shapewear range includes body shorts and classic bikini-style garments. The company also has a period underwear line under the name Flow Forward, with full briefs, bikini and thong, which the brand presents with the idea of minimum bulk and maximum absorbency. Several of these pieces are offered in coordinated five-piece sets, with prices listed from $25 each at the time of review.

Socks, sleepwear and kids' line

The range extends to bamboo viscose socks in crew, ankle and no show versions, presented as comfortable and durable. The NiteKnit rest line includes men's sleepwear and long johns, described as engineered for rest and recovery. For children, the brand offers Junior Trunk for ages 2 to 14 and Girls Shortie for ages 6 to 14, with anti-chafe panels on the 6-inch inseam models.

Limited editions and launches

Step One frequently uses limited editions and seasonal prints. The site at the time showed options such as Crocz, with crocodile print in men's, women's and kids' versions; My Love is the Sea, with marine motifs; the Melange range in Stonewash Grey and Desert Sage; Commandos; Yacht Rocks Vol. 3 with nautical stripes in sage green; and SmoothFit sets in Aquamarine, Espresso-tini, Ash Brown, Mojito and Capri Yellow. The brand maintains a notification system to alert customers about new products and exclusive drops.

Guarantee, shipping and customer service

The company offers a 30-day first pair guarantee: if the customer is not satisfied with their first garment, they get a no-questions-asked refund. Shipping is advertised as free. Customer service is available Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 8:30 pm, with an average response time stated as 24 hours. The brand reports more than 65,000 customers who rate it five stars.

Payment and corporate structure

The store accepts payment with Afterpay, Zip, Klarna, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Mastercard, PayPal, Shop Pay, Union Pay and Visa. Step One defines itself as a direct-to-consumer online retailer and as a multinational company with operations in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.