In the sexual health industry, we must be ready to problem-solve around every corner, especially in retail. You never know who will walk through your doors or what they might need or want that day, not to mention curveballs such as disabilities, neurodivergence, trauma responses, and, of course, body image sensitivities. Something I hear constantly in this industry, from shop owners and clientele alike, is the lack of proper plus-size clothing, lingerie, and kink accessories, which makes me so upset when I can’t find the perfect piece my customer had in mind. So, let’s talk about it.
Let’s start with the numbers. When I visit buying shows and other trade fairs, a consistent reply I get from companies about plus-size options is that there isn’t a market for it, that people aren’t complaining about this, and that we are the first to raise these concerns. Respectfully, this is bullshit and doesn’t align with people's lived experience, showing how out of touch our industry currently is. I have been in this industry my entire life, from doing cash-ins at 8 years old to fittings and owner duties as an adult, and I can confirm that every year, every show, every customer has something to say about the plus-size industry, and it is rarely positive.
Feedback gives us a snapshot of how our customer base is feeling, not just what marketing and design teams assume. The numbers show a clear discrepancy in our industry. Looking back at statistics on average body size in the U.S. over the past 20 years, the numbers suggest plus size isn’t that big of an issue, since these weights generally translate to a clothing size between M-XL; however, these aren’t the only statistics we should be looking at. Separate estimates of plus-size consumers suggest a potentially substantial market, though the definitions and populations vary. These figures raise questions about demand for extended sizing, but weight and obesity data don't directly show how many consumers wear plus-size clothing. So where are the products to match customer demand?
Now, while the numbers suggest that for companies currently doing plus size, sizes up to 4XL-6XL should be booming, when I bring up this topic, I get so many different reasons why they don’t expand or do more plus size.
“We don’t sell enough to make it feasible,” “Our retailers don’t sell our plus-size pieces enough,” or even “The stock just sits in our warehouse.” With these comments and the information above, there's clearly a discrepancy or a hurdle the companies haven’t noticed yet and need to address. My thought? It is directly related to size and measurement grading.
Plus-size clothing isn’t just a bigger version of the pieces being produced; you can’t keep adding inches until it fits a certain measurement range and slap a size label on it. With bigger bodies come new considerations, such as wider straps for full-bust support, using wires larger than a D cup (since customers may require a wider range of cup and band sizes), adding support mesh in the torso to accommodate more body tissue, and widening the gusset, since the outer size of female genitals can increase or decrease with weight.
Two great examples are the Mia group from Parfait Lingerie and the Suspense bodysuit from Curvy Kate Lingerie. The Mia group has two size ranges: a regular range from XS-3XL and a plus version with larger cups and support, labeled XS+-3XL+. Curvy Kate offers the Suspense fully sized bodysuit option for those who need support, generally from a 30DD-42J. So, what is holding other companies back from following in their footsteps?
Over the years, I have received countless suggestions and ideas from customers about what they would like to see on the market, what adjustments could make things more comfortable, and how to make pieces more accessible, especially for those with mobility issues. I highly encourage every company to get out on the streets, head into your local boutiques and thrift stores, and see what is and isn’t available.
Even in thrift stores, you consistently see massive XS-L sections, but as soon as it gets to XL+, options start to dwindle until there are barely any. That limited selection raises questions about access to quality extended-size clothing, even in the secondhand market.
Designers, bring in people of all sizes for your item mock-ups! Measure and check your fits before producing; make use of your retailers and have them fit samples on everyday customers.
Fit Fully Yours, a Canadian bra brand, uses this tactic and consistently achieves great success with new pieces, especially because they fit bras up to a 46J/40L/36M and underwear up to 5XL.
Anna Gladysz from FFY shared a wonderful comment: “After we started sending samples to boutiques such as Bodacious Bustlines in Saskatoon and gathering feedback and confirming fits on customers, we saw an increase in sales and better reviews. This has proved invaluable to us as a company, especially when you consider that lingerie can’t simply be scaled up.”
Also, our kink and sexual accessory companies need to pay closer attention to the market. We constantly struggle with body harnesses, strap-on harnesses, and panty vibrators that don't fit our customers. Every body size deserves options that enhance their pleasure and sexuality!
As an industry focused on human sexuality and intrigue, we need to support our customers better, no matter their size and shape, and it needs to happen now. I have heard for years, “We’re working on it,” “Just be patient,” and “Why is this such a big deal?” Well, guess what? Now is the time to make good on these comments by producing proper, well-made plus-size options and actively supporting the largest part of our customer base. I can’t wait to see the changes!
Mersy Love is co-owner and co-founder of Bodacious Afterhours, a sexual wellness boutique specializing in independent brands, Canadian-made pieces, and niche kink and fetish items. As a certified phlebotomist and chemist currently pursuing a master's in sexual education, Mersy offers education and therapy across all areas of intimacy, disability, neurodivergence and BDSM.
