London “phallus palace” (a.k.a., boxer brief) brand raises eyebrows and funds

In the UK, a men’s underwear startup with a stellar copywriting team and biodegradable designs has raised £2.6 million ($3.6 million) to expand production and distribution. 

Founded in 2018 by couple Alex Walsh and Yang Liu, JustWears uses biodegradable materials like tree fibers, corn, and seaweed to create an ultra-comfortable boxer-briefs that also feature an “ergonomic pouch to treat your crown jewels like royalty.” 

Liu, a former VC herself, tells the Evening Standard the impetus was Walsh’s struggle to find a comfy pair of undies. To date, the company has sold more than 150,000 “phallus palaces” in 70 countries. 

The seed round was led by Pembroke VCT with participation from Ignite XL, Sunshine Ventures, and James McArthur. 

Among adding staff and developing new product lines, JustWears will use the funds to explore other sustainable material options.