Here's a number that stuck with us this week: 61% of Canadians believe products made in Canada usually cost more than similar American ones. That comes from a new Abacus Data survey published October 1.
And honestly? For underwear, they're right. Ours does cost more than a five-pack from a big-box store. But we're pretty competitive with other premium brands.
The same survey found something else: only about one in five Canadians will buy Canadian when it costs noticeably more. So we're going to do something most brands don't, and show you what's in the price.
First, the industry average (spoiler: it's not great)
The week before Abacus published, the Clean Clothes Campaign released the seventh edition of its Fashion Checker report, which tracks whether big fashion brands pay the people who make their clothes enough to live on. They looked at 110 brands. The headline numbers:
32% have made a public living-wage commitment.
4% report actual, tangible progress.
For 96% of the brands, none of their supply-chain workers were found to be earning a living wage.
Only 3% disclose what wages are actually paid in the factories they use.
Workers surveyed in Bangladesh earned 73% less than a living-wage benchmark. In Pakistan, it was 74% less.
We're not writing this to disparage anyone. It's to answer the question underneath "why does this cost more?"
Often a lower price isn't efficiency. Someone further down the chain is absorbing the difference.
Our supply chain is short enough to drive
Labels: printed in Markham, Ontario.
Waistband and thread: made in Montreal.
Sewing: done by our team in Scarborough.
That's three Canadian cities. We can visit every one of them, and we do. When Sarah's quality-control team flags a seam, the fix is a conversation, not an email chain across twelve time zones.
Where the money goes
28% - sewing
26% - ads
15% - packing and shipping
10% - materials
8% - overhead
13% - our salaries plus profit
The biggest line is people. The people who sew our underwear are paid Ontario wages, and they work a short drive from where we live. We know their names.
Why we don't just cut costs
We get asked this. "Couldn't you make it cheaper overseas and pass the savings on?" Probably. But the brands that built their whole model on cheap are having a rough year too. SHEIN's quarterly profit just fell 67%, and Reuters reports it now plans to sell higher-priced brands to make up the gap. Even the cheapest company in fashion is discovering that cheap isn't a strategy forever.
We make fewer, make them well, make them here, and make them last long enough that the price-per-wear is a lot better than the cheap ones.
"Say it every time"
One last stat from that Abacus survey: after nineteen months of buy-Canadian sentiment, Canadians are still no better at identifying which brands are Canadian. And 89% want products to clearly say where they're made. Abacus's advice to brands was three words: say it every time.
So here it is:
do+dare is Canadian.
Designed in Burlington, sewn in Scarborough, with labels from Markham and waistbands from Montreal.
It costs more, and now you know why.
Thanks for reading!
-Sarah+Rob
Frequently Asked Questions
Is do+dare underwear actually made in Canada?
Yes. Every pair is designed in Burlington, Ontario, and sewn by our team in Scarborough, Ontario. The labels are printed in Markham, Ontario, and the waistband elastic and thread are made in Montreal, Quebec. Our bamboo viscose fabric is sourced from China.
What's the difference between "Made in Canada" and "Product of Canada"?
They're two different claims, and the Competition Bureau of Canada has guidelines for each:
"Product of Canada" means the last substantial transformation of the product happened in Canada, and at least 98% of the total direct costs of making it were incurred in Canada.
"Made in Canada" means the last substantial transformation happened in Canada, and at least 51% of the total direct costs were incurred here.
A "substantial transformation" is a fundamental change in form, appearance or nature, so that what comes out is a new and different product from what went in. "Direct costs" means materials and the labour of making the product. General overhead usually isn't counted. Neither are things like advertising or shipping.
Why does do+dare cost more than underwear from a big-box store?
Mostly because of who makes it and where. Sewing is the single biggest line in our price (28%), because our underwear is sewn in small batches in Scarborough by people paid Ontario wages. Mass-market underwear is usually sewn overseas at much larger volumes and much lower labour costs. The Clean Clothes Campaign's 2026 Fashion Checker found that for 96% of the 110 big brands it reviewed, none of the supply-chain workers it checked earned a living wage.
How does do+dare's price compare to other premium underwear brands?
We're in the same range as other premium bamboo and natural-fibre underwear brands. Most of those brands manufacture overseas. The difference with ours is that the sewing, labels, waistband and thread all come from Canada.
Why is 26% of the price spent on ads?
Because we're a small, new brand, and people can't buy something they've never heard of. Big brands get a lot of attention for free through store shelves, decades of name recognition and huge social followings. We have to pay to be found. We'd love that number to shrink over time, and the biggest thing that shrinks it is word of mouth. Every customer who tells a friend saves us an ad.
What's included in "overhead"?
Overhead (8%) covers the costs of running the business that aren't tied to any single pair: things like our website and e-commerce platform, software, insurance, accounting, product testing and samples.
Is 13% for salaries and profit a lot?
It's the share of the price that pays the two of us and keeps the business going, and it's smaller than what we spend on sewing, ads or shipping. Profit isn't a dirty word for us. It's what lets a small Canadian brand stay around long enough to keep making things here, invest in new styles and weather slow months.
Who sews do+dare underwear, and how are they paid?
Our underwear is sewn by our team in Scarborough, Ontario, a short drive from where we live. They're paid Ontario wages, which are set and enforced under Ontario's Employment Standards Act. That's a very different standard from the countries where most underwear is made.
What does "price-per-wear" mean?
Price-per-wear is the price you paid divided by the number of times you wear something. A cheap pair that stretches out or pills after a few months can end up costing more per wear than a pricier pair that lasts years. For example, a $5 pair worn 30 times costs about 66¢ per wear, while a $35 pair worn 100 times costs about 35¢ per wear.
How long does a pair of do+dare underwear last?
With good care, a pair should hold up for a long time. Sarah's quality-control team checks every pair before it ships, and the construction is built to last. To get the most life out of yours, wash cold, use about half the usual amount of detergent, skip fabric softener (it coats the bamboo fibres and reduces breathability), and hang dry or tumble dry on low.
Why doesn't do+dare move production overseas to lower the price?
Because making it here is the point. A short supply chain means we can visit every supplier, fix quality issues in person, and tell you exactly who made your underwear. Overseas production might lower our costs, but we'd lose that control and that transparency. And cheap isn't a sure thing either: SHEIN's quarterly profit fell 67% this fall, and it's now moving toward higher-priced brands.
How can I tell if a brand is really Canadian?
Check the label for a specific claim like "Made in Canada" and, ideally, where it was made. Look on the brand's website for named suppliers or manufacturing locations rather than a maple leaf alone. Abacus Data's October 2026 survey found most Canadians still can't reliably tell which brands are Canadian. When in doubt, ask the brand. A brand that makes things here will usually be happy to tell you where.
Sources: Abacus Data - Nineteen months on, the Buy Canadian shopper has not gone home | Clean Clothes Campaign - Fashion Checker 2026 | WWD/Sourcing Journal - Living wage promises outpace pay | Ecotextile - Fashion brands lag on living wages | Reuters - SHEIN Q2 profit | Competition Bureau of Canada - "Product of Canada" and "Made in Canada" claims | Ontario Living Wage Network