NEIWAI
NEIWAI is a Chinese-origin intimate apparel and lifestyle brand selling wire-free, seamless bras, activewear, and lifestyle apparel through DTC e-commerce (neiwai.life) and 200+ physical stores, anchored by its proprietary CloudFit Nylon Barely Zero collection.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What NEIWAI does
NEIWAI is a Chinese-origin intimate apparel and lifestyle brand founded in the mid-2010s (Series A funding recorded in 2015; company history section references 2016 founding). The company designs and sells wire-free, seamless bras, briefs, leggings, and activewear under its flagship "Barely Zero" collection, anchored by a proprietary CloudFit Nylon blend fabric (68% Polyamide, 32% Spandex) and adaptive one-size fit construction. Its product architecture has expanded from core intimates into men's underwear and loungewear, a NEIWAI ACTIVE performance line, and lifestyle apparel (jeans, swimwear, outerwear), including a co-branded collection with the New York City Ballet priced up to $265.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront (neiwai.life) and a brick-and-mortar retail network of 200+ physical stores in China. Pricing is unit-based across AOV tiers: $12-$15 for briefs, $29-$59 for bras, $39 for leggings, and bundle discounts (e.g., 2 for $49, 3 for $39). Customer acquisition is driven by social media (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook), celebrity and influencer endorsements, and a verified-review-driven social proof engine that yields 4.7-4.9 star ratings and 97-98% recommendation rates on flagship products. The company has raised approximately $144.6M across 7 funding rounds between 2015 and 2021, including a $100M Series D in July 2021 led by The Carlyle Group at a $500M pre-money valuation. It serves primarily comfort-focused women, with secondary segments in active lifestyle consumers, men's intimates, and lifestyle/category-extension buyers. Founders Jiang Li (co-founder) and Xiaolu Liu (founder and president) lead the company, which operates 501-1000 employees.
NEIWAI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NEIWAI
- Legal name
- NEIWAI
- Website
- https://neiwai.life
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- NEIWAI is a Chinese-origin intimate apparel and lifestyle brand selling wire-free, seamless bras, activewear, and lifestyle apparel through DTC e-commerce (neiwai.life) and 200+ physical stores, anchored by its proprietary CloudFit Nylon Barely Zero collection.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NEIWAI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Women's Intimate Apparel
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)
- SIC
- Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Intimates, Lingerie, Swimwear & Sleepwear Brands (CRAAAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Intimates, Lingerie & Sleepwear Retail (CRAAABAF), Yoga, Pilates & Studio Wear Retail (CRAMACAE), Performance Outerwear & Technical Apparel (CRAAAEAB)
Keywords
Where NEIWAI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
NEIWAI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Intimate Apparel Sales: Primary revenue stream from direct-to-consumer sales of bras, briefs, leggings, and loungewear through neiwai.life e-commerce platform and physical retail stores. One-time product purchases with bundle discounts available (e.g., 2 for $49, 3 for $39).
- Activewear & Lifestyle Products: Revenue from expanded product categories including leggings, shorts, activewear, outerwear, and lifestyle apparel. Category extension leveraging brick-and-mortar presence for diversification.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barely Zero Strap Bra - $29 (sale) / $39 (regular) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barely Zero Scallop Bra - $59 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barely Zero Low Waist Brief - $12 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barely Zero Mid Waist Brief - $15 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barely Zero Flow Leggings - $39 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bandeau Bra - $38 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pure Comfort Triangle Bra - $49 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Men's Modal Brief - $19 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | NEIWAI ACTIVE X NYCB Wool Fleece Coat - $265 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards - $50 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
NEIWAI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NEIWAI designs, manufactures, and sells comfortable intimate apparel including wire-free bras, briefs, leggings, bodysuits, men's underwear and loungewear built around its proprietary CloudFit nylon blend fabric and seamless construction. The brand sells primarily direct-to-consumer through its own Shopify-powered e-commerce site (neiwai.life) and physical retail stores, with collections spanning the Barely Zero seamless line, Pure Comfort natural-fiber line, and the NEIWAI ACTIVE performance collaboration with NYCB.
Product overview
NEIWAI is a Chinese intimate apparel and lifestyle brand offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered on its flagship Barely Zero collection. The core offering consists of adaptive comfort technology integrated across bras, briefs, leggings, and bodysuits, all featuring CloudFit nylon blend fabric for a second-skin feel. The brand extends beyond intimates into activewear (leggings, sports bras, shorts), men's underwear and loungewear, and lifestyle apparel. A notable collaboration line with NYCB (New York City Ballet) features performance outerwear and activewear made with technical fabrics like Polartec fleece and wool blends. The Barely Zero line serves as the foundation technology, while Pure Comfort, UltraFlex, and 3D Smile collections represent specialized sub-lines addressing different comfort and support needs. The product architecture enables category extension from intimates into lifestyle products like jeans, swimwear, and knitwear, supported by the brand's brick-and-mortar retail presence of approximately 120 stores as of 2021.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Barely Zero: The core collection featuring adaptive comfort technology with seamless, wire-free bras and intimates designed for invisible comfort.
- Pure Comfort
- NEIWAI ACTIVE
Products and services
- Barely Zero Bra Collection
Quantifiable outcome
- 4.9 out of 5 stars from 3,260 reviews on flagship Barely Zero Strap Bra
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use NEIWAI
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NEIWAI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
NEIWAI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- NYCB (New York City Ballet)coreNEIWAI ACTIVE X NYCB collaboration featuring a collection of premium activewear and lifestyle products including Polartec fleece sweatpants, wool fleece coats, bomber jackets, quilted vests, waffle tops, and other performance apparel. The collaboration brings ballet-inspired aesthetics to performance wear.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NEIWAI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ThirdLove: US-based DTC intimates brand focused on wireless, half-cup-sized bras. Directly comparable in target customer (comfort-seeking women), channel (DTC e-commerce), and product philosophy (sizing innovation, no underwire).
- Savage X Fenty: Rihanna's intimates and loungewear brand sold primarily DTC with strong celebrity/influencer marketing. Comparable as a digitally-native intimates brand competing for the same comfort-meets-aspirational customer.
- Skims: Kim Kardashian's shapewear, intimates, and loungewear brand sold DTC. Direct competitor in seamless intimates and loungewear with a similarly broad size range and influencer-driven brand model.
- Cuup: DTC intimates brand emphasizing minimalist design, wireless support, and modern fit. Closely comparable in product design language (seamless, wire-free) and premium DTC positioning.
- Knix: Canadian DTC intimates and activewear brand with a strong wireless/leakproof core. Comparable in the seamless, comfort-first intimates thesis and in expansion into activewear and loungewear.
Emerging players
- Parade: Younger DTC intimates brand focused on inclusive sizing, comfort, and sustainability. Comparable as a digitally-native intimates brand targeting Gen Z and millennial women with wireless essentials.
Broad incumbents
- Lululemon: Global athleisure incumbent. Comparable in the activewear/leggings/performance-apparel overlap, particularly against NEIWAI's NEIWAI ACTIVE line and Flow Leggings.
- Aerie (American Eagle Outfitters): Mall-anchored intimates and loungewear brand with strong DTC growth. Comparable in comfort bras, bralettes, and inclusive body-positive marketing aimed at the same demographic.
- Victoria's Secret: Largest US intimates retailer undergoing a comfort-led repositioning. Comparable as a broad intimates competitor with growing emphasis on wireless, seamless styles that mirror NEIWAI's core proposition.
- Calvin Klein (PVH Corp.): Global apparel and intimates brand. Comparable for its basics/underwear/bra category presence, broad retail distribution, and crossover between intimates, activewear, and lifestyle apparel.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NEIWAI social profiles
Digital presenceNEIWAI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NEIWAI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
NEIWAI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NEIWAI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NEIWAI
What does NEIWAI do?
NEIWAI designs, manufactures, and sells comfortable intimate apparel including wire-free bras, briefs, leggings, bodysuits, men's underwear and loungewear built around its proprietary CloudFit nylon blend fabric and seamless construction. The brand sells primarily direct-to-consumer through its own Shopify-powered e-commerce site (neiwai.life) and physical retail stores, with collections spanning the Barely Zero seamless line, Pure Comfort natural-fiber line, and the NEIWAI ACTIVE performance collaboration with NYCB.
Is NEIWAI a public or private company?
NEIWAI is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was NEIWAI founded?
NEIWAI was founded in 2016. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is NEIWAI based?
NEIWAI is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does NEIWAI make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Intimate Apparel Sales are the primary driver. The others are activewear & Lifestyle Products.
Who are NEIWAI's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ThirdLove, Savage X Fenty, Skims, Cuup and Knix. Parade is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Lululemon, Aerie (American Eagle Outfitters), Victoria's Secret and Calvin Klein (PVH Corp.).
Does NEIWAI have an API?
No public API is recorded for NEIWAI.
What industry is NEIWAI in?
NEIWAI's product category is Women's Intimate Apparel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAAAF, Intimates, Lingerie, Swimwear & Sleepwear Brands, with a secondary code of CRAAABAF, Intimates, Lingerie & Sleepwear Retail. Its NAICS code is 45811 and its SIC code is 5621.