Thongs for men. Male string underwear. T-strings, g-strings, cheese wire… whatever you call them, they're for male strippers and swingers, right?

No single design in men's underwear (if you discount the 'Borat' one piece that surrounds neck and scrotum in a single strip of fine fabric…) attracts so much derision.

But when summer comes, some men change their minds. All it takes is one thong and willingness to give it a try…

Deadgoodundies.com has sold hundreds of thousands of thongs since the men's underwear specialists launched their original UK website in 2004.

"I think even men who wear and love thongs, who appreciate that they can be comfortable and stylish and serve a purpose, might deny wearing string underwear," smiles DGU's pants maestro Adam Davies.

"Gents may wince at the idea of tiny thong undies but they're also sneakily fascinated. I was doing an interview with a BBC radio station the other day about high street versus online retail, and we rapidly side-tracked into questions about men's thongs and strings."

From the finest t-string thong to wider-backed men's thongs, transparent to solid, lace to leather look, pure cotton to manmade silk, gents' string underpants are hugely popular, especially at Deadgoodundies.

DGU HAS A THONG FOR EVERY MAN

And as Adam told the man at the Beeb: "We sell male strings all over the world, everywhere from the hottest countries to the arctic. We know they're worn regularly by men in many walks of life, from sharp-suited businessmen to men in uniform, climbers to clergymen. Yes, we had one regular customer who told me he always wore a thong in summer under his robes because they were uncomfortably hot!"

Adam stresses that while many guys regard thong underwear as 'unfortunate', with the wrong connotations, strings are simply the smallest option before you go commando.

"They're about containment. A thong is designed to contain genitals with minimum fabric and just enough support. They allow maximum exposure of the body as well as room for movement and air circulation," he says.

"String undies for men must fit perfectly and, when they do, feel like wearing nearly nothing. But that wisp of fabric stops any untoward dangling and helps avoid chafing by creating a fine layer and space between testicles and thighs."

Some sportsmen wear a thong under their exercise shorts to keep as cool as possible, dancers and stage artists live in them, but so might the chap at the water fountain right now…

"You wouldn't know," grins Adam… "Because if he's bought well and his thong works the right way, you won't be able to tell unless HE tells!"

TOP 5 QUESTIONS MEN ASK ABOUT THONGS

Adam explains his answers to the top five most frequently asked questions about buying men's strings and thongs from DGU online:

Q: Who wears male thongs?
A: You, or any man who wants minimum fabric and maximum skin.

Q: How do I know which men's string underwear to choose?
A: Find a style, material and colour you like on Deadgoodundies but always check the size guide before ordering because different brands fit differently and sometimes come up small, so you may need to order up a size. If in doubt email Adam, he knows all about all DGU thongs!

Q: What percentage of men wear thongs?
A: A good double figure percentage of Deadgoodundies customers wear them regularly for sure, but probably only 1%-2% of all men have worn a thong at some time in their life. This is the elusive question because nobody has accurate figures - men, asked outright, won't admit they wear strings and DGU will never reveal who does. Our packages are totally anonymous.

Q: Are men’s thongs comfortable?
A: Of course - IF you buy the right shape, right size, right fabric.

Q: Which are more popular now – male thongs or briefs?
A: Men's briefs these days, which overtook thongs in popularity overall but there is still strong and consistent demand for new strings for men every season. A chap who wears a thong one day might wear briefs the rest of the week and he'll love them both for different reasons…

MANSTORE: String underwear isn't restricted to 'bottoms' – thong fans love Manstore's M864 Stripper Body (£58.00) in deepest Night blue. This has a wicked thong back and six quick release clips down the sides.

HOM: Sometimes the originals are the best – worldwide favourite for decades, HOM's stretch cotton Freddy String is breathable and beautiful. At just £15.00 it comes in classic colours and seasonal shades – including new Bordeaux (pictured) and olive green for autumn 2019.

BRUNO BANANI: Most famous for exclusive, quirky prints and its Anti Stress collection, Bruno Banani also create sophisticated thong underwear for men, including the new Digital String (£21.00) in turquoise or olive green.