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C-IN2 Underwear
New York, Coming to Bang&Strike
Welcome C-IN2 — pronounced "see-into" — the New York men's underwear label built on fabric, cut and colour. Its story, the three ranges in our opening edit, and how to be first in line in the UK and Europe.
We don't add new brands often. Since 2006 we've built BANG&STRIKE around a small number of labels we rate — PUMP!, Modus Vivendi, TEAMM8, SALIGIA and our own STRIKE PRO — so when a new name joins them, it's because it brings something the others don't. C-IN2 does: a New York design eye, unusual fabrics treated as the main event, and colour that feels considered rather than loud.
C-IN2 has long been hard to find on this side of the Atlantic. That's changing. Our first delivery is on its way, and we'll be stocking C-IN2 for customers across the UK, Europe and beyond — with free standard UK delivery.
Want to know the moment it lands? Sign up for C-IN2 launch updates, or see the C-IN2 collection page.
- Name: C-IN2, also searched as CIN2 or C IN2 — pronounced "see-into".
- From: New York. The brand dates its story to 2004; it launched publicly in 2005.
- Founded by: Gregory Sovell, who had previously founded the men's underwear label 2(X)IST in 1991.
- Known for: engineered pouches, fabric-led collections and campaigns shot by big-name fashion photographers.
- Our opening edit: Rough Knit, Undertone and Screenshot Cowhide — jockstraps, briefs, trunks and a tank.
A Short History of C-IN2
C-IN2 grew out of one of the most influential careers in modern men's underwear. Gregory Sovell founded 2(X)IST in 1991, helping define the designer men's underwear of that decade. In 2005 he left to start again on his own terms — and C-IN2 was the result, launched in New York with co-founder Jason Zambuto. (C-IN2 itself dates its story to 2004, when the work began.)
The idea was simple, and it's still on the brand's own about page: the things closest to your body should be thoughtfully designed, not an afterthought. C-IN2 set out to challenge the standards of men's underwear, treating each piece as a design object — engineered to work with the body, but just as concerned with how it looks.
Pouches, fabric and a reputation for innovation
Early on, C-IN2 made its name with construction. Contoured, lifting pouch designs — the brand's "Trophy Shelf" and sling-style constructions — became signatures, alongside an appetite for fabrics other labels weren't using. C-IN2 was an early adopter of bamboo in men's underwear, and later ranges played with pigment-pounded, sand-blasted-look finishes and moisture-moving cotton-spandex blends.
The campaigns
C-IN2's imagery has always been part of the appeal. Its best-known campaign, shot by fashion photographer Steven Klein, ran on billboards in Sydney and Melbourne. The Fall/Winter 2026 photography throughout this article continues that tradition: warm, natural light, real texture and fabric you can almost feel through the screen.
C-IN2 today
In 2010 the label was acquired by C-IN2 Clothing Company, Inc., and it has kept growing since — with Gregory Sovell staying on as creative director after the acquisition. Today C-IN2 runs more than a dozen collections, from Core basics to Sheer, Super Bright, Throwback, Hand Me Down and Poolside swim, and says underwear "was only the beginning": tops, shorts, loungewear, sleepwear and more swim are all part of its plans.
"The things closest to your body should be thoughtfully designed — not an afterthought."
C-IN2, New YorkFor our opening edit we picked three collections that show the range of what C-IN2 does: one built on texture, one on colour and one on print.
Rough Knit is C-IN2's cotton mesh collection — an open-hole knit that gives every piece a raw, almost hand-made texture. It's 95% cotton and 5% elastane, so it breathes like mesh but feels like cotton against the skin, and it comes in an earthy palette: black, bone, Dutch cocoa and Sardinia tan.
Our selection covers the open-back jockstrap, low-rise and mid-rise briefs, the trunk and a matching Rough Knit tank for a coordinated look. If you like the idea of mesh but not the sporty look of most mesh underwear, this is the one — our guide to mesh vs sheer underwear explains why open knits like this have suddenly gone everywhere.
Undertone is colour done properly. Two differently coloured cotton yarns are plated together as the fabric is knitted, so the shade lives inside the fabric rather than sitting on its surface — that's what gives it the subtle two-tone depth you can see in the campaign. The underwear is 100% cotton.
C-IN2 describes it as "color that feels intentional — not overwhelming", and that's exactly how it wears: the season's shades include dark sage green, blueberry pink, sunset orange and poppy red. Our selection includes the jockstrap, low-rise and mid-rise briefs and the trunk in selected colours.
Screenshot is C-IN2's print collection, inspired by pop art, graphic design and screen-print culture — limited-run prints that turn everyday underwear into something closer to wearable artwork. Cowhide is the standout of the season: a bold black-and-white hide print on a smooth, stretchy fabric (81% polyamide, 19% elastane) with a logo waistband.
We're bringing in three cuts: the bikini, the wedge low-rise brief and the wedge trunk. It's the most fun thing in the edit — and, we suspect, the one that sells out first.
Be first to shop
C-IN2
Sign up and we'll email you as soon as C-IN2 is live. You'll also get our usual welcome email with 10% off your first order.
The C-IN2 Look Book
A few more frames from the Fall/Winter 2026 campaigns.
Why C-IN2 Is Joining Bang&Strike
Cotton mesh, plated two-tone cotton, printed stretch — every collection starts with the material.
Founded by the designer behind 2(X)IST, with two decades of New York menswear behind it.
Jockstraps, bikinis, low-rise and mid-rise briefs, trunks and tops — from barely-there to full coverage.
C-IN2 has had little UK and European availability. We're changing that, with fast shipping from the UK.
Sage, cocoa, bone and poppy red — shades you'll actually wear, not just look at.
Every piece we sell is genuine C-IN2 — no marketplace grey stock, no lookalikes.
Which C-IN2 Cut Is Right for You?
| Cut | What it is | In our edit |
|---|---|---|
| Jockstrap | Supportive front pouch, open back with rear straps. See our complete guide to jockstraps. | Rough Knit, Undertone |
| Bikini | The most minimal brief — narrow sides, high leg. | Screenshot Cowhide |
| Low-rise brief | Sits low on the hips with a classic brief seat. | Rough Knit, Undertone, Screenshot Cowhide (wedge) |
| Mid-rise brief | Sits higher on the waist for more coverage. | Rough Knit, Undertone |
| Trunk | A short, square-cut leg — the most coverage in the edit. | Rough Knit, Undertone, Screenshot Cowhide (wedge) |
| Tank | A matching vest top to wear with the underwear or on its own. | Rough Knit |
C-IN2 sizes by waist. Measure your waist rather than going by your jeans size, check the size guide on each product page when the range goes live, and don't assume your size in another brand will translate exactly — fit varies between collections and fabrics. Our general men's underwear size guide explains how to measure.
Buying C-IN2 in the UK and Europe
If you've searched for C-IN2 (or CIN2) underwear in the UK, you'll know the options have been thin — mostly importing from the US and paying for it in shipping, duties and waiting time. Stocking C-IN2 here means UK customers can buy it with free standard UK delivery, and European customers can order through our EU store, with free EU delivery on orders from €150. We ship to the US and worldwide too, with free US shipping on orders over $150.
BANG&STRIKE has sold men's underwear online since 2006, with 30-day returns (unworn, unwashed, in original packaging) and over 4,830 verified Trustpilot reviews. C-IN2 sits naturally alongside our gay men's underwear edit — though, like everything we stock, it's for anyone who likes the look of it.
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Coming soon. Free standard UK delivery, 30-day returns, shipping to Europe and worldwide.
