As 2016 will be the year of the monkey, Japanese underwear makers are gearing up to employ their once-in-12-year sales tactics: marketing red underwear to cash in on a legend that one can stay healthy by wearing such garments in that particular year.
Gunze Ltd. has gone to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto to pray for health and long life for those who wear the company's Year of the Monkey Lucky Underwear products, which were launched in September.
The lineup, including undershirts, briefs and shorts, are made of Egyptian cotton known for its silk-like texture, and are selling better than expected, a company official said.