Salt Chuck

Boxers or briefs is often about as much thought as guys give to their underwear, but Tiffany Ho is attempting to change that perspective, one colourful, comfortable — and non-chafing — undergarment at a time.

Tiffany is the owner of Salt Chuck, a men’s apparel and lifestyle boutique that opened in Toronto’s Harbord Village area in May 2013. The store gets its name from the West Coast nickname for the straits between Tiffany’s native Vancouver and Vancouver Island, which is derived from “saltchuk,” the Chinook word for saltwater.

Tiffany originally intended it to be just a studio space where she could continue designing her own underwear brand, Bangers and Mash — which she has been selling online and in boutique stores throughout the U.S. and Japan since 2010.

But after realizing the space was situated in a neighbourhood beginning to attract funky independent businesses, she decided to add a retail component. “This neighbourhood has been awesome; I’m so glad I found this place,” says Tiffany. “Everybody has been so supportive.”

Her signature Bangers and Mash underwear sell for $32. While that might seem costly to the average Fruit of the Loom-wearing guy, her products are a decided leg up from the “tighty whities” that have traditionally defined men’s underwear.

Tiffany spent a year refining the brand, talking to men to get their perspective on what makes the perfect pair of underwear. Features include flat seams to prevent chafing (“chafing seems to be a big issue with guys,” she says), the addition of wicking fabric to eliminate moisture, and the use of more durable fabric since guys don’t always change their underwear as often as they should.

Her products also come in a range of colours, incorporating floral patterns and geometric shapes to add some much-needed pizzazz to an otherwise mundane product.