Editing Underoos (section)

==History==
[[File:Underoos 1978 Ad.png|alt=Underoos Promotional Ad from 1978. It features two smiling children, a boy and girl, wearing the Spider-Man and Wonder Woman licensed undergarments in a wrestler-styled pose.|thumb|Underoos Promotional Ad, 1978]]

Underoos were developed as a product idea in 1977 by an independent entrepreneur, Larry Weiss,<ref name="larryweiss3">{{cite web |url =http://www.gort.net/ProductIndex.htm |title = List of products Larry Weiss developed over the years  |access-date = 2008-06-23}}</ref> who obtained licenses for the four major comic character groups ([[DC Comics]], [[Marvel Comics]], [[Hanna-Barbera]], [[Archie Comics]]), which included [[Superman]], [[Batman]], [[Captain Marvel (DC Comics)|Shazam]], [[Wonder Woman]], [[Supergirl]], [[Spider-Man]], and [[Captain America]].<ref name="larryweiss1">{{cite web |url=http://www.gort.net/Sermonsandstudies/Ethicsconflictletter.htm |title=UNDEROOS Ethics |access-date=2008-06-23}}</ref> 

The product idea was first offered to [[Hanes]], but was rejected. [[Scott Paper]] company pursued development, but ultimately decided to not market the product.  Fruit of the Loom had been engaged as supplier of the blank underwear and another vendor engaged to apply transfers. Informed of Scott Paper Company's decision to not market this novel product, Fruit of the Loom inquired if they would be permitted to market the product, now fully developed.<ref>James Dorsch, Scott Paper Co. conversation with Lawrence D. Weiss, Dec. 1977</ref> Weiss agreed, and in 1978 Fruit of the Loom bought Underoos.<ref name="larryweiss2">{{cite web |url=http://www.linescale.com/content/linescalers |title=Larry Weiss |access-date=2008-06-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111024170323/http://www.linescale.com/content/linescalers |archive-date=2011-10-24 }}</ref> 

Early advertisements for the brand featured images of boys and girls in wrestler poses with the marketing slogan "When the color lasts, and the fit lasts, and the quality lasts, and the joy lasts, it's got to be Underoos...the underwear that's fun to wear." 

The product was tested in three markets including the New York Metropolitan area.<ref>''The New York Times'', June 29, 1978: "Philip Dougherty interview with James Johnston, Marketing V.P. Union Underwear Co."</ref> Retailer and consumer demand was so strong the product was immediately expanded to national distribution.{{Citation needed|date=June 2008}} 

Fruit of the Loom licensed out the Underoos brand name to Bioworld, which made Underoos in adult sizes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/captain-underpants-how-underoos-got-origin-story-1008804 |title=Underoos: How an Underwear Craze Got Its Origin Story |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=2 June 2017 }}</ref>  By the end of 2020, Underoos was selling out its existing stock.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://underoos.com | title=Everything Must Go | website=Underoos | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204011843/https://underoos.com/ | archive-date=December 4, 2020| url-status=deviated}}</ref> Its homepage changed to a thank-you notice to customers in 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://underoos.com/pages/underoos | title=Thanks for shopping Underoos! | website=Underoos}}</ref>