Walmart adds new intimates and sleepwear brand Joyspun to relaunch

walmart is revamping one of its most popular clothing lines – its leading lingerie and sleepwear brand.

The discounter began rolling out bras, underwear, socks, pajamas and other items under the new Joyspun brand both online and in-store. The brand replaces Secret Treasures, a major national line that has been in Walmart’s big box stores for more than two decades.

Secret Treasures, Walmart’s biggest underwear and sleepwear line, generated $1 billion in sales last year – one of 13 private general merchandise brands at the retailer to do so. It has also captured the largest customer base in the women’s lingerie and sleepwear market in the United States, with one in five purchasing from the brand in the 12 months ending January 2022, according to The NPD Group, a market researcher that tracks sales at mass retailers, mall retailers and direct-to-consumer players.

Still, the underwear and sleepwear space became more competitive, especially during the pandemic, as people worked remotely and spent more time at home. Today, more retailers are vying for market share, including mall staples like Victoria’s Secret and american eagleowned by Aerie, mass retailers like Target and new ones like ThirdLove, Yitty and Skims.

Many of the new entrants emphasize comfort, better fit and body positivity.

“This is a hot time for the lingerie category,” said Denise Incandela, executive vice president of apparel and private labels at Walmart US “We wanted to take our leading brand, which was Secret Treasures, and reinvent it to deliver the quality and enhanced prints and premium design details, as well as a new brand name, new colors and new packaging and modernize in a way that takes us into the future.”

Over the past year and a half, Incandela said, the retailer has done consumer outreach that has helped develop a line with a wide range of silhouettes, softer fabrics and trendier styles.

Joyspun shoppers will see a more modern take on staples, from bras to underwear. All items are selling at a low price, with bras starting at $11.98. Prices range from $7.98 for a nightgown to $34.98 for a padded robe.

The stimulus could come at the right time. Walmart, the nation’s largest grocer by sales, attracted more high-income customers to its stores while inflation drives up food prices. Those shoppers could become a new audience for her clothes, especially if they visit her big-box stores more frequently or consider new ways to stretch their dollars.

Joyspun is also hitting Walmart stores and websites ahead of the holiday season. Incandela declined to say what percentage of underwear and sleepwear sells in the fourth quarter, but said it was the biggest selling season for the categories.

Incandela said shoppers will notice new details and innovations, such as bra cups that hug a person’s shape better, undergarments with lace and youthful prints, and dresses in plush fabrics. It will also sell gift sets for the holidays, like combination eye masks and bathrobes.

Walmart has gone after a larger share of customer closets during the last years. To this end, he has designers hired and launched exclusive clothing brands with more style and higher prices. And earlier this year he launched Amour & Sports, a fitness and swimwear brand created by fashion designer Michelle Smith and SoulCycle instructor Stacey Griffith. This too unveiled a virtual fitting room tool which allows shoppers to see how a shirt, dress, or other item of clothing would look on their own body.

Incandela said she hopes the moves will inspire women to think differently about Walmart’s clothing offerings. And “we want her to also think about what she has under her wardrobe,” she said.

Sales of underwear and sleepwear have cooled overall since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when many consumers restocked their underwear drawers and splurged on pajama sets. Underwear sales were down 6% in dollars and 11% in units in the first nine months of 2022, according to The NPD Group. Sleepwear sales fell 3% in dollar terms and remained roughly flat in unit sales during this period.

But spending in the categories is still up from pre-pandemic levels, according to the NDP. Sleepwear dollar sales in the first nine months increased 15% over the same period in 2019. Sleepwear dollar sales increased 52% during this period.

Even though some inflation-conscious shoppers are watching their spending, items like underwear and socks are still a staple that people need to replace, said Kristen Classi-Zummo, fashion analyst for The NPD Group. She said it’s also a popular holiday gift and part-time uniform for hybrid workers.

“We’re wearing our sleepwear a lot more, so you’re a little quicker to restock your pajamas,” she said.

Plus, when people return to holiday parties and social events, they’re not just buying dresses and blazers, she said. They also want the shapewear, push-up bras and other items that go with it.