Though Shapermint and Sheertext tights are now around the same price, Sheertex tights used to be much more expensive.
We’ve been tracking the price of our previous Sheertex pick, the now-discontinued Luxury Semi Sheer Tights, since 2022. Within just the past two years, that same pair’s price has ranged from $89 to $59—and sometimes even on sale for under $30.
A brand representative told me this price change was due to scaling production as well as to partnerships with retailers like Amazon and H&M. These large companies make tights that use the same patented Sheertex knit and label them “powered by Sheertex.” The rep said they are constructed “often with a simpler construction, which reduces the cost,” thus bringing down the price even more.
The tights from these two brands also differ in fabric composition. Shapermint’s tights rely on 86% nylon and 14% spandex, whereas Sheertex tights are built from 54% nylon, 31% polyethylene (a liquid plastic), and 15% spandex.
Preeti Gopinath, a textile designer and associate professor of textiles at the Parsons School of Design, told me that the additional liquid plastic could make the tights more durable.
She added, however, that “nylon is not a weak material.” Gopinath said it’s actually very durable, which is why it’s used in so many products, from parachutes to bags to tights and more.
In essence, this addition of liquid plastic could increase the durability, but it’s not guaranteed—there are several other factors to consider, such as the compactness of the yarn and the structure of the knit.
Although both pairs of tights look almost identical on the body—both are sheer, with an opaque control top—they feel different. The Sheertex pair’s control top is much stiffer, so it contours my body more and feels less comfortable to me. Plus, the control top has longer shorts, which I found harder to conceal when wearing a short skirt.
