What is the difference between underwear that costs 20 yuan and underwear that costs 200 yuan?

Underwear plays an important role in shaping women's bodies and satisfying their physiological needs. With the improvement of living standards, various bra products have emerged in an endless stream, with prices ranging from tens of yuan, hundreds of yuan to thousands of yuan.

So how should female consumers choose bra products based on their own needs and find the right products for themselves? Today we will talk about how to choose a bra.

How to choose suitable underwear?

Consumers can consider bra products from three aspects: design, material and craftsmanship.

1

design

From a design perspective, structural design is the core of bra product design. Although a bra is small, its structure is actually quite complex, consisting of more than a dozen parts, including cups, shoulder straps, side cuffs, heart, upper and lower supports and hooks, among which the cups and shoulder straps are the focus of consumers' general attention when choosing.

Bra cups can be divided into full cups, 1/2 cups and 1/4 cups, and the sizes are divided into grades A to F. A suitable bra cup should have a good wrapping and supporting effect on the wearer's chest and armpit fat, and be of the right size, fit the chest curve, not be loose or oppressive, and at the same time shape a better chest curve.

Image source: pexels

The shoulder straps play a role in lifting and stabilizing the breasts. The most common shoulder strap structure is H-shaped, and some bras use X-shaped shoulder straps that cross at the back. H-shaped shoulder straps can provide good stability for the bra in the vertical direction, and X-shaped shoulder straps can also control the movement of the bra in the left and right directions, and can also avoid the embarrassment of shoulder straps slipping off. The appropriate shoulder strap structure, width and length will play a better role in lifting and controlling the movement of the breasts.

At present, in the field of bra production, structural design has also used "high technology", such as large databases of body shapes, 3D design, 3D body scanning and other technologies and software tools, which are used to improve the functionality and comfort of bra structures. Qualified bra designs will focus on wrapping and support, making them more comfortable and healthier to wear. Of course, everyone's breast shape is different, so when buying a bra, we can try it on and choose a style that suits us best.

2

Material

From the perspective of materials, bra products are mainly made of knitted fabrics, which are produced using a variety of fiber materials. Knitted fabrics have good elasticity and breathability, and are the preferred material for making bras. The inner side that contacts the human skin is usually made of pure cotton fabrics, and high-end bras also use silk fibers. Cotton and silk fabrics have good breathability and moisture absorption, and are skin-friendly and comfortable.

The outer surface of the bra is usually made of chemical fibers such as polyester or nylon to enhance the shape stability and strength of the bra and improve the supporting function. Elastic fiber spandex is also a must-have material for bra products. The high elasticity of spandex can provide good fit, comfort and structural stability. In addition, bras are directly in contact with our skin, so the biological safety of the materials is very important. Bras that meet national standards and are from well-known brands are more secure in terms of material safety. Bras that are too cheap compared to similar products may have hidden dangers in the materials.

3

Technology

From the perspective of manufacturing technology, as mentioned above, bras have many structural parts and the manufacturing process is relatively complicated. Qualified bra products generally have fine craftsmanship, delicate stitches, and smooth seams. There is also a type of seamless bras on the market that use a "one-piece" processing technology. The entire bra has no seams, is more comfortable, and is loved by many consumers.

Image source: pexels

Some inferior bras often have poor craftsmanship, often with loose threads or rough processing, which can easily hurt the skin after long-term wear and make people uncomfortable. It is even possible that the shoulder straps break due to poor processing reliability, which makes consumers very embarrassed. Bras with unqualified workmanship have the risk of exposed steel bra pads that may prick people.

To summarize briefly here, although underwear is small, its structure is complex, and there are many details from design, materials to processing. Therefore, if you buy products that are too cheap, the possibility of being cheated will definitely increase greatly. Therefore, we must choose well-known big brands and check whether the products have corresponding national standards when purchasing.

Different goals, different choices

The selection of bras also needs to comply with the needs of the usage scenario and the needs of specific user groups.

Basic bras for daily wear should focus on comfort and choose skin-friendly and breathable materials. Wear sports bras when exercising to protect your chest and reduce sports injuries. The selection of sports bras should mainly be judged by stability and shock absorption. The higher the intensity of exercise, the higher the stability and shock absorption requirements of the sports bra. When exercising at high intensity, it is advisable to choose sports bras with good covering effects and wide shoulder straps, and sports bras made of quick-drying and breathable synthetic fabrics to keep the body relatively dry.

Girls in their developmental period should choose special girl's bras and avoid choosing sizes that are too tight to prevent affecting breast development; pregnant and breastfeeding women should use special maternity bras. The design of this type of bra fully considers the changes in the breasts of pregnant and postpartum women, and improves the convenience of use during putting on and taking off or breastfeeding; older women should choose bras with front-clasped designs, relatively loose sizes and soft fabrics.

When consumers buy bra products, they should have some understanding of their body size. It is best to try on a variety of styles and compare the effects in person to choose the most suitable bra product, so as to achieve comfort and functionality in daily wear or sports, and improve the care of the breasts. At the same time, they should also pay attention to checking the national standards and remember not to buy products that are too cheap.

Qualified underwear, look for national standards

We have talked about a lot of things to pay attention to when choosing bras, which may still make consumers feel a little at a loss. Now let’s talk about something simple and easy to do, which is to look at the national standards.

There are several national standards related to bra products, and many bras are implemented according to the national standard GB18401-2010 "National Basic Safety Technical Specifications for Textile Products", which is a national mandatory safety technical specification for textile products. It has clear quantitative regulations and safety classification for the formaldehyde content, pH value, color fastness, odor and decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amine dyes of the products. The national standard GB18401-2010 is the most basic requirement for the quality of bra products. Bra products must comply with this national standard before they can be put on the market to protect the basic rights and interests of consumers.

In addition, based on the strong functionality of bra products themselves and the particularity of the user population, in order to improve the quality and performance of bra products, my country currently has 6 textile industry standards implemented for bra products. These are industry recommended standards and are implemented by most bra manufacturers in my country.

The scope of application and focus of these six industry standards are different. For example, in terms of safety and technical requirements, the quality indicators of bras for girls and maternity bras stipulated in the industry recommended standards are stricter than those in the national standard GB18401-2010, fully protecting the basic rights and interests of special user groups.

Image source: Reference [1]

As an ordinary consumer, understanding the relevant standards can help you choose better products. According to my country's labeling requirements for textile products, bra products will be marked with the standard number implemented by the product. Consumers can pay attention to it when purchasing and purchase bra products with quality assurance from regular channels.

In conclusion, when consumers buy bra products, they should have some understanding of their body size. It is best to try on a variety of styles and compare the effects to choose the most suitable bra product, so as to achieve comfort and functionality in daily wear or sports, and improve the care of the breasts. At the same time, they should also pay attention to checking the national standards and remember not to buy products that are too cheap.

References

[1] Dong Huiling, Du Linna. Selection and specification of bra product standards[J]. Textile Testing and Standards, 2023, 9(04): 37-40. DOI: 10.19391/j.cnki.cn31-2117.2023.04.007.

[2] Liu Jinchi, Yu Miao, Cheng Wenjie, et al. Research status and trends of sports bra design[J]. Journal of Clothing, 2019, 4(05): 388-397.

Author: Song Lidan China Textile Construction Planning Institute

Review丨Zhang Jie, Chief Engineer of China Textile Construction Planning Institute