Alright, ladies! Let's wrap up our talk on bra cups. This week, we'll explore the types of fabrics bra cups are made of and how they play a role in the support & shape that your bra gives you. There are a multitude of fabrics used to make bra cups. We'll focus on the ones that are most common to give you a good vocabulary base to use when communicating with your professional bra fitter.
Contour
Contour cups are made of a thin, foam-like fabric and designed to shape the breast tissue & keep you modest by hiding the nipple. Bras with cups made of this fabric are often referred to as "T-shirt" bras.
Spacer Contour
Spacer fabric is a knitted fabric made up of a top and bottom layer of fabric with a honeycomb-like layer in between. Spacer contour cups easily form to the shape of your breast tissue and give a smooth, rounded shape under clothing.
Memory Foam Contour
Sensitive to pressure & temperature, memory foam was originally developed for NASA to improve seat cushioning for astronauts. Like the spacer contour, this material easily forms to the shape of your breast tissue.
Smooth Cups
A very broad term for the thinner fabric, non-contour cups that are seamless. Smooth cups are often produced through the process of molding. The fabrics of a smooth cup can be opaque or sheer, rigid or contain lycra for a bit of stretch. Popular fabric types include mesh, microfiber, & satin.
Lace
A woven fabric, made from cotton, silk, or synthetic threads. Lace can be used to make molded cups, cut-and-sewn cups, and even as an overlay for contour cups. Like smooth cups, lace can be rigid or contain lycra for a bit of stretch.
A Note on Rigid Fabrics vs. Stretch Fabrics
While one fabric choice isn't necessarily better over the other, you might have a preference based on the shape or fit you get with either type of fabric. Fabrics that contain some amount of stretch may work better for some, as it has the ability to conform to the shape of the breast. With bras cups made of rigid fabrics, you will need to find the bra that best matches the shape of your breast for a smooth, wrinkle-free fit. It's common for designers use rigid and stretch fabrics together to engineer the cups of their cut-and-sewn bras to get an amazing, glove-like fit.
To find out which types of cup fabrics work best for you, schedule a fitting with one of B.R.A.'s certified professional fitters!
Best Rack Around is a lingerie & bra fitting boutique located in Market Station in Leesburg, Virginia in beautiful Loudoun County. We proudly serve women of all ages, body types, and stages of life. In addition to the selection of every day bras and special occasion bras, we also have nursing bras, sports bras, mastectomy bras & forms and post-surgical bras. Call us at (571) 918-4738 to schedule a fitting or visit our website to book an appointment online!
Contour
Contour cups are made of a thin, foam-like fabric and designed to shape the breast tissue & keep you modest by hiding the nipple. Bras with cups made of this fabric are often referred to as "T-shirt" bras.
 |
| Bijou by Elomi |
Spacer Contour
Spacer fabric is a knitted fabric made up of a top and bottom layer of fabric with a honeycomb-like layer in between. Spacer contour cups easily form to the shape of your breast tissue and give a smooth, rounded shape under clothing.
 |
| Spacer Fabric |
Memory Foam Contour
Sensitive to pressure & temperature, memory foam was originally developed for NASA to improve seat cushioning for astronauts. Like the spacer contour, this material easily forms to the shape of your breast tissue.
 |
| Provence by Conturelle |
Smooth Cups
A very broad term for the thinner fabric, non-contour cups that are seamless. Smooth cups are often produced through the process of molding. The fabrics of a smooth cup can be opaque or sheer, rigid or contain lycra for a bit of stretch. Popular fabric types include mesh, microfiber, & satin.
 |
| Josephine by Anita |
Lace
A woven fabric, made from cotton, silk, or synthetic threads. Lace can be used to make molded cups, cut-and-sewn cups, and even as an overlay for contour cups. Like smooth cups, lace can be rigid or contain lycra for a bit of stretch.
 |
| Aurelia by Ania |
A Note on Rigid Fabrics vs. Stretch Fabrics
While one fabric choice isn't necessarily better over the other, you might have a preference based on the shape or fit you get with either type of fabric. Fabrics that contain some amount of stretch may work better for some, as it has the ability to conform to the shape of the breast. With bras cups made of rigid fabrics, you will need to find the bra that best matches the shape of your breast for a smooth, wrinkle-free fit. It's common for designers use rigid and stretch fabrics together to engineer the cups of their cut-and-sewn bras to get an amazing, glove-like fit.
To find out which types of cup fabrics work best for you, schedule a fitting with one of B.R.A.'s certified professional fitters!
Best Rack Around is a lingerie & bra fitting boutique located in Market Station in Leesburg, Virginia in beautiful Loudoun County. We proudly serve women of all ages, body types, and stages of life. In addition to the selection of every day bras and special occasion bras, we also have nursing bras, sports bras, mastectomy bras & forms and post-surgical bras. Call us at (571) 918-4738 to schedule a fitting or visit our website to book an appointment online!
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