An Investigation into the Development of Functional Textiles in Lingerie
Emily Hyde P14145599 FBUY 2412 Product Development

Table of Contents 1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………p3 2.1 A Brief History of the Bra…………………………………………………..……p3 2.2 The Problem……………………………………………………………………….p4 3.1 The Solution………………………………………………………………………..p4 3.2 The Technology…………………………………………………………………….p6 4 The Conclusion………………………………………………………………………p7 References…………………………….………………………………………………..p8 References of Figures………………………………………………………………….p9
1 Introduction The bra is arguably the most important functional piece of clothing a woman wears. The basic structure of the bra however has not changed since the 1940s with the structure of the cups, bridge, underwire, band, and straps following a similar and recurring design. Furthermore the majority of bras are made of fabric that is delicate and difficult to wash, making them a breeding ground for bacteria. The bra simply hasn’t evolved with the times, that is until now. Knitwear has created the first in the new everyday ‘performance bra’ is the Evolution Bra, which is sure to revolutionise the way we see and wear this fundamental piece of clothing. Figure 1.1 - Anatomy of the bra
2.1 A Brief History of the Bra The
first bra was created in 1913 and was comprised of 2 silk handkerchiefs sewn down the centre and fastened with a long pink ribbon. This was created by Mary Phelps Jacobs and her housemaid (Johnson 2005). However Ms Jacobs’ design did not generate much interest, and she sold the rights to Warner’s Corset Company for $1,500. Warners developed and marketed the product, and within a few years their original investment was worth $15 million (Johnson 2005).
Figure 1.2 - Components of first bra
Through the decades the bra has changed to fit the style and needs of the contemporary woman. In the 1920s the bra was designed to eliminate curves, giving the desired flapper look to fashion forward women. This flapper look was short-lived however, and women in the 1930s wanted to show off their breasts. This presented a new challenge for manufacturers, as going from the minimising bralette to something that could give women the curves they desired was difficult. With so many different sizes there needed to be a clear measurement system.Thus the measurements 32-40 inches and the alphabetical classification A,B,C,D (or as they were known in the manufacturing world eggcup, teacup, coffee cup, and challenge cup (Berry 2006) were established in this decade and rapidly became the standard. The bras made prior to 1930s were primarily made of silk, satin, taffeta, and lace (Berry 2006). However during the early 1930s the chemists at the Dunlop Tire Corporation had developed a way to transform rubber into a reliable elastic yarn (Johnson 2005), thus the innovation of Latex was created. The bra then changed to reflect not only the women of the time but the social environment. In the 1940s stretchy material became scarce due to the rationing of materials such as Latex, Nylon, and silk. The bullet-shaped bra reflected the aggression of the time and used more durable fabrics such as cotton and calico. The changing social norm of women joining the workforce particularly in factories created a need for a strong and durable bra to support them (Berry 2006). The lack of flexibility in the material, however, made these bras uncomfortable and less aesthetically pleasing than its former incarnation.
Figure 1.3 - 1940s Bra Ad
After the war, fabrics such as Nylon were no longer rationed and by the mid 1960s most bras that were being manufactured were made with Nylon. Today, the vast majority of bras are created from a combination of Nylon, Polyester and Elastane. 2.2 The Problem The bra is supposed to provide support and protect the soft tissue of the breasts; however it is estimated that up to 70% of women are wearing the incorrect size bra (BBC 2007) increasing the likelihood of shoulder and back pain. In a study undertaken by Loughborough University, Engineering Professor John Tyrer, used laser tools to measure how the current underwire style bras unnecessarily shift the full breast load onto the front of the chest wall, causing pain, discomfort and even wire rash (NY Times 2004).
Figure 1.4 - Impressions left by classic bra
An ill-fitting bra worn throughout the day can even increase the likelihood of breast cancer (Liang 2008), reinforcing the urgency of a solution to this problem. A study was taken from 4,500 women asking about their habits in wearing and purchasing bras (Singers 2005). It was discovered that women who wear the correct size bra, or indeed do not wear a bra have a dramatically reduced risk of breast cancer. Finding the correct bra is difficult, and takes many different measurements and calculations. Small variations in body measurements can cause a difference of up to three cup sizes (Liang 2008) therefore relying on the calculations is not enough. This requires women to seek guidance from experts to help them find a properly fitting bra. However, most stores do not have any of these experts on hand, and with purchasing online there is no help at all.
The fabrication of the bra may have been innovative in the 1950s, but now it is outdated and obsolete. The majority of bras cannot be washed in a washing machine because of the underwire and the delicate construction of the cups, even using the ‘hand wash’ cycle on washing machines is too harsh and leaves the bra misshapen and weak. Because of this, many women do not wash their bra often enough — causing skin rashes and is unhygienic. In a study undertaken by the author it was revealed that the majority of women wash their bra once a month, making them a breeding ground for bacteria. With all the issues surrounding the classic bra a change in the fundamental structure was inevitable.
Figure 1.5 - Impressions left by classic bra
3.1 The Solution Knixwear has become a leader in smart underwear for real women, and the next logical step for them was to re-invent the bra. The Evolution Bra was dreamed up over a year ago, and aimed to be the world’s most comfortable, versatile, technically advanced and innovative bra. Needless to say Knixwear has risen to the challenge superbly. This revolutionised bra has eight wearable options in one, is fully reversible, and best of all, is underwire free. This product is made with seam-free bonded construction, four way stretch, anti-microbial and anti-odour technology, is moisture wicking, and is quick dry (Kickstarter 2015). In a survey taken by the author it was
concluded that most women own between 10-15 bras. The rationale behind having so many bra’s was to give the wearer options, however in a later focus group with a sample of women from the ages of 27-58, it was revealed that the majority only regularly wear two or three of those. These women admitted they wore these two to three bras because they were most comfortable options and made the wearer feel the most confident, and therefore realistically the only ones that wear worn on a day-to-day basis. This focus group was then shown the Evolution Bra. Even with just the video on Figure 1.6 - Meme Kickstarter and the limited amount of photographs of the product, each one of these woman in this focus group exclaimed that this is the bra they had be searching for in their day-to-day lives, and immediately invested in the project. The overwhelming support for this creation shows the dire need for change in the classic bra, and why there has been so much support for this innovative bra. The project was originally released on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter on 16 Sept 2015 and received its full funding of $30,000.00 USD (£20685.38 GBP) in just over 24 hours. In less then a month - when the project’s deadline was ended on the 24 October 2015 - The Evolution Bra had raised $1,105,178.00 USD (£ 762,034.10 GBP) with 13,642 backers (Kickstarter 2015), making this easily the most funded fashion project on Kickstarter. Since then the project has also been placed on Indiegogo another crowdfunding platform and has received a further $286,525.00 USD (£197,562.58 GBP) with only 3753 investors from this platform (Indiegogo 2016). The lingerie market in 2015 was worth $29.53 Billion USD (£20.36 Billion GBP), and bras account for $16.42 Billion USD (£11.32 Billion GBP) of that (Newberry 2015). With the average price of the bra being $55.51 USD (Newberry 2015) or £34.83 GBP and women Figure 1.7 - Evolution Bra wearable options purchasing an average of four per year the price tag can become staggering. The Evolution bra is $55.00 USD (£37.92 GBP), with it being fully reversible, offering 8 different wearable options, durable and machine washable, women no longer have to purchase more then one bra per year. This bra was tested on over 70 women of different cup sizes to ensure the fit was perfect across the size range. Many of the woman this bra was fitted and tested on have had or have breast cancer and this research demonstrated the ubiquitous nature of the product and its accessibility to all women. These women agreed that after this life changing event, wearing a classic bra was too uncomfortable to continue wearing (Knixwear 2015). However having not previously had an alternative, they were forced to wear sports bras which do no provide the support required for everyday use, and are not aesthetically pleasing. This is one of the many problems that the Evolution bra has helped to tackle. It is estimated that 140 women are diagnosed with breast cancer everyday in the UK (Cancer Research UK 2013), and 1-in-8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. 65% of women diagnosed will survive, and the first form of treatment is removal of the cancerous tissue by surgery (Breast Cancer Now 2013). Women who
undergo this surgery can experience pain, discomfort and infections, thus they need a smart bra that is comfortable and flexible, and one that can fight off bacteria that causes infection is a bonus. The Evolution bra is not only great for everyday life, but with features such as seam-free bonded construction, four way stretch, and anti-microbial technology it will greatly improve comfort for women suffering from breast cancer. With these numerous rounds of testing and fitting the 1.8 - Breast Cancer survivor in Evolution bra Evolution bra has undergone a transformation with a new sizing structure being created. With this bra there is no more need to have a specialist fitting, just simply measure the width under the bust or over the bust, round up any odd numbers to an even one, then measure the size around the largest part of your bust, then subtract the value of the band from the largest part of the bust ie 36in-34 = 2, B cup (Kickstarter 2015). With the elimination of the damaging underwire, the eternal Figure 1.9 - The Evolution Bra sizing chart fear of purchasing the wrong size (with potentially physically damaging consequences) can be eradicated. This is the first of step into the future of the bra. 3.2 The Technology This innovative creation is made with the modern, active women in mind and uses the high performance fabric LYCRA® freshFX® technology. When a women moves it is estimated that her breasts can shift by 4cm when walking and up to 15cm when running (NHS 2015). When the breasts shift in a classic bra, they remain compressed by the confining underwire which creates pain and discomfort for the wearer. The structure of the Evolution bra is made with four way stretch, allowing the breasts to move and the bra moulds to the wearers unique shape (Kickstarter 2015), thus allowing the breasts to shift back without discomfort or pain. The other technology the Evolution Bra uses is a patented seam-free bonded construction (Kickstarter 2015). Bonding two fabrics together creates the support in the under-bust band, eliminating the need for an underwire and allowing the bra to sculpt to the wearer making it invisible even under tight clothing. Figure 2.0 - The Evolution Bra The fabric used for this ingenious bra is LYCRA® freshFX® technology. It is created using warp and circular knit fabrics with freshFX® technology to combine the comfort and fit of LYCRA® with the moisture wicking performance of X6300 nylon (Invista 2015). freshFX® has
a maximum shrinkage of 5%, and a moisture absorbing time of maximum 30 seconds (Invista 2015) thus allowing the wearer to remain cool and comfortable at all times. In addition to the four way stretch of LYCRA® freshFX®, silver fibres have been permanently bonded to the fabric making the bra anti-microbial and anti-odour. This allows the wearer to wash the bra less frequently than a traditional bra as the silver fibres eliminate bacteria. In addition to this ingenious fabric, the Evolution bra is very durable, and machine washable and can be thrown in the dryer allowing the wearer to wash it again and again while keeping the shape (Kickstarter 2015). As innovative as this bra is, the impact on product sustainability is minimal, however speaking to the team at Knixwear they are committed to going green wherever they can and look for more sustainable options everyday. This innovation in the world of smart fabrics has truly revolutionised the bra. 4 The Conclusion With the advances in technology happening daily it seems as if everything in modern life has evolved, however until now the bra has been falling behind. The amount of enthusiasm generated by the Evolution bra has been exceptional; Knixwear has created a bra with the active, modern woman in mind. The Evolution bra is the world first technologically advanced bra, however it won’t be the last. This intelligent bra eliminates the problems the classic bra presents such as unnecessarily shifting the full breast load onto the front of the chest wall, creating pain, discomfort and even wire rash (NY Times 2004). Possibly the most ingenious feature of the bra is the patented bonded construction; eliminating the need for an underwire. This innovative design allows the breast to shift with the natural movement of the body and eradicating pain and discomfort in the wearer. Figure 2.1 - The Evolution Bra
This bra ensures the wearer can transition seamlessly from work to play with its 8 wearable options, four way stretch, and seam-free construction allowing the bra to mould to the wearers unique shape. The fabric used for this revolutionary product is LYCRA® freshFX® technology which is moisture wicking and quick dry, silver fibres have also been permanently bonded to the fibres making id anti-microbial and anti-odour. The ingenuity of this design allows the wearer to go from the gym to work to drinks without having to pack a second bra. These innovative components mean that women are no longer enslaved to the classic bra, and the fruitless search for the ‘perfect fit’. It would be logical now for future designers to follow the innovation Knitwear has pioneered with this product, creating a bra that is functional, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing, and answering the need and desire of the modern consumer. With the surely inevitable emergence of rival companies using similar technology, increased competition should lead to further advances in this field in the near future.
References BBC (2007) Intelligent Bra battles bounce, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7136248.stm [Last accessed 02.02.16] Berry, C (2006) Hoorah for the Bra, New York, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, p 5, 7, 13, 15 Breast Cancer Now (2013) http://breastcancernow.org/about-breast-cancer/how-is-breast-cancertreated/treatment-options-for-early-breast-cancer [Last accessed 07.02.15] Cancer Research UK (2013) http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/breast-cancerstatistics#heading-Zero [Last accessed 05.02.16] Indiegogo (2016) 8-in-1 Evolution Bra: The World’s Most Advanced Bra https://www.indiegogo.com/ projects/8-in-1-evolution-bra-the-world-s-most-advanced-bra#/updates [Last accessed 06.02.16] Invista (2015) freshFX® technology by LYCRA® brand for intimate apparel, Product Information for General Release 9 April 2015 Johnson, B (2005) The Bra-makers Manual, Professional Edition, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Turtle Press, p 2-3, 5, 7 Kickstarter (2015) 8-in-1 Evolution Bra: The World’s Most Advanced Bra https:// www.kickstarter.com/projects/evolutionbra/8-in-1-evolution-bra-the-worlds-most-advancedbra/description [Last accessed 05.02.16] Knixwear (2015) Every Body has a Story, http://www.stories-knixwear.com/ [Last accessed 02.05.16] Newbery, M. (2015). Global market review of lingerie - forecasts to 2020 - 2015 edition: The world lingerie market in millions of units, 2015. Bromsgrove: Aroq Limited. Retrieved from http:// search.proquest.com/docview/1692754138?accountid=10472 [Last accessed 06.02.16] NHS (2015)How a well fitted sports bra can reduce breast pain http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/ Pages/a-sports-bra-can-reduce-breast-pain-during-exercise.aspx [Last accessed 05.02.16] Times (2004) The Cups Runneth Over, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/13/opinion/the-cupsrunneth-over.html?_r=0 [Last accessed 05.02.16] Liang 2008 An investigation into the pressure and sensation caused by wearing a bra and the influences of these on bra fitting, Unpublished Thesis (PhD), De Montfort University Singers, S.R. and Grismaijer, S. (2005) Dressed to Kill: The link between breast cancer and bras ISCD Press
References of Figures Figure 1.1 - Anatomy of the Bra, Pinterest, https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/545709679828562212/ Figure 1.2 - Components of first bra - created by author Figure 1.3 - Bra ad (1940s), Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/dreamed-crashed-headlinesMaidenform-1957/dp/B00MZ8WDFK Figure 1.4/1.5 - Impressions left behind by classic bra, Pinterest https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/ 545709679828562231/ Figure 1.6 - I have too many bras photo, Quick Meme, http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3t48e4 Figure 1.7 - The Evolution Bra wearable options, Kickstarter, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ evolutionbra/8-in-1-evolution-bra-the-worlds-most-advanced-bra/description Figure 1.8 - Evolution Bra customer and breast cancer survivor, Knixwear, http://www.storiesknixwear.com/ Figure 1.9 - Evolution Bra sizing chart, Kickstarter, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ evolutionbra/8-in-1-evolution-bra-the-worlds-most-advanced-bra/description Figure 2.0 - The Evolution Bra, Kickstarter, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/evolutionbra/8in-1-evolution-bra-the-worlds-most-advanced-bra/description Figure 2.1 - The Evolution Bra, Kickstarter, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/evolutionbra/8in-1-evolution-bra-the-worlds-most-advanced-bra/description