Molded Cup Bras

Have you noticed how popular molded cup bras have become?

All you have to do is walk into any La Senza on the planet, and you will be overwhelmed by the sheer variety of size, shape and color available. Women have fallen in love with these undergarments because of the nice smooth line you get under even the most form-fitting fashions.

Molded contour and seamless cups are a fairly recent arrival on the lingerie scene. Previously, shape and support was achieved through fabric and seaming. Molded cups completely avoid seaming.

The molded cup has a pre-formed shape. This requires some new undergarment manufacturing technology. The factory takes nylon or polyester tricot fabric and heat forms it over various styles of breast molds to achieve the cup’s final shape. Molded cups can be a single piece of fabric or fused with a thin layer of foam or fiberfill for a more rigid, non-collapsing style. These more rigid cups are called contour cups.

While avoiding seams may be a big enough benefit for many, molded cups have an additional plus. If one breast is slightly smaller than the other (which is very common), a contour molded cup tends to hide this fact.

There are disadvantages. Molded cups come with shape built in. If your breasts are not the same shape, you may not get a good fit. Also, these bras fit precisely and fairly rigidly. Since the placement of the molded cups on your chest is critical, you could find that your breasts do not sit properly in the cups or are not fully encased.

Some women may need to consider other types of bras, despite the attraction to a molded cup. For instance, a natural breast will be more malleable to the more structured cup, while implants will not conform as easily.

Another drawback for large-busted women in general is that these bras will not be as supportive as seamed cups. For the best fitting and support, seaming is ideal.

Finally, while molded cup bras are lovely under clothing, they lack the detailing of other lingerie, which can combine various types of cloth with lovely laces and finishings.

Care of the molded cup bra is critical. Cups should not be folded or crushed; wrinkles can become difficult or impossible to remove and detract from the look of the garment. Some tips for caring for these garments include:

• Do not fold one cup inside out in order to nest the two cups together. The reversed cup can become deformed and lose its structure.
• Do not allow molded cups to become flattened. These garments are prone to wrinkles and bumps that can give the bra a strange shape.
• When traveling, try and fill each molded cup with a pair of socks or rolled up pantyhose. This helps the bra to maintain its shape even “under pressure”!
• If the cups do wrinkle, try placing the wrinkle between your hands and rubbing the area. You can also try using a steamer. Do not iron! Ironing can permanently damage the cup.