Invention to Fix a Bra’s Underwire When it Pops Out
I find it kind of odd that a man would find a solution to the problem of an underwire popping out of a bra. But, Scott Dutton from England has. Called the Bra Angel, this devise has won the inventor two gold metals for Invention of the Year.
Here’s how the Bra Angel works. It’s a piece of plastic with barbs built into it. You slip this piece of plastic over the end of your underwire that is poking out. You then slide the underwire back in to its casing. The barbs catch into the casing’s fabric and the opening is now no longer an issue. Your underwire stays in place.
The idea for Dutton’s invention came from his wife. Apparently she had numerous bras that were ruined because of the underrwires poking out. After looking on the internet and finding nothing on the market, he went about designing prototypes until finally coming up with the design for the Bra Angel.
It’s an interesting invention. However, underwires poking out are mainly caused by laundering your bras incorrectly. Manufacturers sew a bra’s underwire into a casing with additional space for the underwire to move. When the wire pokes out, it is usually because the casing has shrunk due to hot water and a washing machine. The underwire can also poke out if the sewing at the end of the casing is not strong enough. But, this is rarely an issue with well-made bras.
Though it’s an interesting solution, I’m not totally crazy about it. With the barbs holding one end of the underwire in place, the underwire is now not allowed to float within the casing. Underwires are supposed to do this so that they will fit better and feel more comfortable. The Bra Angel also adds bulk to the underwire. I’m concerned that this could be uncomfortable. And finally, I worry that the barbs could also pierce the outside fabric. Now you have a bra with pointed barbs sticking out between your breasts our under your arms.
I say the jury is out. But for a quick solution to an underwire popping out, this is certainly a clever invention.
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Good afternoon,
My name is Scott Dutton; I am the inventor of “The Bra Angel”.
I read with interest the article on our product, which is to be available in approximately 2 weeks. I thank Tomima for taking the time to write an article on “The Bra Angel” and am pleased that someone as successful as Tomima has chosen to included an article about our product on her website.
As the inventor of the product I do feel that there are some points that are incorrect, and would like the opportunity to clarify them.
Firstly the product has been thoroughly tested and worn by several users for 6 months, long before we decided we had the right design.
The product works in two ways, firstly the product has barbs on one side which act as anchors, which once fully inserted do not allow the product to come back out, it is important to note that the barbs are so small that it would be impossible for them to poke through the fabric of the bra.
Also when the product is fitted it acts as a hinge to the underwire, allowing the underwire to move around freely inside. We found after many tests that in most cases the wearer found more movement when fitted with “The Bra Angel” than without, which is why we have now patented a second product which we are hoping the bra industry will start using in all bras.
I would also like to say that on all the bras we have tested, which are most makes; none showed enough sign of shrinkage to suggest this was the underlying cause to the problem. We found that it is in fact general movement of the wearer that causes this problem and not washing machine use as stated, bras go through more movement when being worn than in any washing machine, this is still today a common misconception.
Also “The Bra Angel” is a tiny product and although it is bigger than the underwire, it does not show through the fabric of the bra, you will only know it”s there because, firstly you fitted it and you saved your bra from the bin, and or secondly you will see the top of it when you look down, giving you another reason to smile.
What is important to remember is that our product “The Bra Angel” was born from a need, my wife Laura became increasingly frustrated at throwing away bras, expensive or not, and I’m sure many other woman out there have the same frustrations, the bra industry are fully aware of the problem, but have no intention in fixing it, why would they; they are making “Billions” of pounds every year from it.
So as Tomima says it is a clever invention, and for a quick solution ["The Bra Angel" fits in seconds] it’s the only solution! And it’s permanent.
We worked long and hard with help from some fantastic people to come up with “The Bra Angel” and see it as a fantastic solution to an age old problem.
Once again thank you to Tomima for taking the time to talk about our product.
Comment by Scott Dutton
December 4th, 2008 @ 11:29 am
Thank you for the post, Scott.
I must take issue with several of your comments. I work closely with almost every bra manufacturer in the US, as well as several foreign ones. Your comment that they have no intention of “fixing the problem” is a complete falsehood and mean-spirited. Like you, they want their products to be the best they can be. It is not their desire to have their products disposable or flawed. They are not the villains you want to portrait.
You state that in your research, you found the biggest reason for underwires popping out is due to movement of the wearer. This may be your finding, but you need to know why this may be your finding. When a bra is too loose on a woman (band size is too large), the bra moves around on her body. Thus the underwire inside rubs against the casing fabric between it and the wearer’s skin. Eventually a hole is created, and the underwire pops out. This result is not the fault of the bra, however. The woman simply purchased the wrong size bra, and this is a symptom proving this fact.
A properly fitting bra will stay firm against your body and not move. I am a case in point I am in the correct bra size, and I have never had an underwire pop out on any bra I own – and I have owned several. Your sampling should go get properly fitted. I think you would find that your test results would dramatically change.
I think your product is a good temporary solution. However, like the bra extender accessories on the market, your item solves a problem that most of the time is caused by a woman simply wearing the wrong bra size.
A bra manufacturer is to blame for a popped underwire when not enough space has been left in the underwire casing to allow the underwire to move. Or they have used a fabric for the casing which shrinks more than the fabric that makes up the bra.
Comment by Tomima
December 8th, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
Great idea, I will be watching to purchase for myself. You mentioned that you worked with many bra manufacturers, would you happen to know who would/could produce a prototype that I have for a new bra?
Comment by susan kammerer
January 14th, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
Sorry, I don’t.
Comment by Tomima
January 15th, 2009 @ 7:14 am
I have many Rigby Peller bras/cost me a fortune & the underwires are all sliipping out under the arm & someinbetween! Too expensive to toss. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OOOXOXOX, Suzanne Madrid
Hello Suzanne – If you’re having this problem you might want to give this product a try. Personally, I think you probably have too large a band size.
Comment by suzanne madrid
May 12th, 2009 @ 10:37 am