A Molded Bra Versus a Contour Bra – What’s the Difference?
March 25, 2009
The lingerie industry has created confusion over the last several years with the two terms "molded" and "contour" to describe a bra cup. So, allow me to explain the difference.
A molded cup has been shaped over a breast mold to give it a pre-defined breast shape. Fabric with synthetic fibers is stretched over a hot mold form, a second hot piece comes down on top of it and molds the former flat piece of fabric into the shape of a breast. this piece is now the bra cup and is sewn into a bra frame. Usually, the fabric is seamless, but molded cups can also contain seams – this gives added support.
A contour bra is a molded bra, but with a thin layer of foam included in the cup to provide modesty by reducing or eliminating nipple show-through. This foam also helps create a specific shape to a woman’s breast tissue. It can make you more rounded and uplifted.
Now, here’s where additional confusion comes in. A contour bra is also called a t-shirt bra by many retailers and manufacturers. So, I empathize with women out there who find this confusing. But, there is a subtle distinction here as well. A t-shirt bra always has a seamless cup with thin foam for modesty. A contour bra also has the foam, but it can also have seams for added breast support. So, a t-shirt bra is always a contour bra, but a contour bra is not always a t-shirt bra.
I personally am a big fan of the contour bra because it’s the perfect choice for any woman seeking a sculpted silhouette. It offers a significant amount of coverage and adds definition, smooth shape, and best of all, the elimination of nipple show-through. Contour bras are also a good choice for in-between bra sizes, or a woman with uneven breasts.
Now, contour bras do have their detractors. Larger breasted women don’t like them because they believe they add size to their bustline. I would agree that in the past, this probably was true. However, the manufacturers have really refined the contour bras to give shape and contour to the breast without adding volume.
A molded bra is usually made with a single piece of fabric or has a second layer for opacity and additional strength. It is the ultimate light-weight bra for a woman who wants to feel and look like she’s wearing nothing, but knows that she needs to wear something to make the girls look attractive and youthful.
View HerRoom’s selection of contour bras
View HerRoom’s selection of molded bras
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Posted by Tomima at 1:16pm
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The New Spacer Foam Being Used in Molded Bras
December 19, 2008
A new lingerie term has popped up recently. The term "spacer foam" is being used when describing some new t-shirt or contour bras. Currently several bras on the market use this spacer foam as the fabric in their seamless bras. So, what is it?
We all know what corrugated cardboard is. It has a top and bottom layer with a wavy layer between the two to give the cardboard a thickness. Well, spacer foam is very similar. Actually knit on a machine, spacer foam has a top and bottom layer with filaments in between that can be adjusted to create a thickness to the knit. So, basically, little air pockets are created and this spacer foam has a very cushiony feel to the hand.
This is actually quite revolutionary in the industry. More and more, the contour or t-shirt bra has become every woman’s staple in her lingerie drawer because she likes the modesty and shape it provides. Traditionally, a contour bra uses two pieces of 
fabric which are then glued to a thin foam to create the cups. The problem has always been with the lighter colored fabrics, especially white. Once the glue hits the air, it turns yellow. This is why it was almost impossible to find a white t-shirt bra. The creation of spacer foam or spacer fabric eliminates the layering and gluing of three pieces of fabric. Therefore, a white bra with modesty padding is now a possibility. Additionally, the thickness and density of spacer foam can be regulated at the knitting machine. Thus new padded bras can now be created that don’t require additional padding.
Another advantage to spacer foam is that it allows air to pass through. This makes bras with spacer foam much more comfortable to wear. Contour bras traditionally do not breath, and thus became hot, with moisture getting trapped inside the cups.
Currently spacer foam or spacer fabric is very expensive due to the fact that far more yarn goes into the making of it than traditional knits, and more time is required on the knitting machines. There is also an added expense in molding this fabric into a cup shape using a special finishing process. However the benefits of being lighter weight, breathable, and able to be made in light fabrics seems to justify the added expense. One final note; there is a cheaper version of spacer foam on the market. However, because it is not the real thing, it does not perform the same or keep its shape as long. So, spacer foam is an exciting new innovation to the lingerie industry. I predict you will see spacer foam replacing most or all contour or t-shirt bras in the near future.
Find bras at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
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Posted by Tomima at 9:50am
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