Materials

FABRICS WITH STRETCH

Jersey Knit:  Single knit stretch fabric commonly used for t-shirts or underwear.  Can be used for smaller cup sizes, or stabilized for larger cup sizes.

Power Net/Power Mesh:  These two terms are often used interchangeably; however, power net is more dense than power mesh.  They are both strong supportive fabrics that can have varying degrees of stretch.

Lycra Spandex: Lightweight knit with spandex fibers that has a firm stretch.  It conforms to your body’s contours while allowing you to comfortably move and breathe.

Stretch Mesh: Made of nylon and spandex. It is a versatile fabric that can be used as lining or a design element for  panties, bras or bodysuits.

FABRICS WITH LITTLE OR NO STRETCH

15 Denier Nylon: Semi sheer lightweight fabric with light support for bra cups.  It is 100% nylon and can have a little mechanical 2 way stretch. It is soft and silky.

Sheer Bra Cup Lining:  Strong, supportive 100% nylon fabric.  It is ideally used to line lace or  stretch fabric (jersey) for more support. It can also be used for the bridge and front frame because of its structural integrity and minimal stretch.

COMPONENTS OF A BRA

Cups: Hold the breast in place and shape the breast tissue. There are a variety of cup designs that can be made with soft or firm fabric.  Bra cups designs can have seams or be seamless. They can also be supported by underwire.

Frame: Wraps around the front of your body and cradles the bra cups.  It connects to the band at the side seam and to the bridge at the center front.

Bridge: The bridge is the portion of the bra that sits between the cups and the frame.

Band: The band is connected to the frame of the bra and attaches with hook and eye closure.

NOTIONS

Bra straps: High quality elastic with minimal stretch and good recovery. Come in a variety of widths and colors and is usually plush on one side and satin or matte on the other.

Decorative Picot  Elastic: This is a typically narrow,  lighter-weight elastic with fancy edge design used on the neckline of a bra or bodysuit  and is also great for underwear.

Picot Plush Elastic: Comes in a variety of widths with a saw tooth or scalloped edge. It is plush on one or both sides and is used for the underarm/ top band and the bottom band of the bra.

Fold Over Elastic: This is a soft elastic that has an indentation down the center where it is meant to be folded. It has a shiny side and a matte side and can be  used on the neckline of a bra, the bottom band, on underwear waistbands,  leg openings bodysuits and as a design element.

Rings & Sliders: These are necessary to make your bra straps adjustable and to connect your straps to your bra. 

Hook & Eye Closure: It connects to the bra band, the hooks on one side and the eyes on the other side.  They come in a variety of widths 2x3, 3x3, 4x3 being the most common. Purchasing hook and eye tape in longer lengths is also an option.

Underwire Channeling: The underwire channeling is sewn along the interior cup seam where it holds the wire against the body and provides structure and support to the bra cups.It can be used in bralettes to create a little more structure without a wire.

Underwire: This is the wire used under the bra cup to add structure and support.  There are different wire sizes and shapes depending on your cup size. It is important to purchase the right size in order to avoid a wire digging into your breast or an oversized wire that will not lay against the chest properly.

Bra foam: This is used to create bra cups or add padding to bra straps.