A recent report suggesting Chinese women are growing larger breast
made headlines around the country, but it wasn't news to bra makers, many of
whom have been producing larger cup sizes for the last year.
Some underwear companies have even created sub-brands specializing in larger
bra sizes.
Most lingerie companies say they started producing the larger bras within the
last year.
Hong Kong-based Embry Group, for instance, began reacting to the trend last
year by halting production of small-sized bras for some of its product lines.
"We don't produce A-cups for some bras with larger chest circumference now as
demand is low," said Li Na, an official with Embry, which has counters in most
of Shanghai's department stores.
"At the same time, we increased production of C, D and E-cup products and
also found sales booming," she said.
Zhang Jing, a saleswoman with the Triumph brand at Landmark Plaza said she's
surprised to find many women under the age of 20 need bras with C, D or even
E-cups.
"It's so different from the past when most young women would wear A- or B-cup
bras," she said. "You will never expect those thin women to have such nice
figures if they are not plastic."
Taiwanese underwear brand Ordifen is another to act quickly.
Feng Wei, an official with the Ordifen's design, development and research
department, said the company began making more C-cup products last year based on
sales feedback and an internal survey.
"We make and sell products differently in various areas based on data
collected in those places," said Feng. "For a time we only made A and B-cup bras
for many categories of products but now C-cups have become a major focus
especially in big cities like Shanghai and Beijing."
While there are no numbers to prove breast are growing quicker in large
cities than underdeveloped areas, many salespeople say they have noticed that
trend.
As sales of larger bras are busting out, Embry opened special counters for
its bigger-cup bras under the sub-brand Comfort in February and is planning to
set more of such outlets around the nation.
The Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology released a report last week
saying the average chest circumference of Chinese woman has hit 83.53
centimeters, up nearly 1cm from the early 1990s. The growth trend is credited to
women eating more nutritiously and taking part in more
sports.