September 7, 2022

Performance Lace Sports Bra Iteration #3
We've restored the wide band and distributed the elastic around and under the breast.  We've also revised the seam binding with a narrow open mesh elasticized strip made from the same Supima yarns.  The elastic yarns integrated into the body of the bra creates a highly textural fabric that smooths out when worn.  These pieces take wearing time for the filaments to shift to one's unique contours, but once they achieve that "balanced tension", they are virtually invisible feeling.

August 20th, 2022

Day three, Iteration #1 - Just gets better every day!  I wanted to put it on this morning.  Perhaps it is now the adventure of testing --- or the intrigue of a different support. Non the less, I'm doing a flip-flop and liking this.  I should have known, so often when Brad makes something outside the box, like this variable sized band, I am critical.  But over the years I've almost always been wrong.  Initially I was critical of the narrow band under the breasts because I thought it would pull up...but thus far, it has not.  I think it also is effective with minimizing under breast sweat in a way I don't understand. 

At day three this bra has taken my shape and that is it's ultimate comfort.

August 19th, 2022
I decided to put the sports bra back on 1st thing this morning.  Iteration #1 was not particularly uncomfortable... just unusual., tighter and tidier - a bit antithetical to my slovenly natural self.  Right now I'm likin' this bra for my work-out-side-work-out.  I need to remember that sometimes these bras take a little time to shape to you..  Perhaps also I've stretched the yarns and elastic just enough to hold but not squish.

Note:  This picture is of a tree-house Brad started building in 2015 with the help of a few locals.  It's post and beam using logs and lumber we've harvested.   We'd love to find some folks who'd enjoy working on this project.

August 18th, 2022 - This morning I am wearing the new Tensengral sports bra.

This was iteration #1  - To Brad's chagrin, most every style bra has taken up to 100 iterations - but we've already got a head-start.

We're starting with AMBI Active Wide Band as a foundation, distributing elastane strands throughout the body of the bra for greater coverage and compressive hold.  These new  designs have approx. 7 percent elastic using light strength for the body and band and a stronger elastic for the straps. They are made from a Supima Cotton and Tencel blend.

There are 24 strands of elastic in this bra.  The placement of the strands differs in the front and in the back.  In the front, the bottom band was reduced in size to just a few strands of elastic under the breast, the remaining strands were integrated into the body of the bra, radiating around the breast. 

The back uses all of the strands in the wide band.   You can see in the images how the band tapers down to just a couple of strands under  breast #1,  opens up in the center, tapers under breast #2 and then transitions to full width  in the back.

Back & Front.

 The straps feel shorter and tighter although there was no change in their composition.  The straps do not feel as if they are bearing much load. 

This bra feels different than the other AMBI’s.  It seems to “activate” or “stimulate” the breasts/chest area.  

One might analogize elastic to junk food - delicious but unnatural. 

I remember musing that the artificial support you achieve with elastic was not necessarily good because it never rests.  Perhaps with exercise that is a physical objective to stay stimulated, yet, with practices such as yoga it seems you want to feel supported yet you also want to rest.

After a day of wearing this I'm ready to change into my favorite HiLo with a wide band.  The all day compression is pretty intense.  I think that may be why the support from the non-elasticized styles is so nice…It’s there when you need it but relaxed when you don’t.

August 20th, 2022

Some folks have asked for defined cups and nipple hiding designs. This Iteration using HiLo Wide Band with some targeted elastic incorporates bamboo pulp felted into the bra.  This is a before it was washed image and after it is washed and dried picture.  The open filament network makes a nice ground for felting.  We've done preliminary tests for washability that have been positive.

This will be the first test for comfort, durability and function.  I'd like to believe it will make a wonderfully naturally shaped fit-to-you-perfectly cup.  There are many different pulps and possibilities.