Why Are Bras So Expensive? (10 Reasons)
Shopping for bras can be a frustrating experience.
Finding the right size that doesn’t make you uncomfortable is a struggle in itself.
When you finally find the perfect one, you might get hit with an expensive price.
You may wonder why bras are expensive in the first place.
Why Are Bras So Expensive? (10 Reasons)
Cheaper bras tend to cost between $10 and $20.
However, the more expensive bras cost anywhere from $100 to $300.
A few factors like materials, fit, and labor costs all contribute to the expensive price tag.
Let’s look at these factors in more detail.
1. Lots Of Materials And Components
Perhaps one of the main reasons bras are expensive is that they contain a lot of different materials and components.
Bras are actually far more complex than most might realize.
They’re certainly more complex than a t-shirt or a pair of pants.
Bras have different sections and components.
Each area has its own purpose.
One secures the bra to the torso.
Another supports the woman’s breasts.
Then there are several different components involved with adjusting the bra until it fits well.
All these components cost money to make.
On the one hand, there’s the material cost.
Some components might cost more than others to make.
The higher the quality of those components, the more expensive the bra is going to be.
Then there’s the sheer number of them.
T-shirts only need one material and a few areas of sewing.
Bras need a ton of stitches.
Since those different components take longer to make, it adds to the cost of production.
Bra sellers need to offset those costs by selling their bras at a higher price point.
As such, bras are expensive because of the materials used and the sheer number of components that make up a bra.
2. Business Production Scale
The scale of the business is another reason bras are expensive.
You can often find cheaper bras at large big-box stores.
The reason they’re cheaper is that the larger stores sell items more than just bras.
They’re able to make up for any losses that might incur by selling bras through the sale of other products.
Another reason is that larger stores are usually able to take in higher quantities of products.
They mass produce them.
Since they’re mass-produced, they can sell them at lower prices.
That isn’t the case for smaller clothing stores.
It’s especially not the case for lingerie stores or stores that exclusively sell bras.
These stores are more expensive because their sales are only coming from bras.
They have a smaller business scale.
While they might have a few other things that they sell, they’re primarily selling bras.
As such, they can’t rely on other products to cover the slack in sales that they might have with their bras.
These stores also tend not to sell mass-produced items.
They have smaller production scales.
That means they have to get as much money as possible on the sales of the bras that they do have.
Shopping at actual bra stores is more expensive than going to Walmart, for example, because of the scale of the business.
3. Handmade
Another major reason bras are expensive is that a good portion of them are actually handmade.
Making a bra is difficult.
It requires an expert sewer to make a bra that both functions well and fits well.
That sewer also needs to then make various sizes of the same bra.
That isn’t easy to do.
The attention to detail required can be difficult for a worker when they have to focus for so long.
Handmaking a bra is an expensive process.
First, it involves human workers.
Those workers need materials.
Because they’re human, they’re also prone to errors.
When they make an error, it means they need to use more materials to fix the error.
That adds to the cost of production.
Another big factor is time.
Making any product by hand takes more time than if it was just put through a factory.
Machines can move fast and don’t get tired.
Human workers require breaks, especially when they’re working with tools like sewing machines.
Since they need breaks, fewer bras get produced as a result.
Because it takes longer to make a product, the business has to charge higher prices on the products it does produce to make up for it.
Finally, those workers need wages.
Since making a bra is difficult and requires experienced sewers, the company can’t hire just anyone.
They need the best.
The best sewers deserve high wages.
As such, the company ends up paying their sewers a good amount of money.
This is especially true if the bra uses workers from either the United States or Europe.
Those countries have high costs of living.
They need to pay their workers well to be able to live there.
They also usually offer benefits that add to the cost of doing business.
Some bra manufacturers also make premium bras.
These bras use excellent materials and have expert sewers that make them.
Because they’re premium, they come at higher prices.
Bras are expensive because the majority of them are handmade which is a more expensive way of producing an item.
4. Great Fit
Bras are also expensive when they fit well.
Bras are different than t-shirts.
When you buy a t-shirt, you have a choice between a few different sizes.
Those sizes tend to be Small, Medium, and Large.
In most cases, one of those sizes fits a large group of people.
When it comes to bras, that isn’t the case.
That’s because the bra has to fit both the bust size of the wearer and their body.
If the bust size fits but the rest doesn’t, then the wearer isn’t going to get full support.
The bra might simply fall off.
The same goes if it fits well around the torso, but it doesn’t support the bust size.
Not only can the bra be uncomfortable to wear, but it might give the wearer back problems.
Because of that, bra companies have to make a series of different sizes.
It isn’t so easy as just making three sizes.
They’ll make dozens.
That’s because women come in all shapes and sizes.
Getting a great fit costs more money.
You’re usually looking at premium brands that might specialize in one range of sizes over another.
Because they focus on a specific type of market, they’re also narrowing down the number of people who will buy their product.
For example, a bra company might focus on producing bras for plus-sized women.
That means they make bras in larger sizes.
Women who have smaller busts aren’t going to buy their products since they’re not going to get a great fit from them.
The plus-sized bras are more expensive because the company has to get as much revenue as possible out of the women who do buy their bras.
They have to make up for the fact that they’re not also selling to women with smaller bust sizes.
While you can always buy a cheap bra, there’s a good chance that it won’t fit well.
If you want a great fit, then you can expect an expensive price tag on your bra.
5. Silk And Expensive Fabrics
Certain materials used in bras also make them expensive.
For example, if the bra uses silk or lace, then you can expect a more expensive price tag on it.
Both silk and lace are luxury materials.
They’re high-quality and cost more to source and use in production.
Silk is expensive because it comes from a certain type of insect.
Silkworms, for example, create silk when they make their cocoons.
Even within silk, there are more expensive types of silk.
It all comes down to the exact silkworm used and its diet.
Because the silk comes from a cocoon, harvesters are only able to get so much silk from each worm.
They also have to keep their worms alive, so they can’t overfeed them or cause them stress.
Since acquiring and making silk is expensive, silk suppliers sell their silk at high prices.
Bra companies then spend a good amount of money on the silk and must offset their own costs.
When a bra contains only silk, that means the company is spending a lot of money on the material.
That bra is likely going to be quite expensive in return.
The other material, lace, is also expensive.
The reason lace is expensive is that it’s difficult to sew and use.
Making and using lace is labor-intensive.
Since a lot of labor is involved, it makes the production of the bra very expensive.
Bra companies then need to cover those costs with higher prices.
Both silk and lace look and feel great on a bra.
They add breathability to the clothing and can make the bra look attractive as well.
All these qualities together make bras that use silk and lace quite expensive.
6. Different Types
Bras are also expensive because there are several different types of them.
The most common type of bra is one used every day.
They serve the simple purpose of supporting a woman’s bust.
These tend to be a bit cheaper since there’s a large customer base in need of them.
The more expensive bras are those that serve a specific purpose.
One example is the sports bra.
Sports bras are more expensive than everyday bras because they provide more support.
They’re built with the specific purpose of providing support and comfort for a woman while she performs some sort of athletic feat.
The goal is to make a bra that doesn’t interfere with her performance.
Some bras also come with additional features.
For example, some might use a type of material that offers breathability and airflow.
That can help reduce sweat and make wearing the bra more comfortable.
Others might wicking technology that helps wick sweat away.
Since sports bras tend to see a bit more abuse than everyday bras, they’re also built to be a bit more durable.
Because they require high-quality materials to get that durability, they’re more expensive to produce.
Bras are expensive because different types serve specific purposes.
7. Durable
Another reason bras are expensive is that they’re usually quite durable.
Bra makers use certain materials to make the bra last for some time.
If the bra used poor quality materials, then it’d break quickly since bras undergo a bit of stress.
For one, they’re usually snug against an individual’s body.
They’re exposed to body temperature and sweat.
They also rest under clothes.
As such, they undergo a lot of friction from other types of fabric.
That can make it wear down quickly.
There are also smaller components like wires and snaps that need to remain stitched into the bra.
Otherwise, the individual can’t hook their bra together.
It becomes useless after that.
However, because bras are durable, it means that women tend to not buy them as often.
Unless they’re looking for a new bra for aesthetic purposes, they might not need to buy a new one for several years.
Their current bras last quite well.
Since bra makers don’t have repeat customers as often, they have to make as much money as possible from the initial sale.
That means they need to sell the bra at a higher price.
Bras are expensive because they’re durable.
8. Custom Bras
Another reason bras are expensive is that you can get custom ones.
A custom bra is more expensive than an average bra because it requires more work.
It usually starts with a fitting.
A bra maker or designer will measure you to ensure they make a bra that fits your form perfectly.
Then you’ll have a choice of different materials that they can use for the bra.
If you select more expensive materials, then that will also add to the price tag.
Finally, the custom bra designer will then spend time making your bra.
Because they’re working on and selling bras on a case-by-case process, they have to charge higher rates.
In return, you get a bra that fits you perfectly.
Bras are expensive when you choose to buy a bra that’s custom-made for you.
9. Marketing Costs
The bra market is very competitive.
Because there’s only so much you can do with bras, each company has to find some sort of edge that makes their bras more appealing than others.
That usually means they invest heavily in marketing.
They often need to market their bras as luxury bras.
Luxury advertising can be quite expensive.
It usually includes hiring expensive models or even a celebrity.
The goal is to sell the idea that the bra immediately makes you look sexier or improves your life in some way.
Because some companies spend a lot on marketing, they need to offset those costs with high revenue.
To get that revenue, they need to sell their bras at expensive prices.
Bras are expensive because of expensive marketing costs.
10. Brand Name
A final reason bras are expensive is when they’re attached to a well-known brand name.
Perhaps one of the biggest names in the intimates industry is Victoria’s Secret.
The price of Victoria’s Secret bras is usually quite expensive.
That’s because they spent a lot of time and money on building a reputation for selling high-quality bras.
Buying an expensive bra at Victoria’s Secret is less risky because the consumer trusts the brand.
Generic brands tend to be cheaper.
However, expensive bras usually come from well-known brand names.
Conclusion
Bras are often a necessary piece of clothing for a woman’s comfort.
However, due to labor costs and production costs, bras can be quite expensive.