The importance of allowing all women to dress in a democratic way has been finally recognised as the plus size world opened up to fashion and sports brands. Among the thirteen largest world markets, the average clothing size ranges from 46 to 48 with the United States leading the way with a 50. Almost a third of American women buys plus size clothing, while in Europe the figure is growing and stands at 23%, highlighting the importance of offering all women collections with the same fashion content, innovation and comfort.
Making CIFRA‘s patented WKS technology available for curvy shapewear and bodysize collections allows brands to design garments without size limits and that do not mark the skin, unlike “cut-to-fit” garments. A unique added value in the seamless world since the traditional circular/weft knitting is instead bound to the diameter of the round frames. This is the case, for example, of the American shapewear brands Mindd Bra and Yahaira, both patented, which fit all women in all sizes while fulfilling the different needs of each different body type.
Mindd Bra has developed an ideal bra with a bodymapping concept and patented diversified supporting zones, reducing the number of components used and eliminating the need for underwires. The supporting zones are seamlessly integrated together, creating an extremely flexible and comfortable bra where the design suits the silhouette for a perfect fitting. Thanks to body-mapping, New York brand Yahaira specialised in advanced shapewear has been able to create garments that can alternate zones of different compression to provide support where required, without flattening parts of the body that should be properly enhanced and emphasised in their natural forms.
Plus size is a vertically upward trend for Cifra along with sustainability, a commitment which is increasingly becoming a key responsibility by increasing transparency throughout the production chain with Step and OekoTex certified traceability. Cifra’s eco-sustainable offer includes products made with recycled yarns (Econyl, Renycle, Qnova) as well as biodegradable (Amni-Soul eco) and natural yarns (merino wool and Tencel), with no production waste thanks to the Zero Waste program.
