What 651 Bangladeshi Women Told Us About Their Bras
The short answer: Eighty-five percent had worn the wrong size. Fifty-nine percent said the cups did not hold. A third had bought bras abroad. Between 2020 and 2022, SHAPE surveyed 651 Bangladeshi women, mostly university students, and the numbers confirmed what we had seen in our fitting rooms since the beginning.
The survey was real but limited. Most respondents were university students, which skews younger and more urban. The numbers point in a clear direction, but they do not represent every woman in Bangladesh.
Why We Ran the Survey
SHAPE was founded in 2019 with a hunch: most women in Bangladesh were wearing the wrong bra size, and the local market was not solving the problem. But a hunch is not data. Between 2020 and 2022, we surveyed 651 women. Most were university students in Dhaka. The survey asked about fit, comfort, shopping habits, and what frustrated them most about the bras available to them.The Numbers
Here is what the survey found:| Finding | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Were wearing the wrong bra size | 85% |
| Said cups did not provide enough support | 59% |
| Reported loose or slipping straps | 56% |
| Experienced visible bra lines under clothing | 44% |
| Had bought bras from abroad | 35% |
What the Numbers Mean
Eighty-five percent wearing the wrong size is not a personal failure. It is a market failure. When most bras available locally come in S, M, and L with no real fitting guidance, women guess. And guessing means compromising on support, comfort, and how clothing sits on the body. The 35% who bought abroad were not chasing brands. They were chasing fit. They could not find what they needed at home, so they spent more to get it from somewhere else.What Changed Because of This Data
The survey confirmed that SHAPE needed to build around fit, not fashion. It is why we train fit advisors, why our fitting rooms have curtains, and why we measure before we recommend. It also shaped our size range. Most styles run M to 3XL, with core styles reaching 5XL and a plus size line to 7XL. Band-and-cup styles come in bands 34 to 44, cups A to DD. That range exists because the data told us a narrow range would leave most women out.Questions women ask us
How many women were in the survey?
651 women, surveyed between 2020 and 2022. Most were university students in Dhaka.
What was the most common problem?
Wrong bra size, reported by 85% of respondents. The second most common was lack of cup support at 59%.
Why did 35% buy bras from abroad?
They could not find the right fit or size range in the local market. Buying abroad was a workaround, not a preference.
Is this survey published?
It is SHAPE's own research, conducted to guide our product development and fitting process. The key findings are shared here.
Free, private fittings. Walk into any of our 7 stores in Dhaka or message us on WhatsApp +880 1784 163199. You never have to buy.
Part of The Fitting Room by SHAPE.
