A binder compresses your ribs, so a few rules are worth taking seriously. This is general information, not personal medical advice. If you have asthma, a heart or lung condition, a connective tissue condition, or you are recovering from surgery, talk to a doctor before you start binding.
How it should feel
Snug, like a second skin, and never painful. You should be able to breathe normally, raise your arms and move without the fabric cutting in.
Getting the size right
Sizing differs from brand to brand, so measure yourself first with a soft tape measure, breathing normally, and use the table for your brand on our size chart.
- Never size down on purpose. Too small digs in, restricts your breathing and usually looks worse.
- If your bust and waist are noticeably different, size to your underbust or waist rather than your bust.
- Broader shoulders usually mean going up a size.
- Between two sizes, take the larger one.
- Swim binders: most people are happier one size up, because wet fabric is harder to pull on.
Putting it on
Most people step into a binder and pull it up rather than over their head. It takes practice. A front-zip swim binder is easier: open it fully, put it on like a vest and zip it all the way up. Never wear it half zipped.
Wear time
Eight hours a day is a ceiling, not a target, with days off in between. If you are not in a safe space and cannot take it off, you can stretch this to 12 hours as an exception, never as a habit. If you are new to binding, build up: two hours on the first day, three on the next, and so on. Four hours of binding and then changing is a better day than nine.
Sleep, sport, swimming and heat
- Never sleep in a binder. At night, wear a soft sports bra or a loose layered shirt instead.
- Sport: use a sport or gym binder, or a sports bra. Never wear your strongest binder to the gym.
- Swimming: never in a regular binder. Wet fabric tightens and is very hard to get off. Use a swim binder.
- Heat: heat and binding are a bad combination. Take breaks.
Warning signs: take it off
- Pain in your chest, ribs or back
- Shortness of breath, or not being able to take a full breath
- Numbness, pins and needles, or a limb going cold
- Dizziness or feeling faint
- Skin that is broken, blistered, discoloured or not recovering between wears
See a doctor if a symptom does not settle after you take the binder off, or if it keeps coming back. Chest pain and breathing difficulty are always worth getting checked.
Looking after your skin and your binder
- Put it on over clean, dry skin. A thin cotton undershirt underneath helps with sweat.
- Rash, sore or fungal infection? Stop binding until it clears, and see a pharmacist or doctor if it does not.
- Wash at 30 °C max, ideally in a laundry bag. Air dry. Never in the dryer: it destroys the elastic.
- Rinse a swim binder in clean water after every swim.
When to size up or replace
When it leaves marks that are still there hours later, when you get out of breath sitting still, or when your body has changed. Binders also lose their stretch over time.
Questions?
Try things on in our shop in Ghent, or send us your measurements through our contact form. We would rather help you find the right size than sell you the wrong one.