Women – and their gadgets – get charge out of Japanese wonder-bra
Wednesday, May 14th 2008
Green esteem and self esteem are both being given a boost thanks to a Japanese lingerie maker’s newest environmentally friendly bra.
The “Photovoltaci-Powered Bra” features a solar panel worn around the woman’s stomach that can generate enough electricity to charge a mobile phone or an iPod with light exposure.
As an added feature, a pair of reusable drink containers give new meaning to the term “cup Size.” The drinking cups are attached to the bra cups in an effort to reduce consumption of aluminum cans and plastic bottles.
Another bonus: Models say the cup attachments make their breasts look larger.
Because it uses solar power, the bra is meant to be worn as a top, making it trendworthy on both the eco-friendly and the lingerie-as-outerwear fronts.
A spokeswoman for the bra’s maker,Triumph International Japan Ltd., said she hopes to send a message that lingerie can save the planet. Eco-friendly products are gaining popularity in Japan, and the solar energy bra is just the latest installment in the company’s line of sustainable undies.
Other “green” concept bras include one with a reusable shopping bag folded conveniently inside, and a “my chopsticks” bra that holds a handy set of reusable, collapsible chopsticks that can be tucked in either side.