Global Evolution and Future Trend of Innovative Bra Research: A Visualized Analysis for the Past Ten years

Global Evolution and Future Trend of Innovative Bra Research: A Visualized Analysis for the Past Ten years | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Systematic Review Global Evolution and Future Trend of Innovative Bra Research: A Visualized Analysis for the Past Ten years Liushan Tao, Zhiyuan Hu, Zilu Ma, Mengyao Xu, Linlin Gong, Anhua Zhong This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8543451/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the innovative bra research, aiming to outline the knowledge structure, clarify research hotspots, and predict future development trends. A total of 384 documents published between 2015 and 2025 were screened from the Web of Science Core Collection, with in-depth analysis performed using VOSviewer software and Bibliometrix tools. The results identify five core research clusters: multi-dimensional optimization of bra design, including medical rehabilitation adaptation, intelligent technology integration, and personalized fit, breast physiology and health, bra biomechanical performance, sports scenario adaptation, and exclusive design for breastfeeding. Key research hotspots include bra biomechanics, breast health and support, smart bra R&D, post-surgical rehabilitation adaptation, and application of sustainable materials. China, the United States, the United Kingdom, are the most active countries in publishing articles in this field, forming international cooperation network. Time trend analysis of publications indicates that research enthusiasm in this domain has been continuously rising in recent years. This study provides valuable references for researchers in the innovative bra field, guides future research directions, and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across textile engineering, medicine, biomechanics, and intelligent technology. Physical sciences/Engineering Health sciences/Health care Physical sciences/Mathematics and computing Health sciences/Medical research Intimate Apparel Bibliometrics VOSviewer Research trends Interdisciplinary research Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 1. Introduction 1.1 Intimate Apparel in women’s wear and research Focus The modern bras were invented in the 19th century, and have developed for hundreds of years and been evolved into today’s mass production stage where the predominant sizing and grading methods take the lead[1, 2]. As one of the most intimate items of clothing a woman wears, the bra is designed to support breast weight, provide comfort, and satisfy breast aesthetics by preventing sagging, bras not only fulfill basic functions such as coverage, support, and shaping but also play a crucial role in women’s health, comfort, and self-confidence[3]. Female breast shape is a key component of their gender characteristics and holds vital significance for the beauty of women’s appearance[4]. Over the past decade and few years, with the rising levels of education and income among women, their sense of independence has been continuously enhanced. Meanwhile, as growing attention is paid to women’s health and the fast advancement of textile technology, research on women’s intimate apparel has become increasingly in-depth. Relevant researches and studies have been conducted based on the dynamic laws of female breast movement: for instance, during high-intensity exercise, insufficient support for the women breasts may lead to excessive movement, which can cause discomfort or even potential long-term damage[5]. Accordingly, a number of researches have carried out extensive research and design efforts in the field of sports bras, aiming to enhance the supportive performance of such garments for women[6–9]. Additionally, from a health perspective, the correlation between intimate bra design and breast health, such as issues related to preventing breast pain and supporting post-mastectomy reconstruction, has also attracted considerable academic attentions[10, 11]. Despite currently certain outcomes achieved in researches on women’s innovative bra, numerous gaps still remain[12]. 1. First, although there is a large body of research on the biomechanics of sports intimate apparel, studies integrating biomechanical principles with novel textile materials and intelligent technologies are still in their infancy. Taking intelligent intimate apparel with real-time health monitoring functions as an example, how to enable such products to meet traditional biomechanical support requirements has not been systematically investigated. 2. Second, in the field of breast health, while extensive research has been conducted on breast cancer and breast diseases, for special populations including pregnant women, lactating women, and patients with breast disorders, in-depth exploration is still required to form a comprehensive understanding of how to design and develop different types of intimate apparel to address various breast-related health issues. 3. Third, current studies focus on single research dimensions, and lack systematic sorting and analysis from the perspective of bibliometrics , which makes it difficult to comprehensively grasp the overall panorama of the research field, research hotspots, and development trends of research on women’s intimate apparel. Existing bibliometric methods and thematic visualization analysis tools are widely applied in research on development trends in fields such as industrial engineering, medical science, and computer sciences. Zhe-Hui Lin et al. have already conducted a bibliometric analysis on the research trends of intelligent clothing[13]; however, there remains a gap of research on the broader apparel industry and, in particular, the more specialized field of women’s intimate apparel. This study will conduct a bibliometric analysis on research related to women’s innovative bra to gain a comprehensive insight into the knowledge structure of this domain. By accurately identifying current research hotspots and conducting an in-depth exploration of the intrinsic connections between different research themes, this study aims to predict the future development trends of women’s innovative bra and intimate apparel research and provide robust guidance for subsequent studies[14]. Three Core Research Questions to Be Addressed in This Study RQ1: Based on analysis, what evolutionary characteristics have emerged in the research on innovative bras over the past decade (2015–2025)? RQ2: Which countries, institutions, and authors have made the most prominent contributions to the field of innovative bra research, and what collaboration patterns exist among them? RQ3: What are core research themes and high-frequency keywords in innovative bra research, and how do these elements reflect the current research focuses of the field? 1.2 Literature review on Intimate Apparel in women’s wear related review study In the year of 2006, Winnie Yu, Jintu Fan, Simon C. Harlock, et al, published a book Innovation and technology of women’s intimate apparel , in which they systematically review key developments: starting with a chapter on body beauty, then exploring brassiere innovations (breast measurement, design, pattern technology), followed by girdle advancements including design, physiological effects of body shapers, and concluding with specialized items like sports bras plus knitted/seamless intimate apparel, while also detailing the research principles and scientific insights into size, materials, pattern, and fit that enable functional, technical design, serving as a standard reference for textile industry designers and engineers in this domain[15]. In the year of 2016, Advances in Women’s Intimate Apparel Technology, 3 - Innovative accessories for intimate apparel , a book chapter was published in English, edited by Winnie Yu, in which author Yip. J systematically provides comprehensive coverage on key trends in intimate apparel technology through chapters arranged in a coherent sequence: beginning with advanced materials for intimate apparel including novel fabrics, dyes and finishes, as well as materials for wiring and embellishments, then discussing new manufacturing techniques with a focus on seamless technology covering lamination, moulding, and seamless knitting, and finally reviewing advances in design, fit, and performance, while centering on the needs of the apparel industry by encompassing materials, manufacturing, and design aspects, serving as a professional reference for designers and engineers in the textile domain[16]. In the year of 2021, a review article titled A Short Review Study on Women Intimate Apparel: A Perspective on Sports Bra , published by Lupine Publishers in Latest Trends in Textile and Fashion Designing on with authors Sayedatunnesa and Khalilur Rahman Khan, notes that women’s growing focus on health and quality of life has elevated the demand for health-beneficial intimate apparel, including daily items like bras and special-purpose clothing like maternity wear; it specifically reviews sports bras via literature analysis, aiming to enhance understanding of this category, with keywords covering intimate apparel, women clothing, and sports bra[17]. In the year of 2024, authors Zhe-Hui Lin and Pei-Jie Chen published Evaluation and Trend of Smart Clothing Research: Visualization Analysis Based on Bibliometric Analysis and Quantitative Statistics on journal Fibers and Polymers noting that the interdisciplinary smart clothing field has advanced rapidly over the past decade, yet its broad scope and vast literature hinder scholars from mapping its knowledge structure or identifying research frontiers. To resolve this, the study adopted bibliometric methods combined with visualization tools and text analytical tools, compiling relevant core collection indexed papers and conducting co-occurrence, core citation, collaboration, and frontier analyses to construct a systematic smart clothing knowledge framework; it also built a multi-faceted knowledge map, tracked the field’s development, and provided domain researchers with structured context and emerging trend analysis[13]. Existing review studies and publications have predominantly centered on three core dimensions: the advancement of materials and process optimization[12, 18, 19]; functional research on women’s intimate apparel, which incorporates the scientific principles underlying technical design[20–23]; and the health-demand-driven evolution of women’s intimate apparel, encompassing the growing female demand for health-oriented intimate apparel as well as targeted reviews of niche categories such as sports bras[24, 25]. Relevant academic research articles in this domain are typically disseminated in the form of monographs, and to date, there has been no comprehensive bibliometric analysis dedicated to the field of women’s intimate apparel for mapping its knowledge architecture, which enables this study an innovative contribution to the domain[15, 16]. The aim of this research is to interpret the research logic underpinning the generated knowledge maps, sort out the research gaps and breakthrough directions through qualitative analysis, and provide three-fold support for subsequent research on women’s innovative bra via the mentioned research efforts: to equip scholars with a systematic research background and domain framework for clarifying the positioning of segmented research directions; to identify core breakthrough points including the integration of intelligent technology with biomechanics and customized design for special groups, thereby offering references for research topic selection; and to propose technical Research & Development directions for the industry, so as to drive the upgrading of women’s intimate apparel, innovative bra from a functionalized paradigm to one characterized by health orientation, intelligence, and personalization, and ultimately achieve the coordinated development of academic research and industrial applications. 2 Research Materials and Methods 2.1 Data Source The research selected the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection as the foundational database for analytical purposes. As a database platform owned by Clarivate Analytics, WoS stands as the largest and most comprehensive citation indexing data service platform for core journals categorized under SCI, SSCI, and A&HCI databases within the global academic community, encompassing a broad spectrum of disciplines and research areas[26, 27]. 2.2 Search strategy In this study, keywords related to “bra”, “sports bra”, “functional bra”, and “support bra” were used, including their variations and synonyms. These terms were combined using Boolean operators, and after rigorous testing, keywords from other disciplines irrelevant to the apparel field were excluded. A Boolean syntax search strategy was employed into the Web of Science (WOS) Core collection database. Table 1 Search String Search String TS=( “bra” OR “bras” OR “bra design” OR “sports bra” OR “support bra” OR “wireless bra” OR “post - surgical bra” OR “underwire bra” OR “intimate apparel” OR lingerie OR “breast support” OR “chest support” OR “Smart bra” OR “intelligent bra”) AND TS=(women OR female OR woman) NOT TS=( “ket - bra operators” OR “bra - ket” OR “Dirac notation” OR “quantum mechanics” OR “quantum computing” OR “Hilbert space” OR “density operator” OR “coherent state” OR “representation theory” OR “operator algebra” OR “Brazil”) Thus, resulting in the retrieval of 575 articles, on the date of November 4th, 2025. The PRISMA Statement serves as a fundamental guideline for conducting and presenting systematic reviews. Updated in 2020, it provides a four-phase flow diagram that helps enhance the transparency, quality, and value of bibliometric reviews[28]. Implementing the PRISMA Statement is of great importance for ensuring the reproducibility and rigor of systematic reviews[14, 29]. The detailed PRISMA flow diagram is presented in Fig. 2 below. The retrieval strategy of this study is designed to ensure the comprehensiveness and relevance of literature retrieval, covering all research directions of women’s underwear while excluding irrelevant interfering terms by means of Boolean expressions. Given that this study focuses on the disciplinary research changes over the past decade, relevant literatures published during the period from 2015 to 2025 were screened, and a total of 384 literatures were finally obtained to construct the research dataset. 2.3 Statistical Methods This research adopted statistical methods including descriptive statistics and bibliometric analysis. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze and summarize raw Web of Science (WOS) data, including analyzing the number of publications by year and describing the temporal trends of global publications through curve fitting. Meanwhile, descriptive statistics and mapping were conducted on the distribution of publications across different countries and regions. In addition, the ranking of publication quantities among various journals, WOS research fields, core publishing authors, and important publishing institutions was determined. This study adopted the specialized VOSviewer 1.6.20 and Bibliometrix tool (R package, Version 4.4.2) to conduct bibliometric analysis and statistical calculations, generating key bibliometric indicators including the annual number of publications, journal impact factor, author h-index, and co-citation analysis[30, 31]. By constructing keyword co-occurrence maps, the study accurately identified the core research themes and emerging research directions in this field; meanwhile, it carried out an analysis of international collaboration trends to visualize the co-authorship networks between countries and institutions[32]. Subsequently, this study conducted a systematic interpretation of the obtained results via thematic analysis by combining the two tools, VOSviewer 1.6.20 and Bibliometrix[14, 27, 32, 33]. Numerous existing studies have confirmed that this analytical method can effectively identify research trends and screen out obsolete research topics. In bibliometric research, thematic analysis is a fundamental technical method for identifying and exploring the core thematic categories and research trends in a specific field. Its advantage lies in that it cannot only clearly define the composition of research topics, but also further analyze the temporal evolution patterns of these topics as well as the intrinsic connections between different research directions. There are two main uses of bibliometric methods: performance analysis, which aims to assess the research and publication performance of individuals and institutions; and scientific theatrics mapping, which uses visualization tools to reveal the structure and evolution of scientific researches[34]. 3 Research Results 3.1 Global publication trends: After applying the search criteria abovementioned, we retrieved a total of 384 articles. Across the study period, the annual publication volume exhibits a fluctuating upward trend: it initiates at 30 in 2015, stabilizes at 22 in both 2016 and 2017, and then follows a gradual upward trajectory through 2018 (26), 2019 (29), 2020 (42), and 2021 (44), ultimately peaking at 52 in 2022. Following this peak, the volume declines to 37 in 2023, rebounds to 48 in 2024, and decreases slightly to 32 in 2025,as shown in Fig. 2 a. The exp regression formula of the trend presented in this plot is \(\:y=23.116\text{exp}\left(0.0619x\right)\) , which indicates the future growth trend of research in the innovative bra field. Here, x generally represents the time offset, using 2015 as the baseline year, and y denotes the predicted annual number of publications; the exponential coefficient 0.0619 corresponds to an approximate 6.19% annual growth rate in publication output, directly reflecting the long-term expansion momentum of this research domain. The coefficient of the formula determination \(\:{R}^{2}=0.394\) suggests a moderate goodness of fit-stemming from the significant short-term fluctuations in publication volume. A total of 51 countries and regions have published publications in the field of research. The top contributors in this field are shown in Fig. 2 c and Fig. 2 d. The United States has made the most significant contribution with 131 publications; followed by Germany with 42 publications; the United Kingdom with 20 publications; and Netherlands and Canada with 19 publications, respectively. 3.2 Analysis of Journals and publications Figure 4 a presents the top journals with the highest publication volumes in the field with a total of 217 kind of journals. As indicated in the data, Textile Research Journal leads with 19 publications, accounting for approximately 8.756% of the total. Following closely is Ergonomics, which contributes 13 publications (5.991%), ranking second. The third tier includes International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology (10 publications, 4.608%) and International Journal of Cosmetic Science (9 publications, 4.147%). Next, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (8 publications, 3.687%) and Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics (7 publications, 3.226%) form the fourth echelon. A group of journals with 6 publications each constitutes the fifth tier: Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Fashion and Textiles, and International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, each accounting for approximately 2.765% of the total 217 records, rounding out the core publication outlets in this research area. Figure 4 b shows the top topics and orientations on Innovative Bra. As shown in the figure, Surgery had the highest number of publications, with a volume approaching 25, leading other disciplines in this field by a significant margin. The second tier included Materials Science, Textiles, which accounted for around 15 publications, maintaining a clear gap from the top discipline while exceeding the subsequent ones. Next, Occupational Health contributed approximately 10 publications, followed by Sports Medicine with about 8 publications. Public, Environmental & Occupational Health had roughly 7 publications, and Special Topics: Metaphysics had around 6 publications. Engineering, Biomedical and Dermatology followed with about 5 and 4 publications respectively. Nursing contributed approximately 3 publications, Multidisciplinary Sciences had around 2 publications, and Dentistry had the lowest number of publications, with only about 1, making it the least represented discipline in this category. Figure 4 c shows the top authors with the highest number of publications, showing 11 authors. As shown in the figure, Julie R. Steele had the highest number of publications, with 17 records, leading other authors in this field. The next tier included Deirdre E. McGhee and Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, who contributed 15 publications each. Additionally, Joanne Yip and Chris Mills each had 13 publications; Joanna Scurr provided 12 publications, while Celeste E. Coltman contributed 10 publications. Finally, Winnie Yu, Kit-Lun Yick, Nicola Brown, and Jianping Wang each had 8 publications, rounding out the top authors in this research area. Figure 4 d presents the distribution of publication volumes across leading research institutions in the domain. As the chart illustrates, the University of Portsmouth exhibits the most substantial publication output, with 29 documented works—representing a distinct leading position relative to other institutions included in the analysis. Ranging second in terms of scholarly productivity is the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which has amassed 23 publications to its credit. Following this, the University of Wollongong contributes 21 publications, placing it third among the institutions assessed. The University of London and Xi’an Polytechnic University demonstrate equivalent publication volumes, each accounting for 13 works. In parallel, Donghua University and Zhejiang Sci Tech University exhibit matching publication totals of 11, respectively. Rounding out the set of institutions with notable output are Cornell University, St Mary’s University Twickenham London, and the University of Texas System, each recording 8 publications within the dataset. Figure 5 is a “Core Sources Distribution” chart generated via the Bibliometrix tool based on Bradford’s Law. Its horizontal axis represents “Source log (Rank)”, and the vertical axis represents “Articles” (number of articles), which visually illustrates the distribution characteristics of journal literature in the target research field[33, 35, 36]. The gray area labeled “Core Sources” corresponds to the core journal cluster of the current domain, spanning from the top-ranked journals Textile Research Journal (IF = 1.9) and Ergonomics (IF = 2.4) to Applied Sciences-Basel (IF = 2.5), Body Image (IF = 5.4) and Clinical Biomechanics (IF = 1.4) on the vertical axis. Consistent with Bradford’s Law’s core proposition, this limited set of core journals collectively hosts the bulk of the field’s research literature. This observation not only validates the canonical bibliometric distribution pattern of the domain but also provides a robust reference for identifying core literature resources and targeting key journals in subsequent investigations of this field. Bradford’s Law is one of the classic laws in bibliometrics. Its core principle states that when journals in a specific research field are ranked in descending order of the number of articles they publish in that field, they can be divided into three zones: the core zone, related zone, and scattered zone. A small number of journals in the core zone concentrate on publishing most of the research literature in the field, while the remaining literature is scattered across more journals in the related or scattered zones, the number of journals in these three zones typically follows a \(\:1:n:n²\) ratio, where the value of n is generally around five[33, 35]. 3.4 Co-authorship mapping analysis Co-authorship analysis illustrates the correlation between items based on the number of co-authored documents, which is a potent pathway for evaluating research collaboration patterns and identifying leading scientists, countries, and organizations[14, 31, 37, 38]. Figure 5 a presents the collaborative network of top author groups, analyzed via VOSviewer, that have at least 5 publications each. This network consists of three distinct collaborative clusters marked by green cluster, red cluster, and blue cluster. In the red cluster, this group gathers authors including Joanne Yip, Winnie Yu, and Kit-Lun Yick. Joanne Yip contributes 13 documents, holds a Total Link Strength of 39, Winnie Yu publishes 8 documents with a Total Link Strength of 29, and Kit-Lun Yick has 8 documents alongside a Total Link Strength of 22. These high Total Link Strength values directly reflect the strong collaborative intensity within this cluster. The green cluster comprises Joanna Wakefield-Scurr and Chris Mills. Joanna Wakefield-Scurr produces 15 documents and a Total Link Strength of 18, Chris Mills contributes 13 documents and a Total Link Strength of 21, embodying the close collaborative ties between these two authors in the field. The blue cluster aggregates high-impact authors such as Julie R. Steele, Deirdre E. McGhee, and Joanna Scurr. Julie R. Steele publishes 17 documents, achieves the highest citation count of 421, and has a Total Link Strength of 27, Deirdre E. McGhee contributes 15 documents with 376 citations and a Total Link Strength of 22, and Joanna Scurr produces 12 documents, 249 citations, and a Total Link Strength of 16. Their respective metrics further characterize the collaborative density and academic influence of this high-influence author group. As shown in the VOSviewer country collaboration network in Fig. 5 b, England, the red core node, acts as the central cluster of this international research cooperation network. It has dense connection links to multiple countries, and this reflects its prominent leading position in the field’s collaborative landscape. Total 17 countries with threshold of publishing five articles were included for analysis, and their collaborative metrics are detailed in the corresponding table. Among these countries, England has the highest Total Link Strength, with a value of 46. It is followed by the USA, which has a Total Link Strength of 29, and China, which has a Total Link Strength of 21. These three countries serve as key research cooperation hubs. The USA maintains a direct connection with China, forming a cross-regional collaborative branch. As presented in the organizational collaboration network, in Fig. 5 c and the corresponding institutional metric table, a total of 14 research institutions were included in this study for collaborative pattern analysis, with each institution having a minimum of 5 publications. Among these institutions, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University ranks first in Total Link Strength (TLS = 14), followed by Xi’an Polytechnic University (TLS = 11). These two bodies exhibit relatively prominent collaborative connectivity within the network; in contrast, the University of Wollongong has a TLS of 4, indicating weaker collaborative ties. In the visualized collaboration network graph, two distinct collaborative clusters can be observed: the red-node cluster centered on The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (including institutions such as Xi’an Polytechnic University, Donghua University, and Beijing University of Technology) forms a core collaborative group, with dense internal connection links. Separately, the green-node cluster, led by the University of Portsmouth, alongside St Mary’s University and Anglia Ruskin University constitutes another independent collaborative branch. Notably, institutions like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the University of Southampton formed no collaborative ties with other institutions in this research sample. This structure reflects the current collaborative landscape of the field, with relatively concentrated internal connections within clusters and limited cross-cluster cooperation. 3.5 Keywords co-occurrence mapping analysis A keyword map of innovative bra is presented, where node size signifies frequency and lines between nodes represent co-occurrence[39]. A total of 1319 keywords were included, and 71 of them met the criteria of more than three occurrences. All keywords were grouped into five clusters, marked by blue, green, red, yellow, and purple respectively. All keywords were grouped into five clusters (Fig. 7 ): “bra design” (in red color), “breast” (in green color), “bra” (in blue color), “sports bra” (in yellow color), and “breastfeeding” (in purple color). The keywords-clustering processing provides insights into the most prominent topics and trending keywords related to innovative bra design research. The purple single node cluster with the keyword “breastfeeding” appears independently in one corner of the figure above. In the “bra design” cluster (red color), other important keywords are “bra fit”, “bra size”, “breast augmentation”, “breast cancer”, “breast health”, “breast implants”, “breast reconstruction”, “breast size”, “breast volume”, “breast-Q”, “mastectomy bra”, “smart bra”, and “tloop bra”. In the “breast” cluster (green color), the main keywords are “breast” and “breasts”. In the “bra” cluster (blue color), other main keywords are “breast biomechanics”, “breast displacement”, “breast motion”, “breast shape”, “breast support”, and “sports bra design”. In the “sports bra” cluster (yellow color), other key keywords are “breast pain”, “sports bra”, and “sports bras”. Figure 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, and 8 d present detailed visualizations of the clusters, corresponding to the red, blue, yellow, and green clusters respectively. This research will discuss clusters shown in different colors, revealing the distribution of key terms and thematic evolutions in innovative bra research field and the interrelationships amongst these research foci. Research hotspots by timeline VOSviewer assigns a continuous gradient of colors to each keyword based on their chronological appearance in the included publications related to innovative bra design[31]. Keywords that appear earlier are assigned darker colors, while keywords that appear later are marked with green, light green, and yellow colors. Figure 9 revealed the development trend of keywords in the past near decade (2017–2023). Prior to the year of 2020, in this field academic research topics and keywords focused mainly on breast disease-related bra applications and basic kinematics of breast movement: core terms included “breast cancer”, “breast implants”, “mastectomy bra”, “kinematics”, and “physical activity”, centering on rehabilitation bra design for breast disease patients and breast movement characteristics during exercise. From 2020 to 2022, research keywords shifted to bra basic design optimization, breast biomechanics, and pressure comfort. And the year of 2021 witnessed the transformation of innovative bra research from basic structure design to functional biomechanical exploration: traditional design-focused terms, e.g., “bra design”, “bra fit” were integrated with technical topics such as “biomechanics”, “breast support”, and “3d body scanning”, forming a more practical design system suited to human body needs. The keyword “breastfeeding” exists as an independent focus, with zero link connections in one corner of the figure, showing a specialized research branch. After 2022 and until nowadays, keywords in this field of research changed to multi-dimensional functional bra design, socio-psychological implications of bra design, and emerging technical applications. In the recent years, keywords of “smart bra”, “female athlete”, and “positive body image” are trending, taking important places in the field of innovative bra design, and they are hotspots in the current studies and academic research. These diachronic evolutions of keywords reflect the developmental trends and the context of directional shifts in this research field across different phases. Recent trends marked by light colors indicate that the research orientations of innovative bra are becoming increasingly diversified, and distinct research foci will emerge in the future. 3.4 Thematic Sankey Diagram Analysis The Sankey diagram, Fig. 10 , drew from Biliometrix Tool clearly showed the association relationships among three core bibliometric dimensions in the Innovative Bra research field: the left field represents countries/regions (labeled AU_CO), the middle field denotes research institutions (labeled AU_UN), and the right field corresponds to research themes (labeled DE)[33, 40]. The left field covers the core contributing countries and regions in this field, including China, the USA, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The middle field lists leading research institutions affiliated with these regions; representative examples of these institutions include Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Texas System, Donghua University, and Xi’an Polytechnic University. The right field includes representative research themes, such as sports bra, bra design, breast cancer, and biomechanics. The width of the flow bands between fields is proportional to the co-occurrence frequency: thicker bands indicate a stronger association between a specific country or region, its affiliated institutions, and a particular research theme. For instance, institutions associated with China—including Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Donghua University, and Xi’an Polytechnic University—exhibit prominent, thick flow band connections to themes like sports bra, bra design, and breast support. This pattern reflects the concentrated focus of Chinese research institutions on functional bra design and related technical themes. Similarly, institutions affiliated with the USA, such as the University of Texas System, maintain targeted associations with themes including “breast reconstruction.” This alignment corresponds to the region’s research strengths in the development of medical rehabilitation bras. The visualization graph directly unpacks the region-institution-theme coupling patterns in the innovative bra field, clearly presenting the cross-associations between geographic contexts, organizational entities, and research focuses, and provides an intuitive overview of the research layout and collaboration orientation in this field. 4 Discussions Global trends in research of Innovative Bra 2015–2025 Based on annual publication volume data spanning 2015 to 2025, the publication pattern of the innovative bra research field can be categorized into three distinct phases. The period from 2015 to 2018 is characterized by initial recovery and steady growth: 30 publications were recorded in 2015, marking the first rebound in research attention toward this field. Publication volumes stabilized at 22 in both 2016 and 2017, a period dedicated to the initial exploration of core research focuses. By 2018, the volume rose to 26, as the academic value of relevant research efforts gained broader recognition. The years 2019 to 2022 comprised a phase of rapid ascent in publication output. Volumes increased from 29 in 2019, climbing to 42 in 2020 and 44 in 2021, before reaching a peak of 52 in 2022. This growth trajectory reflects those key directions, including the functionalization of innovative bras, such as sports support and post-surgical rehabilitation and digital design, emerged as concentrated research focuses within the academic community[41–43]. The period from 2023 to 2025 corresponds to a phase of high-level fluctuating adjustment, with annual publication volumes reaching 37, 48, and 32 respectively. These short-term fluctuations represent phased adjustments to research focuses, rather than a decline in academic interest in the field. Overall, the innovative bra research field has established a stable foundation of academic attention. Moving forward, future research will further concentrate on interdisciplinary integration, with a more prominent orientation toward practical applications. Quality and status of Global publications This study systematically delineates the academic landscape and developmental characteristics of the field from four dimensions—core journals, research themes, prolific authors, and leading institutions—providing empirical references for the positioning of future research directions and the optimal allocation of academic resources. The distribution pattern of core journals reflects the inherent disciplinary affiliations and publication tendencies of the innovative bra field. The top 10 journals by publication volume cover multiple disciplines including textile engineering, ergonomics, medical aesthetics, and materials science. Among them, Textile Research Journal (IF = 1.9) ranks first with 19 publications (accounting for 8.756%), followed by Ergonomics (IF = 2.4) with 13 publications (5.991%), International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology (IF = 1.3) with 10 publications, and International Journal of Cosmetic Science (IF = 2.5) with 9 publications. Innovative bra research is essentially an interdisciplinary intersection of textile engineering and ergonomics, with its core publication channels concentrated in professional journals oriented towards both material R&D and human efficacy evaluation. Notably, medical journals such as Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (IF = 3.4) with 8 publications and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (IF = 2.8) with 6 publications are also among the core publication outlets. The distribution characteristics of research themes highlight the functionality-driven developmental logic of the innovative bra field. The “Surgery” theme occupies an absolute dominant position with nearly 25 publications, and its notable leading edge indicates that the design and application of bras for medical scenarios such as post-surgical rehabilitation and breast reconstruction are current core research focuses. This trend is closely linked to the global rise in healthcare demands and the growing attention women pay to their quality of life after surgery. “Materials Science, Textiles” with approximately 15 publications and “Occupational Health” follow closely behind, reflecting that material innovation, including the development of breathable, antibacterial, and pressure-regulating fabrics and adaptation to occupational settings such as optimization of comfort for prolonged wear are key research directions in the field. This indicates that current research remains concentrated on core functional scenarios, while exploration into directions of in-depth interdisciplinary integration such as the integration of bras with intelligent sensing technology and the synergistic optimization of aesthetic design and ergonomics remains insufficient. This leaves ample room for the expansion of research boundaries in the future. The distribution characteristics of prolific authors and leading institutions shed light on the academic leadership structure and regional development dynamics of the field. Julie R. Steele has emerged as the preeminent scholar in the field with 17 publications, while a second echelon is formed by scholars including Deirdre E. McGhee and Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, each with 15 publications. The research of these scholars is presumably centered on core themes such as sports bra biomechanics and women’s chest health protection, and their achievements provide a crucial literature foundation for subsequent related explorations. Notably, Chinese scholars including Jianping Wang, Winnie Yu, and Kit-Lun Yick have joined the ranks of top contributors, marking the gradual enhancement of China’s academic influence in this domain. Regarding publishing institutions, the University of Portsmouth with 29 publications, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University with 23 publications, and the University of Wollongong with 21 publications constitute a globally leading research consortium. These institutions generally possess an interdisciplinary research foundation in textile engineering, ergonomics, and other related fields. Their core advantage lies in the ability to integrate multi-disciplinary resources to address key technical challenges in the functional optimization of innovative bras. Domestically in China Mainland, textile-specialized universities such as Donghua University, Xi’an Polytechnic University, and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University have demonstrated outstanding performance, with each recording more than 11 publications. This aligns closely with China’s industrial strengths in the textile industry and provides solid academic support for the collaborative innovation of industry-university-research-application. Additionally, the inclusion of institutions such as Cornell University and the University of Texas System in the United States further confirms the global collaborative nature of innovative bra research. Core institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia have jointly formed a tripartite academic co-operation pattern. Overall, the academic development of the innovative bra field exhibits three core characteristics: clear functional orientation, prominent interdisciplinary features, and regional co-operation clustering. Its core strength lies in closely aligning with practical needs such as women’s medical rehabilitation, sports health, and occupational comfort, thus forming stable research directions and publication channels. Research focus on Innovative Bra The five clusters of keywords are “bra design” (red), “breast” (green), “bra” (blue), “sports bra” (yellow), and “breastfeeding” (purple). The five clusters are “bra design”, “breast”, “bra”, “sports bra” and “breastfeeding” with corresponding color labels of red, green, blue, yellow and purple respectively. the purple cluster centered on “breastfeeding” exists as an independent single-node cluster in one corner of the visualization indicating its relatively independent research orientation compared to other clusters[44]. The “bra design” red cluster as the core thematic focus in the innovative bra research field encompasses key keywords such as “bra fit” “bra size” “breast augmentation” “breast cancer” “breast health” “breast implants” “breast reconstruction” “breast size” “breast volume” “breast-Q” “mastectomy bra” “smart bra” and “tloop bra”[45–48]. These keywords collectively embody the multi-dimensional orientation of innovative bra design integrating medical rehabilitation needs intelligent technology integration and personalized fitting optimization. Terms such as “breast cancer” “breast reconstruction” and “mastectomy bra” highlight the integration of innovative bra design with medical scenarios indicating post-surgical rehabilitation as a critical research direction[49, 50]. The inclusion of “smart bra” demonstrates the emerging technological innovation trend in the field integrating intelligent sensing and data monitoring into bra design to achieve breast health monitoring marking the transition of innovative bra research towards intelligence and precision[51–53]. Keywords like “bra fit” “bra size” and “breast volume” focus on personalized optimization of bra design reflecting emphasis on individual differences in body shape and wearing needs a core prerequisite for improving wearing comfort and functional effectiveness[54–57]. The “breast-Q”, a medical term, a patient-reported outcome measure specific for breast surgery indicates that the evaluation of innovative bra design increasingly focuses on users’ or breast-related disease patients’ subjective experiences and quality of life enhancing research comprehensiveness and humanization[47, 49, 58, 59]. The “breast” green cluster centered on “breast” and “breasts” serves as the fundamental research object of the entire innovative bra field. As the direct target of bra protection support and health management the physiological characteristics and health status of the breast determine the functional orientation and design criteria of innovative bras. The centrality of this cluster reflects that understanding breast-related physiological mechanisms such as breast tissue structure movement characteristics and health risks is the foundational premise for all innovative bra research. This cluster acts as a connecting bridge between other thematic clusters linking bra design sports protection and medical rehabilitation to the core object of “breast” ensuring research practicality and pertinence[60–63]. The “bra” blue cluster focuses on the functional performance and biomechanical characteristics of bras with key keywords including “breast biomechanics” “breast displacement” “breast motion” “breast shape” “breast support” and “sports bra design”. These keywords highlight the important role of biomechanical research in innovative bra development emphasizing the scientific basis of bra functional design. “Breast biomechanics” explores the movement regularities and force-related characteristics of the breast during human activities providing data support for the optimization of bra support structure and material selection[3, 64, 65]. Researches on “breast displacement” and “breast motion” during exercise directly guides the design of sports bra support systems helping to reduce exercise-sports-induced breast pain and tissue damage[66–68]. “Breast support” is a core functional requirement of bras design and its optimization involves coordination of bra structure material elasticity and wearing fit[7, 57, 69, 70]. The inclusion of “sports bra design” indicates that sports-related bra research is closely integrated with biomechanical analysis reflecting emphasis on evidence-based design in the field. This cluster reveals that functional innovation of bras is increasingly driven by scientific research marking the transformation of the field from traditional design to precision design based on biomechanical principles[71–74]. The “sports bra” yellow cluster focuses on the specific application scenario of sports with key keywords including “breast pain” “sports bra” and “sports bras”. “Breast pain” is a core problem addressed by sports bras and exercise-induced breast pain is a common issue affecting women’s participation in physical activities and the development of high-performance sports bras has become an effective solution for large-breast women. The repeated appearance of “sports bra” and “sports bras” indicates that sports bras have become a mature and focused research direction with studies focusing on optimizing support performance improving wearing comfort and adapting to different sports intensities[75–78]. This cluster’s close association with the “bra” cluster reflects that the design for sports bra research relies heavily on biomechanical analysis of breast movement while its connection to the “breast” cluster emphasizes that understanding breast physiological characteristics is the basis for solving sports-induced breast pain. The formation of this cluster matches the global trend of increasing attention to women’s sports health indicating that meeting women’s sports needs has become an important driving force for innovative bra research[75, 79]. The “breastfeeding” purple cluster an independent single-node centered on “breastfeeding” indicates that breastfeeding bras constitute a specialized and relatively independent research branch in the innovative bra field[80]. This cluster targets the specific needs of lactating women emphasizing convenience comfort and health safety in bra design. It also reflects the field’s attention to diverse needs of different women groups enriching the connotation and extension of innovative bra research. Overall, the five keyword clusters in the innovative bra field exhibit both independence and interconnection collectively constructing the domain’s knowledge framework. Interrelationships among these clusters reveal that innovative bra research is a multi-disciplinary field integrating medicine biomechanics material science and human factors engineering. Future research can further strengthen cross-integration among clusters such as combination of intelligent technology from the “bra design” cluster with sports bra design from the “sports bra” cluster or integration of breastfeeding bra research from the “breastfeeding” cluster with sustainable material development to promote comprehensive development of the field. The newly emerging keywords in the innovative bra research field over the past few years, have demonstrated three core trends, scenario-oriented precision, interdisciplinary technological integration, and multi-dimensional research expansion. Specifically, the newly emerged keywords include female athlete, mastopexy, positive body image, women's health, comfort, feminism, nipple sparing mastectomy, mastectomy bra, motion capture, and breast biomechanics, shown in light yellow color in the timeline figure. These keywords reflect a shift from general bra design to targeted research for specific groups, such as female athletes, and specialized medical scenarios, such as post-mastopexy and nipple-sparing mastectomy rehabilitation, they highlight the deep integration of engineering technologies, such as motion capture and biomechanical analysis, with functional bra design. Meanwhile, the inclusion of feminism and positive body image extends the research scope from physical functionality to psychological and social dimensions, while keywords like women's health and mastectomy bra further deepen the health-oriented design concept, driving the innovative bra field toward a more precise, intelligent, and interdisciplinary development direction. The Sankey diagram (three-field plot) visualizes the region-institution-theme coupling in innovative bra research, revealing that China and the USA dominate this field: China links to textile-focused institutions, like Donghua University, specialized in sports bra and bra design, while the USA connects to medical institutions centered on breast cancer and breast reconstruction; other regions have more decentralized institutional participation. Notably, all institutions align with breast-related important keywords, confirming that breast physiology/health serves as the foundational, bridging theme that anchors both textile-focused functional design and medical-oriented rehabilitation research. Significance and future directions This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of high-quality English research articles related to innovative bras published between 2015 and 2025 in the Web of Science Core Collection, revealing that global studies have centered on the multi-dimensional optimization and interdisciplinary integration of bra design with key directions including medical rehabilitation adaptation, intelligent technology integration, and personalized fit optimization, along with core themes such as breast physiological characteristics, bra biomechanical performance, sports scenario adaptation, and breastfeeding exclusive needs. Looking ahead, meeting women’s demands for innovative bras will see research hotspots emerge in the in-depth integration of intelligent sensing technology with bra functions, the application of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, precision adaptation to diverse female groups’ specific needs, and the establishment of an evidence-based functional evaluation system, with future research focusing on grounding functional innovation in breast physiological mechanisms and biomechanical analysis, integrating objective performance indicators and subjective user experiences including those of breast disease patients via the Breast-Q scale, and leveraging interdisciplinary technologies such as medicine, biomechanics, and intelligent sensing to enhance practical value. Based on the existing research findings, future scientific research in this domain can be further expanded through targeted practical explorations: integrating intelligent technology into sports bra design, developing specialized sustainable materials for breastfeeding bras, and constructing a precision design and evaluation system for post-surgical rehabilitation bras. These efforts will not only effectively improve the functional pertinence and application value of innovative bras but also promote the transformation of the field from empirical design to scientific, quantitative, and precise design, providing more comprehensive health protection and wearing experiences for women in need. In response to these research questions : RQ1: Based on analysis, what evolutionary characteristics have emerged in the research on innovative bras over the past decade (2015–2025)? Paradigm shifts from experience-driven to scientifically quantitative design has emerged, with traditional craftsmanship-based design gradually replaced by data-supported precise optimization grounded in breast physiological mechanisms and biomechanical analysis. Meanwhile, research has expanded beyond textile and apparel to form a medicine-technology-design interdisciplinary system, extending from general functions to segmented scenarios such as sports protection, medical rehabilitation, and breastfeeding adaptation to meet diverse female groups’ precise needs. Furthermore, technological innovation—integrating intelligent sensing, sustainable materials, and evidence-based design—drives research to upgrade from functional satisfaction to women health empowerment. RQ2: Which countries, institutions, and authors have made the most prominent contributions to the field of innovative bra research, and what collaboration patterns exist among them? In innovative bra research, a global core research force has formed including China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. China excels in basic research and application transformation via textile industry strengths while these three countries lead in interdisciplinary integration and clinical research. Core institutions feature a global leading consortium – University of Portsmouth, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Wollongong – pioneering via interdisciplinary integration; domestically, textile universities like Donghua University, Xi’an Polytechnic University and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University anchor industry-university-research collaboration, and international institutions such as Cornell University and the University of Texas System contribute significantly to tech innovation and clinical research. Core authors are mainly affiliated with these institutions, conducting specialized team research with focuses like biomechanical analysis and smart bra R&D. A three-dimensional collaboration network has been established with cross-regional coordination, cross-institutional linkage and interdisciplinary collaboration: regionally, core institutions in North America, Europe and Asia form a tripartite academic structure; institutionally, universities, research institutes and enterprises build industry-university-research cooperation chains; disciplinarily, researchers in textile engineering, medicine, biomechanics and other fields conduct joint research to promote multi-dimensional outcome transformation. RQ3: What are core research themes and high-frequency keywords in innovative bra research, and how do these elements reflect the current research focuses of the field? Keyword clustering analysis identifies five core themes in innovative bra research: multi-dimensional bra design optimization, breast physiology and health, bra biomechanical performance, sports scenario adaptation, and breastfeeding exclusive design. High-frequency keywords include bra fit, breast biomechanics, breast displacement, sports bras, smart bras, breast reconstruction, breastfeeding bras, Breast-Q scale, sustainable materials, and post-surgical rehabilitation. These collectively reflect three current research focuses: functional orientation centered on breast health emphasizing bras’ supportive and protective role in women’s physiological health, precision adaptation-driven design optimization addressing personalized needs of different scenarios and groups, and interdisciplinary technology integration-enabled innovative upgrading enhancing the practical value and scientific connotation of innovative bras. Strength and limitations This study is the first to adopt bibliometric methods to explore innovative bras in such a detailed and in-depth manner. By utilizing descriptive statistics, visualization software, and bibliometric analysis, it aims to comprehensively clarify the current research status and future trends in this field, as well as identify research hotspots and collaborative relationships among countries, authors, and institutions. However, this study still has several limitations. Despite the existence of multiple large academic databases, considering the accessibility and quality of the content in the collected databases, only academic papers from the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection were adopted as the data source. Due to the constraints of the WOS Core Collection’s selection criteria, a small number of the latest high-quality research papers may not have been included [73]. While a single database with clear search criteria is generally sufficient to support rigorous bibliometric research, and the WOS Core Collection covers all high-quality journals and papers under Clarivate’s standards (including SCI, SSCI, etc.), potential omissions in the completeness of high-quality papers across different databases thus constitute one of the limitations of this study [74, 75]. All literature included in this study is in English, which may overlook relevant research outcomes published in other languages. Finally, due to variations in the expression of author names and the use of keywords, the research results may contain certain biases. Conclusions This study employs bibliometric statistical methods to reveal the research themes and development trends related to innovative bras. The research indicates that this field is dominated by the United Kingdom, the United States, and China. Meanwhile, it is found that university research institutions from Mainland China and Hong Kong, China have the largest scale of cross-institutional cooperation and the largest size of scholar groups, followed by those in the United Kingdom. Renowned journals in the fields of textile and apparel science, ergonomics, sports science, and some medical journals focusing on breast health have provided abundant interdisciplinary evidence support for innovative bra research. Based on the mapping analysis results, this study has identified five core clusters in the field of innovative bras. It is found that themes such as breast biomechanics, breast dynamics, breast movement science, and breast cancer are relatively core, while the latest research focus is concentrated on breasts and feminist rights as well as smart bras. The future research direction may expand towards intelligent design and the intelligent functionality of innovative bras. Observing that the total number of publications in this field shows a fluctuating upward trend, this study concludes that more high-quality English articles will focus on this field in the future. Declarations Data availability The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the supplementary files. Ethics approval and consent to participate There are no human or animal studies in this manuscript, and no potentially identifiable human images or data were presented in this study. Research Fundings This research did not receive funding. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Author Contribution L.T. is the sole first author.L.T. conceptualized the study, conducted analyses, and drafted the main manuscript.Z.H edited the main manuscript. Z.M., M.X., and L.G. assisted with data processing and analytical procedures. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8543451","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Systematic Review","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":620192496,"identity":"e9efc3a8-30a9-48f3-8498-5f36dab54f09","order_by":0,"name":"Liushan Tao","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wuhan Textile University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Liushan","middleName":"","lastName":"Tao","suffix":""},{"id":620192497,"identity":"16b554a9-b18e-45fa-9fb2-80ba80b9c09a","order_by":1,"name":"Zhiyuan Hu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences \u0026 Peking Union Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zhiyuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Hu","suffix":""},{"id":620192498,"identity":"f219f4c2-d295-4908-aa2c-735ca996f6b0","order_by":2,"name":"Zilu Ma","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wuhan Textile University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zilu","middleName":"","lastName":"Ma","suffix":""},{"id":620192499,"identity":"fce902f6-8553-499c-99d5-0fcc565c9edb","order_by":3,"name":"Mengyao Xu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wuhan Textile University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mengyao","middleName":"","lastName":"Xu","suffix":""},{"id":620192500,"identity":"67661f62-dfd6-4e58-9a18-1d1cbcccba3d","order_by":4,"name":"Linlin Gong","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wuhan Textile University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Linlin","middleName":"","lastName":"Gong","suffix":""},{"id":620192501,"identity":"a7320416-dc18-45ac-9b52-699522f2f397","order_by":5,"name":"Anhua Zhong","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACHjCZAMSMDxIqakjTwmzw4Mwx0rSwST5sYSasgX927zGJHwx1efzS7dcqEhvYGPjbuxPwapG4cy5NsoeBrVhyzpmyG4k7ZBgkzpzdgN+aGzlmEjwMPIkbbuSk3Ug8w8ZgIJGLX4s8UIvkHwYJsJaCxDZmwloMgFqkeRgMgFrSjzEQpcXwRo6xtQxDQuLMGTnMEglnjvEQ9IvcjRzDm28Y6hL7JdIffvxRUSPH395LwPsgwPgPRPIYgEnCyhGA/QEpqkfBKBgFo2AEAQCX6UclKTzYPQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Wuhan Textile University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Anhua","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhong","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-07 15:53:48","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8543451/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8543451/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107483271,"identity":"77f34cf4-72d5-41a2-ba2c-c65b70f879bb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:27:06","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":210518,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eInnovative Bra Made by Authors\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/ad65d3f33ef5ecd13cf6f64c.png"},{"id":107484401,"identity":"99aa7771-1895-4be1-ae3a-9ded02aaa336","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:31:53","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":165351,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe PRISMA flowchart of the inclusion and exclusion of the database. (2015–2025)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/2b2108229db1c09972b04fd7.png"},{"id":107482650,"identity":"14df9ed5-8d6c-400e-b383-0abc28c25afd","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:24:18","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":106593,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003ea\u003c/strong\u003e) The number of publications on Innovative Bra by years;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003eb\u003c/strong\u003e) The annual publication volume and trend prediction on Innovative Bra;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003ec\u003c/strong\u003e) Distribution map of the countries or regions with the most publications on Innovative Bra;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003ed\u003c/strong\u003e) The top 10 countries or regions with the highest publication number on Innovative Bra. (2015–2025)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/8c9c4963b0f2f755b7c0f8a2.png"},{"id":107246972,"identity":"0bb09f23-844f-4218-bb0d-72b21a5bfa12","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-19 08:11:05","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":65728,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003ea\u003c/strong\u003e) The top 10 journals in terms of publication quantity on Innovative Bra; (2015–2025)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003eb\u003c/strong\u003e) The top 10 research topics and orientations on Innovative Bra; (2015–2025)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003ec\u003c/strong\u003e) The top 10 authors in terms of publication quantity on Innovative Bra; (2015–2025)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(\u003cstrong\u003ed\u003c/strong\u003e) The top 10 institutions in terms of publication quantity on Innovative Bra. (2015–2025)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/4953897140be3869ed892037.png"},{"id":107246938,"identity":"59ea3872-f9ff-408f-bce3-be5f2ec9aa04","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-19 08:10:57","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":101434,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBradford’s law graph for publication journals of sports bra\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/1362bb08f9c71dc34a70e8c2.png"},{"id":107482597,"identity":"6af11e80-af99-47bc-b14f-cf095110c16f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:24:09","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":110160,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e(a) Author group co-occurrence for Innovative bra.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(b) Author group in countries co-occurrence for Innovative bra.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(c) Author group in institutions co-occurrence for Innovative bra.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/56dfa56482f2b68cd3b59298.png"},{"id":107484345,"identity":"663abe63-fb15-435f-852a-5ead0c513055","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:31:43","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":269646,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKeyword co-occurrence mapping graph for innovative bra.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/0c1eb1f840275703d126b6f4.png"},{"id":107484382,"identity":"69d4de01-1e28-4e2a-b8c1-804a1047a6cf","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:31:47","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":638631,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetailed mapping graph for each cluster\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/ee67599840bdcb84cce8db85.png"},{"id":107482276,"identity":"8f910836-1080-4089-a663-a647008fc983","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:22:56","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":280002,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTimeline oriented cluster mapping graph for the innovative bra.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/baf4fe99e00ba57e462558d1.png"},{"id":107246942,"identity":"0e7f48aa-04a8-4a67-b279-61726b0629e6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-19 08:10:57","extension":"png","order_by":10,"title":"Figure 10","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":297255,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSankey mapping diagram of Country, institution and, and top keywords.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"10.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/9c9fdbf534872d5a528d36be.png"},{"id":108803825,"identity":"b434f3c6-519c-42fd-b857-343d2143ec6b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-08 15:08:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2443075,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8543451/v1/205c770a-5a0f-4709-94e3-23630aabb448.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Global Evolution and Future Trend of Innovative Bra Research: A Visualized Analysis for the Past Ten years","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec2\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e1.1 Intimate Apparel in women\u0026rsquo;s wear and research Focus\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe modern bras were invented in the 19th century, and have developed for hundreds of years and been evolved into today\u0026rsquo;s mass production stage where the predominant sizing and grading methods take the lead[1, 2]. As one of the most intimate items of clothing a woman wears, the bra is designed to support breast weight, provide comfort, and satisfy breast aesthetics by preventing sagging, bras not only fulfill basic functions such as coverage, support, and shaping but also play a crucial role in women\u0026rsquo;s health, comfort, and self-confidence[3]. Female breast shape is a key component of their gender characteristics and holds vital significance for the beauty of women\u0026rsquo;s appearance[4].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOver the past decade and few years, with the rising levels of education and income among women, their sense of independence has been continuously enhanced. Meanwhile, as growing attention is paid to women\u0026rsquo;s health and the fast advancement of textile technology, research on women\u0026rsquo;s intimate apparel has become increasingly in-depth. Relevant researches and studies have been conducted based on the dynamic laws of female breast movement: for instance, during high-intensity exercise, insufficient support for the women breasts may lead to excessive movement, which can cause discomfort or even potential long-term damage[5].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccordingly, a number of researches have carried out extensive research and design efforts in the field of sports bras, aiming to enhance the supportive performance of such garments for women[6\u0026ndash;9]. Additionally, from a health perspective, the correlation between intimate bra design and breast health, such as issues related to preventing breast pain and supporting post-mastectomy reconstruction, has also attracted considerable academic attentions[10, 11].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite currently certain outcomes achieved in researches on women\u0026rsquo;s innovative bra, numerous gaps still remain[12].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1. First, although there is a large body of research on the biomechanics of sports intimate apparel, studies integrating biomechanical principles with novel textile materials and intelligent technologies are still in their infancy. Taking intelligent intimate apparel with real-time health monitoring functions as an example, how to enable such products to meet traditional biomechanical support requirements has not been systematically investigated.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2. Second, in the field of breast health, while extensive research has been conducted on breast cancer and breast diseases, for special populations including pregnant women, lactating women, and patients with breast disorders, in-depth exploration is still required to form a comprehensive understanding of how to design and develop different types of intimate apparel to address various breast-related health issues.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3. Third, current studies focus on single research dimensions, and lack systematic sorting and analysis from the perspective of \u003cem\u003ebibliometrics\u003c/em\u003e, which makes it difficult to comprehensively grasp the overall panorama of the research field, research hotspots, and development trends of research on women\u0026rsquo;s intimate apparel.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExisting bibliometric methods and thematic visualization analysis tools are widely applied in research on development trends in fields such as industrial engineering, medical science, and computer sciences. Zhe-Hui Lin et al. have already conducted a bibliometric analysis on the research trends of intelligent clothing[13]; however, there remains a gap of research on the broader apparel industry and, in particular, the more specialized field of women\u0026rsquo;s intimate apparel.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study will conduct a bibliometric analysis on research related to women\u0026rsquo;s innovative bra to gain a comprehensive insight into the knowledge structure of this domain.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy accurately identifying current research hotspots and conducting an in-depth exploration of the intrinsic connections between different research themes, this study aims to predict the future development trends of women\u0026rsquo;s innovative bra and intimate apparel research and provide robust guidance for subsequent studies[14].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eThree Core Research Questions to Be Addressed in This Study\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRQ1: Based on analysis, what evolutionary characteristics have emerged in the research on innovative bras over the past decade (2015\u0026ndash;2025)?\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRQ2: Which countries, institutions, and authors have made the most prominent contributions to the field of innovative bra research, and what collaboration patterns exist among them?\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRQ3: What are core research themes and high-frequency keywords in innovative bra research, and how do these elements reflect the current research focuses of the field?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e1.2 Literature review on Intimate Apparel in women\u0026rsquo;s wear related review study\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the year of 2006, Winnie Yu, Jintu Fan, Simon C. Harlock, et al, published a book \u003cem\u003eInnovation and technology of women\u0026rsquo;s intimate apparel\u003c/em\u003e, in which they systematically review key developments: starting with a chapter on body beauty, then exploring brassiere innovations (breast measurement, design, pattern technology), followed by girdle advancements including design, physiological effects of body shapers, and concluding with specialized items like sports bras plus knitted/seamless intimate apparel, while also detailing the research principles and scientific insights into size, materials, pattern, and fit that enable functional, technical design, serving as a standard reference for textile industry designers and engineers in this domain[15].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the year of 2016, \u003cem\u003eAdvances in Women\u0026rsquo;s Intimate Apparel Technology, 3 - Innovative accessories for intimate apparel\u003c/em\u003e, a book chapter was published in English, edited by Winnie Yu, in which author Yip. J systematically provides comprehensive coverage on key trends in intimate apparel technology through chapters arranged in a coherent sequence: beginning with advanced materials for intimate apparel including novel fabrics, dyes and finishes, as well as materials for wiring and embellishments, then discussing new manufacturing techniques with a focus on seamless technology covering lamination, moulding, and seamless knitting, and finally reviewing advances in design, fit, and performance, while centering on the needs of the apparel industry by encompassing materials, manufacturing, and design aspects, serving as a professional reference for designers and engineers in the textile domain[16].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the year of 2021, a review article titled \u003cem\u003eA Short Review Study on Women Intimate Apparel: A Perspective on Sports Bra\u003c/em\u003e, published by Lupine Publishers in \u003cem\u003eLatest Trends in Textile and Fashion Designing\u003c/em\u003e on with authors Sayedatunnesa and Khalilur Rahman Khan, notes that women\u0026rsquo;s growing focus on health and quality of life has elevated the demand for health-beneficial intimate apparel, including daily items like bras and special-purpose clothing like maternity wear; it specifically reviews sports bras via literature analysis, aiming to enhance understanding of this category, with keywords covering intimate apparel, women clothing, and sports bra[17].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the year of 2024, authors Zhe-Hui Lin and Pei-Jie Chen published \u003cem\u003eEvaluation and Trend of Smart Clothing Research: Visualization Analysis Based on Bibliometric Analysis and Quantitative Statistics\u003c/em\u003e on journal \u003cem\u003eFibers and Polymers\u003c/em\u003e noting that the interdisciplinary smart clothing field has advanced rapidly over the past decade, yet its broad scope and vast literature hinder scholars from mapping its knowledge structure or identifying research frontiers. To resolve this, the study adopted bibliometric methods combined with visualization tools and text analytical tools, compiling relevant core collection indexed papers and conducting co-occurrence, core citation, collaboration, and frontier analyses to construct a systematic smart clothing knowledge framework; it also built a multi-faceted knowledge map, tracked the field\u0026rsquo;s development, and provided domain researchers with structured context and emerging trend analysis[13].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExisting review studies and publications have predominantly centered on \u003cspan type=\"BoldItalicUnderline\" class=\"BoldItalicUnderline\" name=\"Emphasis\"\u003ethree core\u003c/span\u003e dimensions: the advancement of materials and process optimization[12, 18, 19]; functional research on women\u0026rsquo;s intimate apparel, which incorporates the scientific principles underlying technical design[20\u0026ndash;23]; and the health-demand-driven evolution of women\u0026rsquo;s intimate apparel, encompassing the growing female demand for health-oriented intimate apparel as well as targeted reviews of niche categories such as sports bras[24, 25]. Relevant academic research articles in this domain are typically disseminated in the form of monographs, and to date, there has been no comprehensive bibliometric analysis dedicated to the field of women\u0026rsquo;s intimate apparel for mapping its knowledge architecture, which enables this study an innovative contribution to the domain[15, 16].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe aim of this research is to interpret the research logic underpinning the generated knowledge maps, sort out the research gaps and breakthrough directions through qualitative analysis, and provide three-fold support for subsequent research on \u003cem\u003ewomen\u0026rsquo;s innovative bra\u003c/em\u003e via the mentioned research efforts: to equip scholars with a systematic research background and domain framework for clarifying the positioning of segmented research directions; to identify core breakthrough points including the integration of intelligent technology with biomechanics and customized design for special groups, thereby offering references for research topic selection; and to propose technical Research \u0026amp; Development directions for the industry, so as to drive the upgrading of women\u0026rsquo;s intimate apparel, innovative bra from a functionalized paradigm to one characterized by health orientation, intelligence, and personalization, and ultimately achieve the coordinated development of academic research and industrial applications.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"2 Research Materials and Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1 Data Source\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe research selected the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection as the foundational database for analytical purposes. As a database platform owned by Clarivate Analytics, WoS stands as the largest and most comprehensive citation indexing data service platform for core journals categorized under SCI, SSCI, and A\u0026amp;HCI databases within the global academic community, encompassing a broad spectrum of disciplines and research areas[26, 27].\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2 Search strategy\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, keywords related to \u0026ldquo;bra\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;functional bra\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;support bra\u0026rdquo; were used, including their variations and synonyms. These terms were combined using Boolean operators, and after rigorous testing, keywords from other disciplines irrelevant to the apparel field were excluded. A Boolean syntax search strategy was employed into the Web of Science (WOS) Core collection database.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSearch String\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"1\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSearch String\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTS=( \u0026ldquo;bra\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;bras\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;bra design\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;support bra\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;wireless bra\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;post - surgical bra\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;underwire bra\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;intimate apparel\u0026rdquo; OR lingerie OR \u0026ldquo;breast support\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;chest support\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;Smart bra\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;intelligent bra\u0026rdquo;) AND TS=(women OR female OR woman) NOT TS=( \u0026ldquo;ket - bra operators\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;bra - ket\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;Dirac notation\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;quantum mechanics\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;quantum computing\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;Hilbert space\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;density operator\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;coherent state\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;representation theory\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;operator algebra\u0026rdquo; OR \u0026ldquo;Brazil\u0026rdquo;)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThus, resulting in the retrieval of 575 articles, on the date of November 4th, 2025.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe PRISMA Statement serves as a fundamental guideline for conducting and presenting systematic reviews. Updated in 2020, it provides a four-phase flow diagram that helps enhance the transparency, quality, and value of bibliometric reviews[28]. Implementing the PRISMA Statement is of great importance for ensuring the reproducibility and rigor of systematic reviews[14, 29]. The detailed PRISMA flow diagram is presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e below.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe retrieval strategy of this study is designed to ensure the comprehensiveness and relevance of literature retrieval, covering all research directions of women\u0026rsquo;s underwear while excluding irrelevant interfering terms by means of Boolean expressions. Given that this study focuses on the disciplinary research changes over the past decade, relevant literatures published during the period from 2015 to 2025 were screened, and a total of 384 literatures were finally obtained to construct the research dataset.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.3 Statistical Methods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research adopted statistical methods including descriptive statistics and bibliometric analysis. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze and summarize raw Web of Science (WOS) data, including analyzing the number of publications by year and describing the temporal trends of global publications through curve fitting. Meanwhile, descriptive statistics and mapping were conducted on the distribution of publications across different countries and regions. In addition, the ranking of publication quantities among various journals, WOS research fields, core publishing authors, and important publishing institutions was determined.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study adopted the specialized VOSviewer 1.6.20 and Bibliometrix tool (R package, Version 4.4.2) to conduct bibliometric analysis and statistical calculations, generating key bibliometric indicators including the annual number of publications, journal impact factor, author h-index, and co-citation analysis[30, 31]. By constructing keyword co-occurrence maps, the study accurately identified the core research themes and emerging research directions in this field; meanwhile, it carried out an analysis of international collaboration trends to visualize the co-authorship networks between countries and institutions[32].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSubsequently, this study conducted a systematic interpretation of the obtained results via thematic analysis by combining the two tools, VOSviewer 1.6.20 and Bibliometrix[14, 27, 32, 33]. Numerous existing studies have confirmed that this analytical method can effectively identify research trends and screen out obsolete research topics. In bibliometric research, thematic analysis is a fundamental technical method for identifying and exploring the core thematic categories and research trends in a specific field. Its advantage lies in that it cannot only clearly define the composition of research topics, but also further analyze the temporal evolution patterns of these topics as well as the intrinsic connections between different research directions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere are two main uses of bibliometric methods: performance analysis, which aims to assess the research and publication performance of individuals and institutions; and scientific theatrics mapping, which uses visualization tools to reveal the structure and evolution of scientific researches[34].\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3 Research Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Global publication trends:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan type=\"Underline\" class=\"Underline\" name=\"Emphasis\"\u003eAfter applying the search criteria abovementioned, we retrieved a total of 384 articles.\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcross the study period, the annual publication volume exhibits a fluctuating upward trend: it initiates at 30 in 2015, stabilizes at 22 in both 2016 and 2017, and then follows a gradual upward trajectory through 2018 (26), 2019 (29), 2020 (42), and 2021 (44), ultimately peaking at 52 in 2022. Following this peak, the volume declines to 37 in 2023, rebounds to 48 in 2024, and decreases slightly to 32 in 2025,as shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003ea.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe exp regression formula of the trend presented in this plot is \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:y=23.116\\text{exp}\\left(0.0619x\\right)\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e, which indicates the future growth trend of research in the innovative bra field. Here, \u003cem\u003ex\u003c/em\u003e generally represents the time offset, using 2015 as the baseline year, and \u003cem\u003ey\u003c/em\u003e denotes the predicted annual number of publications; the exponential coefficient 0.0619 corresponds to an approximate 6.19% annual growth rate in publication output, directly reflecting the long-term expansion momentum of this research domain. The coefficient of the formula determination \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:{R}^{2}=0.394\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e suggests a moderate goodness of fit-stemming from the significant short-term fluctuations in publication volume.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 51 countries and regions have published publications in the field of research. The top contributors in this field are shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003ec and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003ed. The United States has made the most significant contribution with 131 publications; followed by Germany with 42 publications; the United Kingdom with 20 publications; and Netherlands and Canada with 19 publications, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Analysis of Journals and publications\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003ea presents the top journals with the highest publication volumes in the field with a total of 217 kind of journals. As indicated in the data, Textile Research Journal leads with 19 publications, accounting for approximately 8.756% of the total. Following closely is Ergonomics, which contributes 13 publications (5.991%), ranking second. The third tier includes International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology (10 publications, 4.608%) and International Journal of Cosmetic Science (9 publications, 4.147%). Next, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (8 publications, 3.687%) and Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics (7 publications, 3.226%) form the fourth echelon. A group of journals with 6 publications each constitutes the fifth tier: Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Fashion and Textiles, and International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, each accounting for approximately 2.765% of the total 217 records, rounding out the core publication outlets in this research area.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003eb shows the top topics and orientations on Innovative Bra. As shown in the figure, Surgery had the highest number of publications, with a volume approaching 25, leading other disciplines in this field by a significant margin. The second tier included Materials Science, Textiles, which accounted for around 15 publications, maintaining a clear gap from the top discipline while exceeding the subsequent ones. Next, Occupational Health contributed approximately 10 publications, followed by Sports Medicine with about 8 publications. Public, Environmental \u0026amp; Occupational Health had roughly 7 publications, and Special Topics: Metaphysics had around 6 publications. Engineering, Biomedical and Dermatology followed with about 5 and 4 publications respectively. Nursing contributed approximately 3 publications, Multidisciplinary Sciences had around 2 publications, and Dentistry had the lowest number of publications, with only about 1, making it the least represented discipline in this category.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003ec shows the top authors with the highest number of publications, showing 11 authors. As shown in the figure, Julie R. Steele had the highest number of publications, with 17 records, leading other authors in this field. The next tier included Deirdre E. McGhee and Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, who contributed 15 publications each.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdditionally, Joanne Yip and Chris Mills each had 13 publications; Joanna Scurr provided 12 publications, while Celeste E. Coltman contributed 10 publications. Finally, Winnie Yu, Kit-Lun Yick, Nicola Brown, and Jianping Wang each had 8 publications, rounding out the top authors in this research area.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003ed presents the distribution of publication volumes across leading research institutions in the domain. As the chart illustrates, the University of Portsmouth exhibits the most substantial publication output, with 29 documented works\u0026mdash;representing a distinct leading position relative to other institutions included in the analysis. Ranging second in terms of scholarly productivity is the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which has amassed 23 publications to its credit. Following this, the University of Wollongong contributes 21 publications, placing it third among the institutions assessed. The University of London and Xi\u0026rsquo;an Polytechnic University demonstrate equivalent publication volumes, each accounting for 13 works. In parallel, Donghua University and Zhejiang Sci Tech University exhibit matching publication totals of 11, respectively. Rounding out the set of institutions with notable output are Cornell University, St Mary\u0026rsquo;s University Twickenham London, and the University of Texas System, each recording 8 publications within the dataset.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e is a \u0026ldquo;Core Sources Distribution\u0026rdquo; chart generated via the \u003cem\u003eBibliometrix\u003c/em\u003e tool based on Bradford\u0026rsquo;s Law. Its horizontal axis represents \u0026ldquo;Source log (Rank)\u0026rdquo;, and the vertical axis represents \u0026ldquo;Articles\u0026rdquo; (number of articles), which visually illustrates the distribution characteristics of journal literature in the target research field[33, 35, 36].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe gray area labeled \u0026ldquo;Core Sources\u0026rdquo; corresponds to the core journal cluster of the current domain, spanning from the top-ranked journals \u003cem\u003eTextile Research Journal\u003c/em\u003e (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.9) and \u003cem\u003eErgonomics\u003c/em\u003e (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.4) to \u003cem\u003eApplied Sciences-Basel\u003c/em\u003e (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.5), \u003cem\u003eBody Image\u003c/em\u003e (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;5.4) and \u003cem\u003eClinical Biomechanics\u003c/em\u003e (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.4) on the vertical axis. Consistent with Bradford\u0026rsquo;s Law\u0026rsquo;s core proposition, this limited set of core journals collectively hosts the bulk of the field\u0026rsquo;s research literature. This observation not only validates the canonical bibliometric distribution pattern of the domain but also provides a robust reference for identifying core literature resources and targeting key journals in subsequent investigations of this field.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBradford\u0026rsquo;s Law is one of the classic laws in bibliometrics. Its core principle states that when journals in a specific research field are ranked in descending order of the number of articles they publish in that field, they can be divided into three zones: the core zone, related zone, and scattered zone. A small number of journals in the core zone concentrate on publishing most of the research literature in the field, while the remaining literature is scattered across more journals in the related or scattered zones, the number of journals in these three zones typically follows a \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:1:n:n\u0026sup2;\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e ratio, where the value of n is generally around five[33, 35].\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.4 Co-authorship mapping analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCo-authorship analysis illustrates the correlation between items based on the number of co-authored documents, which is a potent pathway for evaluating research collaboration patterns and identifying leading scientists, countries, and organizations[14, 31, 37, 38].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003ea presents the collaborative network of top author groups, analyzed via VOSviewer, that have at least 5 publications each. This network consists of three distinct collaborative clusters marked by green cluster, red cluster, and blue cluster.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the red cluster, this group gathers authors including Joanne Yip, Winnie Yu, and Kit-Lun Yick. Joanne Yip contributes 13 documents, holds a Total Link Strength of 39, Winnie Yu publishes 8 documents with a Total Link Strength of 29, and Kit-Lun Yick has 8 documents alongside a Total Link Strength of 22. These high Total Link Strength values directly reflect the strong collaborative intensity within this cluster.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe green cluster comprises Joanna Wakefield-Scurr and Chris Mills. Joanna Wakefield-Scurr produces 15 documents and a Total Link Strength of 18, Chris Mills contributes 13 documents and a Total Link Strength of 21, embodying the close collaborative ties between these two authors in the field.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe blue cluster aggregates high-impact authors such as Julie R. Steele, Deirdre E. McGhee, and Joanna Scurr. Julie R. Steele publishes 17 documents, achieves the highest citation count of 421, and has a Total Link Strength of 27, Deirdre E. McGhee contributes 15 documents with 376 citations and a Total Link Strength of 22, and Joanna Scurr produces 12 documents, 249 citations, and a Total Link Strength of 16. Their respective metrics further characterize the collaborative density and academic influence of this high-influence author group.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs shown in the VOSviewer country collaboration network in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003eb, England, the red core node, acts as the central cluster of this international research cooperation network. It has dense connection links to multiple countries, and this reflects its prominent leading position in the field\u0026rsquo;s collaborative landscape.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal 17 countries with threshold of publishing five articles were included for analysis, and their collaborative metrics are detailed in the corresponding table. Among these countries, England has the highest Total Link Strength, with a value of 46. It is followed by the USA, which has a Total Link Strength of 29, and China, which has a Total Link Strength of 21. These three countries serve as key research cooperation hubs. The USA maintains a direct connection with China, forming a cross-regional collaborative branch.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs presented in the organizational collaboration network, in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003ec and the corresponding institutional metric table, a total of 14 research institutions were included in this study for collaborative pattern analysis, with each institution having a minimum of 5 publications.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAmong these institutions, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University ranks first in Total Link Strength (TLS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;14), followed by Xi\u0026rsquo;an Polytechnic University (TLS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;11). These two bodies exhibit relatively prominent collaborative connectivity within the network; in contrast, the University of Wollongong has a TLS of 4, indicating weaker collaborative ties.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the visualized collaboration network graph, two distinct collaborative clusters can be observed: the red-node cluster centered on The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (including institutions such as Xi\u0026rsquo;an Polytechnic University, Donghua University, and Beijing University of Technology) forms a core collaborative group, with dense internal connection links. Separately, the green-node cluster, led by the University of Portsmouth, alongside St Mary\u0026rsquo;s University and Anglia Ruskin University constitutes another independent collaborative branch. Notably, institutions like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the University of Southampton formed no collaborative ties with other institutions in this research sample. This structure reflects the current collaborative landscape of the field, with relatively concentrated internal connections within clusters and limited cross-cluster cooperation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003e3.5 Keywords co-occurrence mapping analysis\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA keyword map of innovative bra is presented, where node size signifies frequency and lines between nodes represent co-occurrence[39]. A total of 1319 keywords were included, and 71 of them met the criteria of more than three occurrences. All keywords were grouped into five clusters, marked by blue, green, red, yellow, and purple respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll keywords were grouped into five clusters (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e): \u0026ldquo;bra design\u0026rdquo; (in red color), \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo; (in green color), \u0026ldquo;bra\u0026rdquo; (in blue color), \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; (in yellow color), and \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; (in purple color). The keywords-clustering processing provides insights into the most prominent topics and trending keywords related to innovative bra design research. The purple single node cluster with the keyword \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; appears independently in one corner of the figure above.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the \u0026ldquo;bra design\u0026rdquo; cluster (red color), other important keywords are \u0026ldquo;bra fit\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;bra size\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast augmentation\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast cancer\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast health\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast implants\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast reconstruction\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast size\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast volume\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast-Q\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;mastectomy bra\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;smart bra\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;tloop bra\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo; cluster (green color), the main keywords are \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;breasts\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the \u0026ldquo;bra\u0026rdquo; cluster (blue color), other main keywords are \u0026ldquo;breast biomechanics\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast displacement\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast motion\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast shape\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast support\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;sports bra design\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; cluster (yellow color), other key keywords are \u0026ldquo;breast pain\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;sports bras\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003ea, \u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003eb, \u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003ec, and \u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003ed present detailed visualizations of the clusters, corresponding to the red, blue, yellow, and green clusters respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research will discuss clusters shown in different colors, revealing the distribution of key terms and thematic evolutions in innovative bra research field and the interrelationships amongst these research foci.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eResearch hotspots by timeline\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eVOSviewer assigns a continuous gradient of colors to each keyword based on their chronological appearance in the included publications related to innovative bra design[31]. Keywords that appear earlier are assigned darker colors, while keywords that appear later are marked with green, light green, and yellow colors.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e revealed the development trend of keywords in the past near decade (2017\u0026ndash;2023). Prior to the year of 2020, in this field academic research topics and keywords focused mainly on breast disease-related bra applications and basic kinematics of breast movement: core terms included \u0026ldquo;breast cancer\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast implants\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;mastectomy bra\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;kinematics\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;physical activity\u0026rdquo;, centering on rehabilitation bra design for breast disease patients and breast movement characteristics during exercise.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom 2020 to 2022, research keywords shifted to bra basic design optimization, breast biomechanics, and pressure comfort. And the year of 2021 witnessed the transformation of innovative bra research from basic structure design to functional biomechanical exploration: traditional design-focused terms, e.g., \u0026ldquo;bra design\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;bra fit\u0026rdquo; were integrated with technical topics such as \u0026ldquo;biomechanics\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast support\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;3d body scanning\u0026rdquo;, forming a more practical design system suited to human body needs. The keyword \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; exists as an independent focus, with zero link connections in one corner of the figure, showing a specialized research branch.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter 2022 and until nowadays, keywords in this field of research changed to multi-dimensional functional bra design, socio-psychological implications of bra design, and emerging technical applications. In the recent years, keywords of \u0026ldquo;smart bra\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;female athlete\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;positive body image\u0026rdquo; are trending, taking important places in the field of innovative bra design, and they are hotspots in the current studies and academic research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese diachronic evolutions of keywords reflect the developmental trends and the context of directional shifts in this research field across different phases. Recent trends marked by light colors indicate that the research orientations of innovative bra are becoming increasingly diversified, and distinct research foci will emerge in the future.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.4 Thematic Sankey Diagram Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Sankey diagram, Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig10\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e, drew from Biliometrix Tool clearly showed the association relationships among three core bibliometric dimensions in the Innovative Bra research field: the left field represents countries/regions (labeled AU_CO), the middle field denotes research institutions (labeled AU_UN), and the right field corresponds to research themes (labeled DE)[33, 40].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe left field covers the core contributing countries and regions in this field, including China, the USA, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The middle field lists leading research institutions affiliated with these regions; representative examples of these institutions include Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Texas System, Donghua University, and Xi\u0026rsquo;an Polytechnic University. The right field includes representative research themes, such as sports bra, bra design, breast cancer, and biomechanics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe width of the flow bands between fields is proportional to the co-occurrence frequency: thicker bands indicate a stronger association between a specific country or region, its affiliated institutions, and a particular research theme. For instance, institutions associated with China\u0026mdash;including Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Donghua University, and Xi\u0026rsquo;an Polytechnic University\u0026mdash;exhibit prominent, thick flow band connections to themes like sports bra, bra design, and breast support. This pattern reflects the concentrated focus of Chinese research institutions on functional bra design and related technical themes. Similarly, institutions affiliated with the USA, such as the University of Texas System, maintain targeted associations with themes including \u0026ldquo;breast reconstruction.\u0026rdquo; This alignment corresponds to the region\u0026rsquo;s research strengths in the development of medical rehabilitation bras.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe visualization graph directly unpacks the region-institution-theme coupling patterns in the innovative bra field, clearly presenting the cross-associations between geographic contexts, organizational entities, and research focuses, and provides an intuitive overview of the research layout and collaboration orientation in this field.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4 Discussions","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eGlobal trends in research of Innovative Bra 2015\u0026ndash;2025\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on annual publication volume data spanning 2015 to 2025, the publication pattern of the innovative bra research field can be categorized into three distinct phases. The period from 2015 to 2018 is characterized by initial recovery and steady growth: 30 publications were recorded in 2015, marking the first rebound in research attention toward this field. Publication volumes stabilized at 22 in both 2016 and 2017, a period dedicated to the initial exploration of core research focuses. By 2018, the volume rose to 26, as the academic value of relevant research efforts gained broader recognition.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe years 2019 to 2022 comprised a phase of rapid ascent in publication output. Volumes increased from 29 in 2019, climbing to 42 in 2020 and 44 in 2021, before reaching a peak of 52 in 2022. This growth trajectory reflects those key directions, including the functionalization of innovative bras, such as sports support and post-surgical rehabilitation and digital design, emerged as concentrated research focuses within the academic community[41\u0026ndash;43]. The period from 2023 to 2025 corresponds to a phase of high-level fluctuating adjustment, with annual publication volumes reaching 37, 48, and 32 respectively. These short-term fluctuations represent phased adjustments to research focuses, rather than a decline in academic interest in the field.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, the innovative bra research field has established a stable foundation of academic attention. Moving forward, future research will further concentrate on interdisciplinary integration, with a more prominent orientation toward practical applications.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eQuality and status of Global publications\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study systematically delineates the academic landscape and developmental characteristics of the field from four dimensions\u0026mdash;core journals, research themes, prolific authors, and leading institutions\u0026mdash;providing empirical references for the positioning of future research directions and the optimal allocation of academic resources.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe distribution pattern of core journals reflects the inherent disciplinary affiliations and publication tendencies of the innovative bra field. The top 10 journals by publication volume cover multiple disciplines including textile engineering, ergonomics, medical aesthetics, and materials science. Among them, Textile Research Journal (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.9) ranks first with 19 publications (accounting for 8.756%), followed by Ergonomics (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.4) with 13 publications (5.991%), International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.3) with 10 publications, and International Journal of Cosmetic Science (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.5) with 9 publications.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInnovative bra research is essentially an interdisciplinary intersection of textile engineering and ergonomics, with its core publication channels concentrated in professional journals oriented towards both material R\u0026amp;D and human efficacy evaluation. Notably, medical journals such as Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.4) with 8 publications and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (IF\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.8) with 6 publications are also among the core publication outlets.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe distribution characteristics of research themes highlight the functionality-driven developmental logic of the innovative bra field. The \u0026ldquo;Surgery\u0026rdquo; theme occupies an absolute dominant position with nearly 25 publications, and its notable leading edge indicates that the design and application of bras for medical scenarios such as post-surgical rehabilitation and breast reconstruction are current core research focuses. This trend is closely linked to the global rise in healthcare demands and the growing attention women pay to their quality of life after surgery. \u0026ldquo;Materials Science, Textiles\u0026rdquo; with approximately 15 publications and \u0026ldquo;Occupational Health\u0026rdquo; follow closely behind, reflecting that material innovation, including the development of breathable, antibacterial, and pressure-regulating fabrics and adaptation to occupational settings such as optimization of comfort for prolonged wear are key research directions in the field. This indicates that current research remains concentrated on core functional scenarios, while exploration into directions of in-depth interdisciplinary integration such as the integration of bras with intelligent sensing technology and the synergistic optimization of aesthetic design and ergonomics remains insufficient. This leaves ample room for the expansion of research boundaries in the future.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe distribution characteristics of prolific authors and leading institutions shed light on the academic leadership structure and regional development dynamics of the field. Julie R. Steele has emerged as the preeminent scholar in the field with 17 publications, while a second echelon is formed by scholars including Deirdre E. McGhee and Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, each with 15 publications. The research of these scholars is presumably centered on core themes such as sports bra biomechanics and women\u0026rsquo;s chest health protection, and their achievements provide a crucial literature foundation for subsequent related explorations. Notably, Chinese scholars including Jianping Wang, Winnie Yu, and Kit-Lun Yick have joined the ranks of top contributors, marking the gradual enhancement of China\u0026rsquo;s academic influence in this domain.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegarding publishing institutions, the University of Portsmouth with 29 publications, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University with 23 publications, and the University of Wollongong with 21 publications constitute a globally leading research consortium. These institutions generally possess an interdisciplinary research foundation in textile engineering, ergonomics, and other related fields. Their core advantage lies in the ability to integrate multi-disciplinary resources to address key technical challenges in the functional optimization of innovative bras. Domestically in China Mainland, textile-specialized universities such as Donghua University, Xi\u0026rsquo;an Polytechnic University, and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University have demonstrated outstanding performance, with each recording more than 11 publications. This aligns closely with China\u0026rsquo;s industrial strengths in the textile industry and provides solid academic support for the collaborative innovation of industry-university-research-application. Additionally, the inclusion of institutions such as Cornell University and the University of Texas System in the United States further confirms the global collaborative nature of innovative bra research. Core institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia have jointly formed a tripartite academic co-operation pattern.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, the academic development of the innovative bra field exhibits three core characteristics: clear functional orientation, prominent interdisciplinary features, and regional co-operation clustering. Its core strength lies in closely aligning with practical needs such as women\u0026rsquo;s medical rehabilitation, sports health, and occupational comfort, thus forming stable research directions and publication channels.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eResearch focus on Innovative Bra\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe five clusters of keywords are \u0026ldquo;bra design\u0026rdquo; (red), \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo; (green), \u0026ldquo;bra\u0026rdquo; (blue), \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; (yellow), and \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; (purple).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe five clusters are \u0026ldquo;bra design\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;bra\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; with corresponding color labels of red, green, blue, yellow and purple respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ethe purple cluster centered on \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; exists as an independent single-node cluster in one corner of the visualization indicating its relatively independent research orientation compared to other clusters[44].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe \u0026ldquo;bra design\u0026rdquo; red cluster as the core thematic focus in the innovative bra research field encompasses key keywords such as \u0026ldquo;bra fit\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;bra size\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast augmentation\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast cancer\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast health\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast implants\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast reconstruction\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast size\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast volume\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast-Q\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;mastectomy bra\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;smart bra\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;tloop bra\u0026rdquo;[45\u0026ndash;48]. These keywords collectively embody the multi-dimensional orientation of innovative bra design integrating medical rehabilitation needs intelligent technology integration and personalized fitting optimization. Terms such as \u0026ldquo;breast cancer\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast reconstruction\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;mastectomy bra\u0026rdquo; highlight the integration of innovative bra design with medical scenarios indicating post-surgical rehabilitation as a critical research direction[49, 50]. The inclusion of \u0026ldquo;smart bra\u0026rdquo; demonstrates the emerging technological innovation trend in the field integrating intelligent sensing and data monitoring into bra design to achieve breast health monitoring marking the transition of innovative bra research towards intelligence and precision[51\u0026ndash;53].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKeywords like \u0026ldquo;bra fit\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;bra size\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;breast volume\u0026rdquo; focus on personalized optimization of bra design reflecting emphasis on individual differences in body shape and wearing needs a core prerequisite for improving wearing comfort and functional effectiveness[54\u0026ndash;57]. The \u0026ldquo;breast-Q\u0026rdquo;, a medical term, a patient-reported outcome measure specific for breast surgery indicates that the evaluation of innovative bra design increasingly focuses on users\u0026rsquo; or breast-related disease patients\u0026rsquo; subjective experiences and quality of life enhancing research comprehensiveness and humanization[47, 49, 58, 59].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo; green cluster centered on \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;breasts\u0026rdquo; serves as the fundamental research object of the entire innovative bra field. As the direct target of bra protection support and health management the physiological characteristics and health status of the breast determine the functional orientation and design criteria of innovative bras. The centrality of this cluster reflects that understanding breast-related physiological mechanisms such as breast tissue structure movement characteristics and health risks is the foundational premise for all innovative bra research. This cluster acts as a connecting bridge between other thematic clusters linking bra design sports protection and medical rehabilitation to the core object of \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo; ensuring research practicality and pertinence[60\u0026ndash;63].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe \u0026ldquo;bra\u0026rdquo; blue cluster focuses on the functional performance and biomechanical characteristics of bras with key keywords including \u0026ldquo;breast biomechanics\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast displacement\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast motion\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast shape\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;breast support\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;sports bra design\u0026rdquo;. These keywords highlight the important role of biomechanical research in innovative bra development emphasizing the scientific basis of bra functional design. \u0026ldquo;Breast biomechanics\u0026rdquo; explores the movement regularities and force-related characteristics of the breast during human activities providing data support for the optimization of bra support structure and material selection[3, 64, 65]. Researches on \u0026ldquo;breast displacement\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;breast motion\u0026rdquo; during exercise directly guides the design of sports bra support systems helping to reduce exercise-sports-induced breast pain and tissue damage[66\u0026ndash;68]. \u0026ldquo;Breast support\u0026rdquo; is a core functional requirement of bras design and its optimization involves coordination of bra structure material elasticity and wearing fit[7, 57, 69, 70]. The inclusion of \u0026ldquo;sports bra design\u0026rdquo; indicates that sports-related bra research is closely integrated with biomechanical analysis reflecting emphasis on evidence-based design in the field. This cluster reveals that functional innovation of bras is increasingly driven by scientific research marking the transformation of the field from traditional design to precision design based on biomechanical principles[71\u0026ndash;74].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; yellow cluster focuses on the specific application scenario of sports with key keywords including \u0026ldquo;breast pain\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;sports bras\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Breast pain\u0026rdquo; is a core problem addressed by sports bras and exercise-induced breast pain is a common issue affecting women\u0026rsquo;s participation in physical activities and the development of high-performance sports bras has become an effective solution for large-breast women. The repeated appearance of \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;sports bras\u0026rdquo; indicates that sports bras have become a mature and focused research direction with studies focusing on optimizing support performance improving wearing comfort and adapting to different sports intensities[75\u0026ndash;78].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis cluster\u0026rsquo;s close association with the \u0026ldquo;bra\u0026rdquo; cluster reflects that the design for sports bra research relies heavily on biomechanical analysis of breast movement while its connection to the \u0026ldquo;breast\u0026rdquo; cluster emphasizes that understanding breast physiological characteristics is the basis for solving sports-induced breast pain. The formation of this cluster matches the global trend of increasing attention to women\u0026rsquo;s sports health indicating that meeting women\u0026rsquo;s sports needs has become an important driving force for innovative bra research[75, 79].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; purple cluster an independent single-node centered on \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; indicates that breastfeeding bras constitute a specialized and relatively independent research branch in the innovative bra field[80]. This cluster targets the specific needs of lactating women emphasizing convenience comfort and health safety in bra design. It also reflects the field\u0026rsquo;s attention to diverse needs of different women groups enriching the connotation and extension of innovative bra research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, the five keyword clusters in the innovative bra field exhibit both independence and interconnection collectively constructing the domain\u0026rsquo;s knowledge framework. Interrelationships among these clusters reveal that innovative bra research is a multi-disciplinary field integrating medicine biomechanics material science and human factors engineering. Future research can further strengthen cross-integration among clusters such as combination of intelligent technology from the \u0026ldquo;bra design\u0026rdquo; cluster with sports bra design from the \u0026ldquo;sports bra\u0026rdquo; cluster or integration of breastfeeding bra research from the \u0026ldquo;breastfeeding\u0026rdquo; cluster with sustainable material development to promote comprehensive development of the field.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe newly emerging keywords in the innovative bra research field over the past few years, have demonstrated three core trends, scenario-oriented precision, interdisciplinary technological integration, and multi-dimensional research expansion. Specifically, the newly emerged keywords include female athlete, mastopexy, positive body image, women's health, comfort, feminism, nipple sparing mastectomy, mastectomy bra, motion capture, and breast biomechanics, shown in light yellow color in the timeline figure. These keywords reflect a shift from general bra design to targeted research for specific groups, such as female athletes, and specialized medical scenarios, such as post-mastopexy and nipple-sparing mastectomy rehabilitation, they highlight the deep integration of engineering technologies, such as motion capture and biomechanical analysis, with functional bra design. Meanwhile, the inclusion of feminism and positive body image extends the research scope from physical functionality to psychological and social dimensions, while keywords like women's health and mastectomy bra further deepen the health-oriented design concept, driving the innovative bra field toward a more precise, intelligent, and interdisciplinary development direction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Sankey diagram (three-field plot) visualizes the region-institution-theme coupling in innovative bra research, revealing that China and the USA dominate this field: China links to textile-focused institutions, like Donghua University, specialized in sports bra and bra design, while the USA connects to medical institutions centered on breast cancer and breast reconstruction; other regions have more decentralized institutional participation. Notably, all institutions align with breast-related important keywords, confirming that breast physiology/health serves as the foundational, bridging theme that anchors both textile-focused functional design and medical-oriented rehabilitation research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eSignificance and future directions\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study conducted a bibliometric analysis of high-quality English research articles related to innovative bras published between 2015 and 2025 in the Web of Science Core Collection, revealing that global studies have centered on the multi-dimensional optimization and interdisciplinary integration of bra design with key directions including medical rehabilitation adaptation, intelligent technology integration, and personalized fit optimization, along with core themes such as breast physiological characteristics, bra biomechanical performance, sports scenario adaptation, and breastfeeding exclusive needs. Looking ahead, meeting women\u0026rsquo;s demands for innovative bras will see research hotspots emerge in the in-depth integration of intelligent sensing technology with bra functions, the application of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, precision adaptation to diverse female groups\u0026rsquo; specific needs, and the establishment of an evidence-based functional evaluation system, with future research focusing on grounding functional innovation in breast physiological mechanisms and biomechanical analysis, integrating objective performance indicators and subjective user experiences including those of breast disease patients via the Breast-Q scale, and leveraging interdisciplinary technologies such as medicine, biomechanics, and intelligent sensing to enhance practical value.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the existing research findings, future scientific research in this domain can be further expanded through targeted practical explorations: integrating intelligent technology into sports bra design, developing specialized sustainable materials for breastfeeding bras, and constructing a precision design and evaluation system for post-surgical rehabilitation bras. These efforts will not only effectively improve the functional pertinence and application value of innovative bras but also promote the transformation of the field from empirical design to scientific, quantitative, and precise design, providing more comprehensive health protection and wearing experiences for women in need.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eIn response to these research questions\u003c/b\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eRQ1: Based on analysis, what evolutionary characteristics have emerged in the research on innovative bras over the past decade (2015\u0026ndash;2025)?\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParadigm shifts from experience-driven to scientifically quantitative design has emerged, with traditional craftsmanship-based design gradually replaced by data-supported precise optimization grounded in breast physiological mechanisms and biomechanical analysis. Meanwhile, research has expanded beyond textile and apparel to form a medicine-technology-design interdisciplinary system, extending from general functions to segmented scenarios such as sports protection, medical rehabilitation, and breastfeeding adaptation to meet diverse female groups\u0026rsquo; precise needs. Furthermore, technological innovation\u0026mdash;integrating intelligent sensing, sustainable materials, and evidence-based design\u0026mdash;drives research to upgrade from functional satisfaction to women health empowerment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eRQ2: Which countries, institutions, and authors have made the most prominent contributions to the field of innovative bra research, and what collaboration patterns exist among them?\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn innovative bra research, a global core research force has formed including China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. China excels in basic research and application transformation via textile industry strengths while these three countries lead in interdisciplinary integration and clinical research. Core institutions feature a global leading consortium \u0026ndash; University of Portsmouth, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Wollongong \u0026ndash; pioneering via interdisciplinary integration; domestically, textile universities like Donghua University, Xi\u0026rsquo;an Polytechnic University and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University anchor industry-university-research collaboration, and international institutions such as Cornell University and the University of Texas System contribute significantly to tech innovation and clinical research. Core authors are mainly affiliated with these institutions, conducting specialized team research with focuses like biomechanical analysis and smart bra R\u0026amp;D. A three-dimensional collaboration network has been established with cross-regional coordination, cross-institutional linkage and interdisciplinary collaboration: regionally, core institutions in North America, Europe and Asia form a tripartite academic structure; institutionally, universities, research institutes and enterprises build industry-university-research cooperation chains; disciplinarily, researchers in textile engineering, medicine, biomechanics and other fields conduct joint research to promote multi-dimensional outcome transformation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eRQ3: What are core research themes and high-frequency keywords in innovative bra research, and how do these elements reflect the current research focuses of the field?\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKeyword clustering analysis identifies five core themes in innovative bra research: multi-dimensional bra design optimization, breast physiology and health, bra biomechanical performance, sports scenario adaptation, and breastfeeding exclusive design. High-frequency keywords include bra fit, breast biomechanics, breast displacement, sports bras, smart bras, breast reconstruction, breastfeeding bras, Breast-Q scale, sustainable materials, and post-surgical rehabilitation. These collectively reflect three current research focuses: functional orientation centered on breast health emphasizing bras\u0026rsquo; supportive and protective role in women\u0026rsquo;s physiological health, precision adaptation-driven design optimization addressing personalized needs of different scenarios and groups, and interdisciplinary technology integration-enabled innovative upgrading enhancing the practical value and scientific connotation of innovative bras.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eStrength and limitations\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study is the first to adopt bibliometric methods to explore innovative bras in such a detailed and in-depth manner. By utilizing descriptive statistics, visualization software, and bibliometric analysis, it aims to comprehensively clarify the current research status and future trends in this field, as well as identify research hotspots and collaborative relationships among countries, authors, and institutions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, this study still has several limitations. Despite the existence of multiple large academic databases, considering the accessibility and quality of the content in the collected databases, only academic papers from the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection were adopted as the data source. Due to the constraints of the WOS Core Collection\u0026rsquo;s selection criteria, a small number of the latest high-quality research papers may not have been included [73]. While a single database with clear search criteria is generally sufficient to support rigorous bibliometric research, and the WOS Core Collection covers all high-quality journals and papers under Clarivate\u0026rsquo;s standards (including SCI, SSCI, etc.), potential omissions in the completeness of high-quality papers across different databases thus constitute one of the limitations of this study [74, 75].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll literature included in this study is in English, which may overlook relevant research outcomes published in other languages. Finally, due to variations in the expression of author names and the use of keywords, the research results may contain certain biases.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study employs bibliometric statistical methods to reveal the research themes and development trends related to innovative bras. The research indicates that this field is dominated by the United Kingdom, the United States, and China. Meanwhile, it is found that university research institutions from Mainland China and Hong Kong, China have the largest scale of cross-institutional cooperation and the largest size of scholar groups, followed by those in the United Kingdom. Renowned journals in the fields of textile and apparel science, ergonomics, sports science, and some medical journals focusing on breast health have provided abundant interdisciplinary evidence support for innovative bra research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the mapping analysis results, this study has identified five core clusters in the field of innovative bras. It is found that themes such as breast biomechanics, breast dynamics, breast movement science, and breast cancer are relatively core, while the latest research focus is concentrated on breasts and feminist rights as well as smart bras. The future research direction may expand towards intelligent design and the intelligent functionality of innovative bras.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eObserving that the total number of publications in this field shows a fluctuating upward trend, this study concludes that more high-quality English articles will focus on this field in the future.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the supplementary files.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are no human or animal studies in this manuscript, and no potentially identifiable human images or data were presented in this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResearch Fundings\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research did not receive funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eL.T. is the sole first author.L.T. conceptualized the study, conducted analyses, and drafted the main manuscript.Z.H edited the main manuscript. Z.M., M.X., and L.G. assisted with data processing and analytical procedures. A.Z. supervised the research project, critically revised the manuscript, and approved the final version for submission. All authors reviewed the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTian, Y. and R. Ball. \u003cem\u003eParametric Design Method for Personalized Bras\u003c/em\u003e. in \u003cem\u003eAdvances in Ergonomics in Design\u003c/em\u003e. 2020. Cham: Springer International Publishing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eCrandall, D.: 100 Years of Brassiersres: The Historical Evolution of the Bra. 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Evans, \u003cem\u003eThe Bra Project: Preventing Wounds in Women After Sternotomy.\u003c/em\u003e Critical Care Nurse, 2025. \u003cstrong\u003e45\u003c/strong\u003e(3): p. 57\u0026ndash;62.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBhurosy, T., Z.M. Niu, and C.J. Heckman, \u003cem\u003eBreastfeeding is Possible: A Systematic Review on the Feasibility and Challenges of Breastfeeding Among Breast Cancer Survivors of Reproductive Age.\u003c/em\u003e Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2021. \u003cstrong\u003e28\u003c/strong\u003e(7): p. 3723\u0026ndash;3735.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Intimate Apparel, Bibliometrics, VOSviewer, Research trends, Interdisciplinary research","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8543451/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8543451/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cdiv language=\"En\" class=\"ArticleSubTitle\"\u003eThis study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the innovative bra research, aiming to outline the knowledge structure, clarify research hotspots, and predict future development trends. A total of 384 documents published between 2015 and 2025 were screened from the Web of Science Core Collection, with in-depth analysis performed using VOSviewer software and Bibliometrix tools. The results identify five core research clusters: multi-dimensional optimization of bra design, including medical rehabilitation adaptation, intelligent technology integration, and personalized fit, breast physiology and health, bra biomechanical performance, sports scenario adaptation, and exclusive design for breastfeeding. Key research hotspots include bra biomechanics, breast health and support, smart bra R\u0026amp;D, post-surgical rehabilitation adaptation, and application of sustainable materials. China, the United States, the United Kingdom, are the most active countries in publishing articles in this field, forming international cooperation network. Time trend analysis of publications indicates that research enthusiasm in this domain has been continuously rising in recent years. This study provides valuable references for researchers in the innovative bra field, guides future research directions, and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across textile engineering, medicine, biomechanics, and intelligent technology.\u003c/div\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Global Evolution and Future Trend of Innovative Bra Research: A Visualized Analysis for the Past Ten years","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-19 08:10:35","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8543451/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"e2d7686e-ae25-4728-8ba7-d1b4e8e46e9e","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 19th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":65998392,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering"},{"id":65998393,"name":"Health sciences/Health care"},{"id":65998394,"name":"Physical sciences/Mathematics and computing"},{"id":65998395,"name":"Health sciences/Medical research"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-27T10:11:55+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-19 08:10:35","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8543451","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8543451","identity":"rs-8543451","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}