#shapeshifters binders

[shapeshiftersvt]

10 Years of Shapeshifting

On Trans Day of Visibility in 2014, an announcement on Tumblr launched a new chest binder company focused on full customizability, fitting all bodies, and introducing bright color and joyous print to a bland market. Ten years later, Shapeshifters has grown into a true small business with five employees, a professional sewing studio, its own website, and an undeniable influence on the chest binder market as a whole. With over 8,000 customers in over forty countries all over the world, co-owners and founders Eli and Krista Coughlin-Galbraith are grateful to share this huge milestone with the people who’ve made it possible for a small, queer-owned, community-driven business to make it this far.

To mark the occasion, we’re excited to announce the very first exclusive Shapeshifters fashion line: The Cryptid Collection!

Taking inspiration from the weird, the mysterious, and the uncategorizable, The Cryptid Collection is a collaborative design project from Eli and Krista that will feature six of the internet’s favorite cryptids in a variety of new products and projects.

The full announcement, details, and the first round of cryptids will drop on our official 10th anniversary, Trans Day of Visibility, Sunday, March 31, 2024. And keep your eyes peeled for new products and announcements throughout the rest of the year, including opportunities to spy some of these cryptids in person.

[stal3bread]

People who bind!! I am thinking of getting a Shapeshifters binder because my chest is lowkey disproportionately large and Untag binders are good for bad sensory days but not very good for actually looking flat, and Spectrum binders are ok for looking flat but not good for my sensory issues. Have any of you tried a Shapeshifters binder? If you have, is it good? I don't mind spending $100 on a binder that will actually be good for my needs but like... it's got to be good for my needs to justify that price lol

For reference I haven't worn a bra in years but according to my measurements I'm a 32F so uh yeah

[bisexualbaker]

I am into this, please make it happen.

Seeking a sponsor for an episode of Game Changer.

What I can offer: Meaningful, lighthearted, fun brand integration into one episode of season 7, in exchange for $50 - 100k (though I will probably end up going with the highest bidder).

Interested? Get at me!

[buggerzz]

Was thinking about @shapeshiftersinc 's binders and wanted to review them on here :D

Im gonna be fully honest because. Why the hell would i lie???

Overview-

They are a great binder company. I fully reccomend buying from them- they have the best chest binders ive been able to find and are extremely inclusive and helpful. If you have the money to get one and are worrying it wont be worth it. Trust me. It is.

Pros-

Extremely comfortable.

I mean it. I have sensory issues- other binders ive had have been way too itchy and uncomfortable for me to wear regularly. Id always have issues with the tags- even after i cut them out, it always bothers me.

Shapeshifters have been WAY better. I dont know if it's the materials, the construction, or what but they are wonderful to wear. Ive had the occasional issue with the tag, but its small and pretty ignorable. Plus, I'm about 90% sure you could ask them to just not add it to avoid it entirely. Ive had no issues with scratchiness. Their mesh is breathable, not itchy, and stretchy :D half the time i can completely forget that im even wearing a binder, which says a LOT.

Fit & Bind-

Shapeshifters. Amazing once again. Theyre custom sized to your measurements, which avoids unnecessary tightness in the ribs, gaping at the top, or inconsistent/nonexistent binding. Im a 38DD-40DDD depending on brand, and literally no other binders have had anywhere near this level of bind. Obviously it doesnt get completely flat- but it gets as close as possible. Id say its about the same prominence as laying on your back with no bra- maybe a bit bigger. That being said, thats a HUGE improvement from every other brand ive tried.

Plus, if you have issues with things digging in anywhere or not fitting how you want, they do free alterations. WHICH IS INSANELY HELPFUL BY THE WAY.

Variety-

They have many different patterns and styles and types of binders. It's a lot of different options- undergarments to normal tops, gothic to pastel to flat colors. If youre somewhere hot they have purely mesh binders for extra ventilation, etc.

Plus, if you want a specific pattern you can custom order your own fabric design! Im doing this for my new one and am very excited. (Its the same pattern i have as my banner :>

Customer Service-

Actually wonderful. Eli has been the one talking with me on both of my binders, so i think theyre the main (English) customer service worker! Theyre wonderful and very helpful- straight to the point, speedy, and patient.

I had no clue I needed to upload my pattern to spoonflower and proof it, and they helped me with that even though I could've just. Read the product description 😭

Lots of love to Eli. Also Im so sorry im stupid???? Youre wonderful.

Ease of use-

Im disabled- big shoulder issues. If i angle it the wrong way it dislocates. Bit uncomfy. That being said, most binders are literally painful for me to put on. Especially to take off. It hurts and is a whole mess. However. Shapeshifter's stretchier fabrics make it easier to take on and off. Putting it on is usually completely fine. Taking it off can be an issue. But its way easier than other brands thankfully.

HOWEVER. shapeshifters offers zippers to be built in. Which seems bad because of uneven pressure, but they have stiff inserts in all zipper binders to evenly distribute the bind. When I ordered my 1st binder, i for some reason got the zipper on the side of my bad shoulder?? I usually only use the zipper to take it off, so its fine, but zipping it on is a nightmare. But thats on me because i ordered it stupidly. That being said, zipping it off is actually amazing. If theres any discomfort from the binder, I can just zip it down for a bit. Or i can fully take it off so much easier. 2nd binder from them, i havent ordered the zipper because its not that difficult for me personally to take it off without, but i would recommend it if you need that extra ease!

Durability-

An old binder had tearing stitching after 2 months of semi-regular wear. Bad. My shapeshifter binder ive been wearing up to 5 days a week for up to 8 hours a day. The only signs of wear it has is some deodorant stains. Need I say more. It also hasnt stretched at all- it has the same bind and comfort and fit as it did the day I got it.

CAN YOU SEE WHY I LOVE THESE.

CONS NOW!!

Time

They do take a while to be made and arrive. Because theyre custom made by a small team, it takes a couple months to get one. I ordered one in July and got it in August, for example. I personally do not care about this one because it is such a high quality binder.

Price

Once again, small team making high quality custom products. It gets pricey. My first one was $116 including shipping, taxes, etc. Its important to note that i got a zipper (+$20) and a lot of customization options not everyone will need or want! Once again, i think its worth it as it will probably last me a WHILE. Also they gotta pay their team fairly. WE LOVE PAYING PEOPLE LIVABLE WAGES!

Overall, I do reccomend. In fact I've gotten a friend to get themselves one aswell lmao

Theyre actually an amazing team and i wish them lots of love, appreciation, and success!! Cant wait to get my new binder >:D

[fagsystem]

i am cringe, but i am free

THANK YOU SO MUCH @shapeshiftersinc!!!! I LOVE THW BINDER SO MUCH!!! IT SERIOUSLY MAKES ME SO HAPPY

AND THE QUALITY??? IT'S SO GOOD??? LIKE IVE WORN MANY A BINDER IN MY TIME AND SHAPESHIFTERS HAVE SUCH SUCH GOOD ONES!!!

THE FLATNESS I GET AND HOW EASY IT IS TO BREATHE IS JUST UNREAL!!! AND IT'S LITERALLY MIKU!!!!

I ALSO GOT A LOSE FIT LACE ONE I JUST WORE OUT TO GO GET SHOES FOR MY MUM WITH MY MUM AND NAN AND IT WAS SO NICE!!! ITS SO SO PRETTY, STILL BINDS GOOD ENOUGH THAT I CAN JUST BE IN PUBLIC WITH IT, AND I CAN BREATHE!!! I CAN BREATHE SO GOOD!!! I GOT IT TO WEAR AT CIRCUS AND IM SO EXCITED TO TRY IT!!!

BEST PART OF BOTH OF THESE BINDERS IS THE ZIPS!!! VERY EASY TO GET ON AND OFF FOR MY CHRONICALLY ILL ASS!!! AND IT MAKES TAKING BINDING BREAKS SO EASY??? I CAN JUST CASUALLY TAKE IT OFF UNDER MY SHIRT AND EVEN PUT IT BACK ON UNDER MY SHIRT WHENEVER WHEREVER!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY TIMES IVE BEEN IN A CAR STRUGGLING TO GET A BINDER ON/OFF WITHOUT FLASHING THE WORLD???? A PROBLEM NO LONGER!!!

AND THE ZIPS HAVE THESE LITTLE CLASPS AT THE TOP TO PREVENT THEM FROM UNZIPPING!!! AS A LARGE CHESTED MAN, VERY VERY GOOD, AS ZIPS TEND TO UNZIP FOR ME!!!

AND AS AN AUTISTIC MAN THE ZIP IS SO COMFY SO SO SO VERY COMFY!!!! 1000000/10 I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

YALL SHOULD SEE THEIR STUFF!! SO GOOD!!!

- cam he/it

[shapeshiftersvt]

Thanks for tagging us!

@suspicious-whumping-egg I assume that you're asking this because you've heard that zippered binders are dangerous. This is a very common warning that goes around online trans communities. And to be clear, there's nothing wrong with that! These communities are full of some great and important safety information!

But our co-founder, Eli, has been in these communities long enough to know the origin of the "zippered binders are dangerous" info.

Back In The Day (like ~10 years ago) there was a company selling binders on Amazon. They were very popular because 1) they were cheap, and 2) they were, as far as we're aware, the first company to offer zippered binders. Unfortunately, people quickly found that those binders were causing similar muscular and rib issues that folks experienced with the more unsafe binding practices that using a binder is supposed to be better than.

So when folks started warning each other about that brand, they would say things like, "Don't buy the zippered binders, they're not safe". Which made sense at the time! They were the only zippered binders around so it was a really easy way to identify them if you didn't remember the brand name. But through the internet telephone game, "Those zippered binders are dangerous" became "zippered binders are all dangerous".

But there was nothing about the zipper that made the binders unsafe, it was the actual construction of the binders.

The fact of the matter is that a zipper doesn't affect the effectiveness or safety of a binder any more than it affects the safety of a coat. A zipper is pretty much just a seam that you can open and close without having to pull out your sewing machine every time.

Now, obviously this is a business account for pretty much the only major company that sells zippered binders. Obviously there's a bias here. I can say all I want that your safety is genuinely extremely important to us and we would not sell a product that we thought was causing people serious physical harm, but there's no substantive way for me to prove that to you.

I will say that Eli was our very first guinea pig for our zipper binders almost 10 years ago and has been wearing them ever since (they only recently retired that original experimental binder, in fact).

I also encourage you to look through our Binding Safety tag where we've posted and reblogged a ton of information both from us and our customers about their experiences with various disabilities and which customizations have worked and not worked for them.

would you still recommend shapeshifters if I got a side zipper? I know they’re not always a great idea but i have a connective tissue disorder and a lot of issues surrounding my shoulders dislocating in particular and I’m worried abt getting on a traditional binder….

Unfortunately, I don’t have any personal experience with a side zipper binder so I’m not sure if I’m going to be of the most help. I would recommend asking the @shapeshiftersvt account!

[parkakeet]

fytist shutting down is the worst. literally where am I supposed to buy a new binder now

[binderreviews]

Shapeshifters binder review

The specifications of the binder I got were:

Colour: Poplar (skin tone) with a mesh back (do not recommend getting a mesh back for reasons I will explain)

Length: 16 inches

Measurements: chest of 40 inches and underbust of 33 inches

Other add-ons: narrow straps (highly recommend), stiff insert

Overall, I was kind of unhappy with this binder given how much it cost me. It was too small even though I gave the right measurements and I don’t like the seams or texture much as an autistic person.

Sizing:

When I ordered it, it was too small. It would leave these marks under my armpits and hurt my back like crazy, which confused me given I gave the right measurements. Maybe it’s because I naturally have broader shoulders, but they didn’t ask for my shoulder measurements so I didn’t think that would affect it.

I then sent it to get made bigger and to widen the armholes at the back, and that worked pretty well, but it’s still a bit too small I think because I don’t find I can wear it comfortably as long as I can my other binders. I’m losing some weight though, so hopefully the binder should fit me properly soon.

Binding ability:

It’s pretty good, but not the best I’ve gotten. I still have a bit of a chest bump, but it’s to be expected given I don’t have a small chest (which is why I got a custom-made binder in the first place). The stiff insert is good for creating a smoother line down from under the chest to your stomach.

Comfort:

The seams are covered, which is good for my sensory issues

The binder is made of a few layers of mesh. It’s not super rough, but I still don’t find it very sensory friendly. If you have sensory issues that require soft fabrics, I wouldn’t recommend this binder to you because of the meshy inner lining.

Miscellaneous:

The binder is pretty visible under clothes. This is because the seams are quite thick and kind of stick out, so their outline is visible under t-shirts. Also, there is a clear line where the stiff insert ends, making that visible under clothes too.

Also, the mesh back is white which kind of defeats the purpose of getting a skin tone binder because the back doesn't match my skin tone. This is not something wrong with Shapeshifters though since I made that specification when ordering the binder

[theo-grayson]

OH MY GOD GUYS. GUYS. FIRST EVER BINDER ORDERED. OH MY GOD

[shapeshiftersvt]

THE CRYPTID COLLECTION IS COMPLETE!!!!

Well, at least the customer-facing part of it is! We've still got some fashion shows on the docket we'll be showing off the rest of Eli's fashion designs at.

But with the Squonk fabric finally designed, all of our cryptid binder and sports bra listings are live and available to order!

It's been a wild, stressful, exciting, and fulfilling journey here shapeshifters. We've had so much fun putting this collection together and seeing all of the responses to it. We haven't decided yet what happens to these binders and sports bras once the year is out, so if you're eyeing one of these babies, don't wait too long to snap them up!

In the meantime we're going to keep sewing, keep lurking around Pride festivals, maybe drop some bonus cryptid merch, and ... talk about what's coming up in 2025????? 🔮

[uss-protostar]

hello tumblr dot com, if you're looking for cheap binders, shapeshifters is currently having their off the rack sale, which includes freebies. personally, shapeshifters are the highest quality, most comfortable, and best looking binders i've gotten. so, if you need cheap binders, go to their website!! i claimed mine :3

[aropride]

even after top surgery i'm gonna be short as hell and i'll probably gain weight when i start t so tbh i need to just learn 2 make my own clothes. bc the problem of never having clothes for my body type is not going to go away ever. unfortunately making ur own clothes is expensive bc fabric is expensive and sewing machines are expensive and fucking up is expensive

[binder-masterlist]

Black solid color binder

Shapeshifters (@shapeshiftersinc)

link: https://shapeshifters.co/product/solid-color-binders/

binding level: 4.5

comfort level: 5

sensory level: 4.5

breathability: 4.5

overall: 5

do you experience sensory issues? Not always, but a lot of the time

would you recommend this binder? Absolutely!!

October 7th, 2023

other notes:

these are made from your measurements so they fit SO well! They’re on the expensive side ($85), but it’s absolutely worth it! Took me from a D cup to just under an A!

:D this was the binder I just bought and it works so well- couldn’t recommend these enough

[alix-is-o-a-k]

guys I just got my @shapeshiftersinc binder and it works SO WELL!!! I’m completely flat!!! And it’s soooo comfortable! (Bonus points cause the inside is green and that’s my favorite color) honestly could not recommend these enough!!! They’re expensive but so worth it

[disabled-queer-culture-is]

Asthmatic culture is being embarrassed for beginning to have an asthma attack in class so trying to cough quieter while it progressively gets worse so now you need to go in the hall, need to use your inhaler but coughing so close together you can barely try to use it, and now your jacket sleeve is soaked (on the up-side the teacher in that class also has asthma so he tried his best not to being unwanted attention to it)

On another note, 1 of the worst combinations I've ever come across is an anxious asthmatic wearing a binder- I am the aforementioned anxious asthmatic gender-queer kid :]

[aluminia]

OK so like, if once is a happenstance and twice is a coincidence then what does it mean if I had a third dream in which I am transitioning to a guy.