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What is adaptive clothing and how can it make life easier for people with a disability ?
Have you ever tried to do up a zip or button a shirt one-handed ? Put on a pair of jeans while seated ? Do you know someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder , who can ’ t stand the feeling of certain fabrics against their skin ? If your feet are different sizes , or you only have one foot , how do you buy shoes ? Advances in “ adaptive clothing ” aim to address these problems .
Adaptive clothes are specially designed for people with a disability . This can mean providing one-handed zippers on shoes , replacing buttons with magnetic closures or designing clothing and footwear so you can get dressed while in a seated position .
The key to effective adaptive clothing is catering for the vast array of needs different consumers have , while maintaining style and fashionability . Recently , fashion brands have begun to provide ontrend clothing with new styles , combining fashion and technology for people with a variety of disabilities .
Here are five different ways fashion is approaching adaptive clothing .
1 . Magnets , not buttons
Under Armour were one of the first to adopt a magnetic zipper in clothing . Their redesigned jacket zip called MagZip uses magnets to connect the ends of the zip , making clothing easier to do up onehanded .
Magnets have also been used in shirts , pants and other garments in lieu of buttons . These enable individuals who don ’ t have the dexterity or ability to use buttons to better dress themselves .
2 . Shoes without laces
Different iterations of shoes also aim to make the process of tying laces easier , or remove the need all together . Zips can replace traditional laces , enabling shoes to be done up one-handed .
Another design is Nike ’ s Go FlyEase , a sneaker utilising a hinge design . The wearer steps into the shoe and the hinge opens , holding the shoe in place .