Female Founders Who Are Moving The Adaptive Apparel Market Forward

The adaptive apparel market is booming, and it’s about time. 1 in 5 Americans have a disability, and for too long, the apparel markets have offered few adaptive options for them. Adaptive apparel refers to clothing that offers alternative methods for dressing and undressing, such as snap buttons and velcro, whereas conventional buttons and zippers can be challenging to manipulate.

Bigger name retailers such as Target, Zappos, and Tommy Hilfiger are expanding their product lines to be more inclusive, and entrepreneurs around the world are contributing innovations to make adaptive apparel more accessible. These three female founders have created companies and products to expand the adaptive apparel market, and are moving the industry forward not only with their innovations, but with their passion. 

Bringing Adaptive Apparel to Fashion Design

Most clothes are designed for the “standing body” - taking measurements from standing models and creating garments on mannequins, those in wheelchairs are seldom taken into consideration in the design process. For example: there should ideally be a looser fit around the hips and waist, the clothing should have a longer neck to waist ratio, and skirts should be longer in the front. These ideal requirements make it difficult to find the right clothing.

When FFORA founder Lucy Jones was a student at Parsons, she focused on this inherent exclusivity in the design process. “If we begin with the seated body, many of these measurements and our assumptions of garment construction become disrupted due to the anatomical variations and variety of disabilities,” Jones shared.

Thus, Jones created the “Seated Design” line, designed specifically for those who use wheelchairs. As a result, she won the Parsons Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2015. Seated Design is “the method of analyzing our existing design infrastructure and encouraging implementation of functional, attractive and more comfortable design solutions for seated individuals.” she states.

Bringing Greater Accessibility to Adaptive Apparel

Historically, those with disabilities would have to search for adaptive clothes online on medical websites, which takes all the fun and fashion out of the shopping process. Brown University student Emma Butler noticed this firsthand when her mom would shop for adaptive clothing online, especially when shopping for undergarments, which Butler believes should be an empowering experience.So, Butler started Intimately.co, an aggregated marketplace for adaptive lingerie such as side clip panties. It’s a one-stop-shop for women searching for undergarments that fit their needs...and make them feel confident.

She sources adaptive panties and bras from sites that may not declare themselves as “adaptive,” but still has sensory-friendly products. “We protest brands that aren’t skin tone inclusive or size inclusive, but we forget the disabled community,” she shared in a conversation. “We need to add accessibility to the forefronts of our minds.” 

The Future of the Adaptive Apparel Market 

There is much work left to be done, but the adaptive apparel market is continuing to grow and expand at a rapid rate. Retail Dive shared that in the U.S., “the adaptive apparel market "will reach $47.3 billion in 2019 and grow to $54.8 billion by 2023.” But beyond the numbers, the recognition of the need for adaptive apparel is becoming more mainstream.

Just ask Stephanie Alves, the founder of ABL Denim: adaptive jeans for both adults and children with limited mobility or sensory and dexterity processing challenges. In an interview with Project Entrepreneur, Alves noted that she’s achieved her one goal of bringing the adaptive apparel niche to the forefront of the fashion industry. “Investors no longer look at me like I have three heads when I pitch my concept,” she commented.

And while the market still has plenty of room to grow, it is visionaries like these three female founders who are moving it forward - making adaptive apparel mainstream, increasing shopping accessibility, and integrating the need for adaptive design in the fashion world..