With increasing numbers of companies offering adaptive apparel for children, it can be hard to find offerings that both prioritize functionality and fun fashion options. We’ve found a few clothing companies have recently launched lines specifically for children with disabilities and were designed with current trends in mind.
*Please note that we have no affiliation with any of these companies*
Rags Adaptive Clothing
Rags has unisex adaptive baby clothes , toddlers’ jumpers and children’s jumpsuits in fun designs. All of their designs are stretchy, tag-free, include easy-on, easy-off necklines and no snaps. Designed to be comfortable for your child and easy for parents to manage during changes.
Kohl’s Adaptive Clothing
Kohl’s launched their adaptive children’s clothing line back in 2019, which encompasses their three largest youth brands. In 2022, they expanded their offerings to include accessible adult clothing. Important features of their line are pieces with abdominal access, sensory-friendly designs and their wheelchair-friendly options. You can shop their adaptive youth clothing line here and their adult options here.
Tommy Hilfiger’s Adaptive Clothing Line
Items in this collaboration are designed by Mindy Scheier, a fashion designer and mother of a child with muscular dystrophy. She felt frustrated when her son wanted to wear jeans to school like his friends, and she couldn’t find a pair that met his needs without sacrificing style. In response, she founded the Runway of Dreams Foundation (RODF), a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities obtain adaptive clothing and promotes inclusion in the fashion industry.
In 2016, Scheier started collaborating with Tommy Hilfiger on a line of adaptive clothing for children and they’ve since expanded the line to include adults. A few of the modifications that they use to make putting on and taking off clothing easier include:
- Magnet closures
- Velcro closures
- One-handed zippers
- Side seam openings
- Adjustable hems to accommodate orthotics and braces
All of the clothes are designed to look similar to other pieces by Tommy Hilfiger, for example by including matching faux buttons. You can shop the line here.
Target’s Accessible Clothing Line: Cat & Jack Adaptive
Like Scheier, Stacey Monsen struggled to find clothing for her child. Monsen’s daughter has motor impairments and needs clothes that can fit over a diaper. In an article for Today Parents, she noted that most of the clothing designed to accommodate diapers is made for toddlers and babies – not an eight year old.
“For pants or shorts, I either either size way up, or buy pieces that are all function and no style which are easy for her to pull on or off,” she wrote. “Elinor is just one child of the many, many children who would benefit from adaptive clothing.”
Monsen worked to design a line for Target, called the Cat & Jack Adaptive, specifically for children with physical disabilities and sensory-processing issues. The items are easy to take on and off, accommodate diapers, and are wheelchair-friendly. Some of the pieces even feature hidden openings to allow for abdominal feeding tube insertion. Moreover, she avoided tags, prominent seams, and scratchy materials, all of which may irritate children with hypersensitivity.
You can browse Target’s offerings here.
Zappos’ Adaptive Clothing and Footwear Lines
The popular online company Zappos offers both adaptive clothing and footwear for children. Their director, Saul Dave, told Disability Scoop why he decided to launch this line: “Zappos Adaptive started with a single phone call from a customer looking to exchange a pair of shoes for her grandson who was unable to tie his own laces. My disappointment in not being able to replace the shoes inspired me to start this initiative.”
The clothing items are reversible, soft, and without tags, buttons, or zippers. The shoes can easily be slipped on and off and are orthotic-friendly footwear. You can check out all of Zappos’ adaptive products here.
Do you have any favorite adaptive clothing collections or companies? Please comment below!
About the HIE Help Center and ABC Law Centers
The HIE Help Center is owned and operated by ABC Law Centers, a medical malpractice firm that exclusively handles cases involving HIE and other birth injuries. Our lawyers have been advocating for children with HIE and related disabilities since the firm opened in 1997.
If you suspect your child’s birth injury may have been caused by medical negligence, contact us to learn more about pursuing a lawsuit. We provide free legal consultations, during which we will inform you of your legal options and answer any questions you have. Your family pays nothing throughout the entire legal process until we obtain a favorable settlement.
You are also welcome to reach out to us with inquiries that are not related to malpractice. We cannot provide medical advice, but we’re happy to track down informational resources for you.
Sources
- Runway of Dreams: About Us
- Disability Scoop: Tommy Hilfiger Debuts Adaptive Clothing Line
- Today: Target’s new line for kids with special needs was designed by a mom who gets it
- Disability Scoop: Zappos, PBS Launching Apparel For Children With Special Needs
- Zappos: Adaptive Shoes
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