Gifting Guide Day 21: Adapted Clothing
As a child, do you remember waking up on Christmas morning, running downstairs, and opening all your presents, hoping they were stuffed with new shirts, socks, and brand new undies! Yeah, me neither. But as an adult now, I appreciate some new socks that don’t have holes in them and a nice oxford shirt or work pants that are stylish and fit well. For people with disabilities, finding clothing that is easy to don if you have difficulty with your hands and is stylish AND looks properly fit, especially when using a wheelchair, can be difficult. There are a variety of specialty clothing companies that make clothing that is easy to put on, fasten, and some even are fit, especially for those who use wheelchairs.
For a short TED talk on how clothing empowers people with disabilities, visit: https://youtu.be/a17Z5Sk2XJY
Please note: We do not endorse any of these companies. There are many companies that provide accessible clothing. This is just a short list.
Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive:
https://usa.tommy.com/en/tommy-adaptive
Tommy Hilfiger manufactures stylish clothing with easy closure options, fit for prosthetics, fit for a seated position, sensory-friendly fabrics, and suitable for people with various disabilities. On their website they state: “These are clothes that look good, feel good, and with the help of innovative design twists, deliver more effortless dressing for people with disabilities.”
Contact information is available on website at: https://help.usa.tommy.com/s/
Silverts:
Silverts has an online clothing catalog that allows you to shop by need. They have clothing separated into categories for people such as those with amputations, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, ALS, and dementia. They have even listed clothing for people who are dressed by a care giver.
Phone: 1-800-387-7088
Email: customercare@silverts.com
Zappos Adaptive:
Many people are familiar with the large online shoe retailer Zappos. What most people don’t know is that Zappos Adaptive was created in 2017 based on customer feedback to sell shoes for people with special needs. They have a collection of specialised products, including easy on/off shoes, shoes that are AFO friendly, and diabetic shoes, as well as undergarments and seated clothing.
Call Zappos 1-800-927-7671
Text Zappos (833) 927-7898
Billy Footwear:
Billy Footwear focuses on universally designed shoes. One of the founders has a spinal cord injury, and decided to redesign shoes to meet his needs. Their footwear incorporates zippers that go along the side of the shoe all the way to the toe. This allows the top of the top of the shoe to open up completely.
Contact information can be found at: https://billyfootwear.com/pages/contact-us
Ministry of Supply:
https://www.ministryofsupply.com/
Ministry of Supply is another mainstream online retailer that has a selection of professional adapted clothing for adults. They offer “Kinetic Adaptive Pants” for men and women that are designed and tested to fit properly and be comfortable for people who use wheelchairs. The fabric is designed to stretch as needed while maintaining a sharp and professional look. The company will also reimburse the cost of hemming pants with up to $25 of store credit.
