Clothing does more than cover us. It affects how comfortable we feel, how independently we can function, and whether we can participate fully in our lives. Yet some of the factors that determine wearability aren’t always visible in the design process.
This session explores what makes clothing genuinely inclusive, including factors that often go unnoticed but dramatically affect wearability: Sensory experience: How fabrics, seams, tags, textures and visual elements can either support comfort or create genuine distress and overwhelm. Physical demands of dressing: The real impact of fastenings, reach requirements, grip strength, fatigue and limited mobility on whether someone can dress themselves safely and independently.
Functional realities: How clothing performs during everyday activities like sitting for extended periods, using mobility aids, managing pressure areas, or maintaining dignity whilst moving.
Design details that matter: The small, intentional choices that dramatically improve comfort, safety and ease of use across a wide range of bodies and abilities.
Drawing on clinical expertise and lived experience, this session brings together consumers, designers and sourcing professionals to examine apparel from a practical perspective. You’ll gain concrete insight into what bodies and brains actually need from clothing, and discover how thoughtful, inclusive design choices can make everyday comfort, confidence and participation genuinely achievable.
