Canadian clothing brand designing accessible, adaptive items for everyone

After her Aunt June became a quadriplegic when she was 17 years old following a car crash, Wendy Wong was disheartened by the lack of adaptive clothing options available.

A few years later, armed with a fashion and tech background, Wong launched JuneAdaptive.com, which creates clothing that is not only fashion-forward but accessible for all.

“My mother-in-law lives with multiple sclerosis, and I found myself in a similar situation where she has challenges getting dressed as well. But now, after over a decade of being an industry, there’s a new emerging market called adaptive fashion. I tried some of these pieces with her, and she loved them. I wanted to help bring adaptive fashion to more people,” Wong tells CityNews.

The online platform allows people across Canada and the U.S. to access clothing and get items shipped directly to their homes. Key pieces in her line include zipper footwear that was designed by an occupational therapist, anti-slip socks and button-down shirts that use magnets instead of buttons.

“It just looks like a regular button-down shirt. However, there are hidden magnets underneath the buttons. So, people who have challenges buttoning up small buttons, maybe they have arthritis in their hands. It closes up automatically with hidden buttons.”

Wong said one of the fundamental ideas is not sacrificing style for accessibility.

“We focus on a contemporary feel, a little bit more fashion for pieces. I’m thinking about my aunt, who was in her 50s, and my mother-in-law, that wants to be fashionable.” Wong explained. “So, I select styles that are more fashion forward and more contemporary looking, so they look great for every day.”

The response has been excellent in the year since she launched.

“Families and people with disabilities [have] all shared how these clothes have changed their lives and really improved their everyday living, and they wish they knew about these items earlier.”

The website also features a blog that allows for discussion and feedback to find better items for the next season.

“That’s really important to us because there are so many disabilities out there, and it’s so unique of the individual,” shared Wong.

“One design philosophy that we really focus on is universal design. So, one item or one design that helps more people, so the more feedback we’re able to get, we’re able to apply that to make sure we consider that kind of disability or ability to the next design and have one item that works for more people.”

For more information on JuneAdaptive.com, you can head to their website.

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