Although clothing is a basic human need, it isn’t equally provided with equal accommodations for everyone. Many people can’t wear the same clothes others may take for granted. For those who use a wheelchair to get around, a life-threatening medical issue can be caused by the wrong pair of pants: pressure sores.
These sores occur when skin, tissue, and muscle break down from the inside out. When a person can’t move to alleviate the pressure on one place on the body, normally the boniest parts, pressure builds. Put simply, your body begins to decompose while you are still alive, and even the surgery to stop this can be fatal. For wheelchair users, the sores can occur on the butt or feet, as these are the areas that experience the most pressure.
“What does this have to do with their clothing?” you might be asking. Small things like buttons on back pockets, bulky seams, or poorly fitting clothes, can cause pressure sores or another discomfort for the wearer. Although some clothing like sweatpants or yoga pants could already help with this problem, there are very few clothes on the market that are professional as well as comfortable for sitting in all day. That is why IZ Adaptive was created: to solve the unique problems faced by wheelchair users.
IZ Adaptive was founded by designer Izzy Camilleri when she was commissioned to make certain pieces of clothing for Toronto Star journalist Barbara Turnbull, who happened to be in a wheelchair. While designing, Camilleri realized how few clothes are on the market today that help with the problems faced by those who are confined to their wheelchair all day. Her budding friendship with Turnbull also pushed her to create clothing for this demographic.
The end result: a brand that designs and produces clothing meant to help wheelchair users not only look professional and fashionable while they’re worn, but also that are easy to put on and take off with limited fine motor skills. Magnetic buttons, seamless pants, and stretchy styles all work together to create clothing that exceeds the needs of those in wheelchairs.
However, one brand is simply not enough. Understanding different people and their everyday challenges should be something that every clothing brand should strive for, whether or not it’s their main focus. In the meantime, IZ Adaptive has begun to pave the pathway for others who follow.