06.26.25: A Literature Review on Disabled Clothing Struggles

Most adults and children perceive getting dressed as a simple task that requires no effort. However, for families raising children with disabilities, this routine isn't quite so straightforward. I wanted to dig into the research to see what specific clothing problems these families are actually dealing with, so I conducted a literature review examining multiple academic papers and research studies on this topic.

Among all of the papers that I read, there were some common patterns of struggles that I found, with fitting issues being one of the most significant challenges. In the research paper "Identifying the Gap Between Adaptive Clothing Consumers and Brands" by Lucky Farha (2021), the study highlights that individuals with Down syndrome often have shorter limbs, which means pants and sleeves are frequently too long and need to be altered to fit them. Additionally, pants are often too tight and long because they are designed for people with longer legs and skinnier waists. This leads parents to resort to simple options like t-shirts due to the limited choices available. This finding aligns with another study titled "Clothing-Related Issues of People with Disabilities" by Ranu Burad (2024) which emphasized that clothes should not be movement-restricting and should have a looser fit. This approach also reduces difficulty with putting clothes on and taking them off (donning and doffing), which is another major struggle for people in wheelchairs and those with limited mobility and low muscle tone.

Another common theme I found was difficulties with fasteners. Many fasteners like hooks or buttons are difficult to use because of the small touch targets. These can be especially difficult for people with hand tremors, limited motor skills, and reduced grip strength. A study titled "Designing Adaptive Clothing for Differently Abled Children Using Wheelchairs" by Sharina Mahajan (2024) specifically mentions that zippers, magnetic closures, velcro, and elastic are easy fasteners so that donning and doffing becomes a much more convenient process. We can even make zippers more convenient by adding a ring so that individuals with low grip strength can grasp the zipper with more ease. Magnetic zippers eliminate the need for precise alignment of zipper teeth because the magnetic attraction handles that for the individual dressing.

Additionally, many individuals have sensory issues and some types of clothes and tags can be overstimulating. That is why it is important that for adaptive clothing, fabric selection should be a careful process and should be soft and not scratchy. Fabrics should also be hypoallergenic to prevent skin irritation and allergic reactions, which can be especially problematic for children with sensitive skin or existing medical conditions. They should also have some degree of stretch to allow for easier dressing and unrestricted movement. Also, many brands include long tags with their logo or care tags, and this can cause those wearing the clothing to experience discomfort or irritation.

Another major barrier families face is the limited availability and unrealistic affordability of adaptive clothing options. Many adaptive clothing brands are not available globally and they are expensive due to the specialized manufacturing processes and smaller production volumes. This forces many families to work with the limited available options at local stores or even attempt to learn how to sew and alter clothing. As a result, many children with disabilities are left without clothing that truly meets their needs.

Finally, one of the most significant challenges highlighted across multiple studies is the ongoing tension between fashion and function in adaptive clothing. Research shows that adaptive clothing is "often function driven and therefore lacking in the aesthetic and expressive considerations." Clothing is often what gives a person their identity, confidence, and self expression. However, studies also reveal that when children and parents were asked to rank clothing designs, those with comfortable fabrics and nice colors were the most preferred, demonstrating that both function and fashion are equally important to users.

Cited Sources:

Farha, Lucky. IDENTIFYING the GAP between ADAPTIVE CLOTHING CONSUMERS and BRANDS.

‌Burad, Ranu, et al. “Clothing-Related Issues of People with Disabilities .” Journal of Informatics Education and Research, vol. 4, no. 3, 2024, p. 14. Poornima University, Jaipur, India1&2 Indian Institute of Crafts & Design (IICD). Accessed 4 July 2025.

“View of DESIGNING ADAPTIVE CLOTHING for DIFFERENTLY ABLED CHILDREN USING WHEELCHAIR | ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts.” Granthaalayahpublication.org, 2025, www.granthaalayahpublication.org/Arts-Journal/ShodhKosh/article/view/862/949. Accessed 4 July 2025.

‌Rana, et al. “Adaptive Apparel for People with Disabilities: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda.” International Journal of Consumer Studies, vol. 48, no. 3, 1 May 2024, https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.13057.

‌Choudhary, Charan, et al. International Journal of Home Science 2020; 6(2): 238-241 Adaptive Clothing for Disabled People. 2020.