06.11.25 - Design in Progress: Creating My First Techpack
A reference picture of my future product
Hey everyone, and welcome to my journey of building an adaptive clothing brand that actually makes a difference! Clothing and fashion have always been a huge part of my life. I love that feeling of dressing comfortably while still looking put together and ready to take on the day. I believe everyone deserves this opportunity, regardless of their physical abilities or sensory needs. What really opened my eyes was learning about how many people with disabilities struggle with everyday clothing. For wheelchair users, traditional shirts often bunch up, ride up in the back, or make it inconvenient to dress independently. For individuals with Down Syndrome, sleeves are often too long. For someone with autism, scratchy cloth can be overstimulating. I realized that while the fashion industry talks a lot about inclusivity, there's still a huge gap when it comes to truly functional, dignified clothing for people with special needs. Clothing is also such a powerful part of self-expression; it’s tied to how we present ourselves to the world and how we feel about who we are.
When I first started this project, I knew I wanted to tackle something that's been overlooked for way too long: creating clothing that puts comfort and accessibility first, especially for people with disabilities and sensory needs. My vision was clear from the start. I wanted to design clothing that checks all of these boxes: easy on and off functionality, soft and sensory-friendly materials, simple fasteners that actually work, and wheelchair-friendly designs that make dressing more convenient and provide greater independence. I also wanted to make sure that it was easy getting dressed for the wearer and also for the person assisting. That is how I landed on a unisex button-down shirt with hidden Velcro fasteners behind the nonfunctional buttons. This is a classic shirt with an adaptable twist.
Now, here's the thing. I had absolutely zero experience with fashion design, fabric selection, or creating measurements for clothing. I knew my vision, but translating that into an actual manufacturable product was going to need help. That’s why I used a freelancer program. I connected with an experienced clothing designer who understood both my vision and the unique challenges of adaptive fashion. We spent weeks collaborating back and forth, refining everything from the fabric blend to the exact measurements and proportions. The end product was a tech pack, a detailed blueprint used by manufacturers to create the physical product. Although it was a tedious process, the end product was a success. I now have a complete tech pack and am ready to move forward with creating the physical product.
