Developing a Toolkit for Disability Inclusion in Sportswear Design Practice: Focusing on Consumers with an Upper Limb Impairment or Difference

This research investigates how sportswear industry designers can better understand consumers with an upper limb impairment or difference to create adaptive or inclusive sportswear. Recently, an increase of inclusive and adaptive apparel has appeared on the market, but many disabled consumers remain underserved. Although the Paralympics have increased in popularity and more companies are embracing disability inclusion, adaptive and inclusive sportswear remains limited. Consistent exclusion can have a negative psychological influence akin to facing repeated rejection, and barriers to participation in sport can impact well-being. Yet there remains a gap in research on design practice for adaptive or inclusive sportswear on an industry level. The aim of this study is to develop pragmatic guidance for industry designers to consider sportswear inclusion of people with an upper limb impairment or difference. Applying the social model of disability, barriers of sportswear exclusion were examined on industry, social, and garment levels. A literature review was conducted on functional and adaptive apparel design, apparel industry practice, and inclusive design. Within a participatory design approach, primary research entailed iterative stakeholder engagement. Individuals with an upper limb impairment or difference (users), sportswear designers, and a biomechanics researcher were interviewed about perspectives on adaptive sportswear design. User workshops were conducted to ideate challenges, needs, and solutions for mainstream sportswear inclusion. Findings were thematically mapped and validated with stakeholders. A desire for greater inclusion and representation existed with both users and industry, but a disconnect remained in how and where to begin designing with this consumer community. Thus, the final output is a toolkit to guide sportswear designers in better understanding and collaborating with this consumer group for more relevant product offerings. Broader implications include application of this framework and toolkit to facilitate design inclusion of other marginalised groups in apparel industry, fashion design education, or design research