A line of "inclusive" children's clothing, for kids with Autism, Aspergers, & Sensory Processing disorder
Submitted by:
- Interests:
- fashion, education, Autism, t...
- Location:
- Brooklyn, NY
Idea Description
Many children are extra-sensitive to the texture and feel of clothing. This would be first line of "inclusive clothing" designed with the needs of all children in mind, including those with Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, and a range of sensory sensitivity. We use flat seaming, and tubular knit our garments in 100% of the softest combed cotton. We will print our labels, provide custom sizing, and much more. We want to give parents a break, by providing them with a one-stop-shop where they can find reliably comfortable clothing for their sensitive dressers.softclothing.net
What will you do if you win $10,000 for this idea?
I’ve written the business plan, designed the clothing, conducted months of market research, found a manufacturer, and already received a lot of positive feedback from parents and kids who are awaiting the chance to buy. All I need now is the money! My next steps include: start manufacturing process, convert current website into a full-service online store, send sample clothing to volunteer children and families to make sure the clothing "works" for these dressers--and then make corrections if necessary, start my marketing campaigns, get all the legal/tax/insurance components in order, and continue designing for future seasons. I’m ready!
Comments
Add a commentI think this is a wonderful idea that my family and I have been waiting for. Our daughter has many clothing issues and shopping for her and with her is nearly impossible. I love the idea of a company that specializes in clothing for kids with sensitives. It would save us much frustration and heartache if we could just shop in one place knowing that these items would work.
fabulous. best of luck with this line of clothing. i worked with deaf autistic children for several years. you have a good handle on the the types of clothing that will make life better for the kids, parents and school staff.
Great idea! I know so many children in my own class who would love to wear this kind of clothing. I would love to wear this kind of clothing!
I think this idea sounds awesome!!!! There are many kids with and without sensory sensitivities that would love comfy clothes with no tags and no seems. GOOD LUCK!
I am so excited about this idea! I truly hope it comes to fruition .
My 9 yo daughter has extreme clothing issues but is also very thin so trying to find pants to fit her (and is "fashionable" in her eyes) is hard enough but coupling it with clothing sensitivity issues makes finding pants impossible. Can't shop in most "normal" stores so a site like this is crucial.
My son has struggled with sensory issues most of his early life. He was not able to wear regular bluejeans until he was 16 years old becasue the snap and zipper bothered him so much. He wore sweat pants all the time and ended up looking like a sloppy nerd. I feel that he suffered socially becasue he wasn't able to dress like his peers. I sure wish that Softclothes had been around for him!
Thank you to everyone who commented! It really means a lot to me. I am working hard to make this happen...help is on the way!
Brilliant idea! Very necessary for children with sensory sensitivity. Well wishes on your success.
What a great idea! In a country that prides it-self on having high standards of living, everyone should have comfortable, practical, and stylish clothes. Good luck Softclothing and everyone that has participated in voting for a worthy business venture!
What a great idea! In a country that prides it-self on having high standards of living, everyone should have comfortable, practical, and stylish clothes. Good luck Softclothing and everyone that has participated in voting for a worthy business venture!
Make it happen! My son is on the spectrum and faces sensory challenges every day. This is a wonderful idea.
I remember having to put clothes on my son inside out just to make them bearable. Wish we'd had Softclothing then...
I think it's a fabulous idea. I have a child with sensory issues and if the clothes are cute (and the sailor pants look adorable) - I would buy in a heartbeat!
This would be a Godsend for my daughter.I can not find any clothing for her.Currently she is wearing a 2 sizes too big out of season dress,the same one,day after day.Her S.I.D. is so bad that she doesnt wear socks even in winter.I hope SOFT wins-it is needed!
No seams-You read my mind!!!!!Please make this happen!
Having worked with children with autism for 7 years now, I know what a gift this will be for the child and parents as well. What a nice thing to have the day go more comfortably and I wish you the Best of Luck in this new beginning!!
This idea would have broad application to children with and without disabilities. Go for it! Much good luck!
My daughter was recently evaluated with sensory processing disorder. It is really hard to find loose draw string pants for her. I have searched all the stores and find it really difficult to shop for clothes that she can tolerate. i look forward to seeing your product up and running. good luck
I have had difficulty buying clothes for my daughter throughout her life. She did not have a diagnosis of Asperger's and sensory problems until she was about 14. In those 14 yeasr I spent a lot of money on good clothes that she would not wear. I bought many pr of socks before I learned that the seam was a problem. On several occasions she asked me to buy her a lacy dress or an outfit that had some texture, then she would not wear the clothes, because they were too uncomfortable. it is not only parents of children with defined diagnoses that run into this problem. If there had been a solution when my child was young, I expect that this information would have been shared among the mom-network. Great idea for any child who is picky about the "feel" of clothing.
well, since 1 in 150 kids is born with autism these days, and it doesn't look like the government and status quo is ready to acknowledge what thing perhaps we might be exposing ourselves and our children to. So, I definitely think you have a large market, and it will continue to grow. Tragically. I would add something in your business plan about continuing up the age ranges as time goes on and your business becomes more financially viable. I personally found it traumatic when I realized they didn't make feet pajamas for you once you got past a certain size. Also, remember the peeps who suffer from eczema. That can be another handy time for your line. As for keeping the costs down - that's definitely gonna be the hard part. But, if we can divert a fraction of the nation's milita…more
My son suffered this problem for years and still does. When he was aged 2-3 he would walk around in the crucifix position. We would say, "Hello, he's pretending to be a signpost again." Then we discovered his autism. He still (35 years later) wears no socks or underpants and refuses to wear most of the stuff we buy him. I see these traits in so many adults with a variety of neurodiverse conditions and I will pass the details on to them. Good luck with the venture.
BRAVO JESSIE -- This is a terrific idea!!! I had no idea of the need for this before you gave meaning to it -- WELL DONE!! Senge2
Awesome idea! And very kind as well...best of luck with your product. My Lab puppy likes toys without seams also...maybe you could do a line for pets as well. ;-)
Wow! So creative and MUCH needed! The education/fashion world is lucky to have you!
ottima idea! this sounds exactly like something we´ll take for granted in few years, because it´s so good that it´ll become obvious. all my support.
Excellent idea. As a person who works in the realm of health, I recognize that your initiative responds to a unfulfilled and growing need. From a business perspective, I believe that you are developing an excellent niche market product. As a fashion connoisseur, I'm impressed with your talent in merging simplicity, comfort, and design. Best of luck to you in your endeavors!
Fantastic idea! I would love to be able to refer parents with children with sensory sensitivity to clothing like this- best of luck!
Wonderful! We are interested in helping a venture of this nature. How do we get involved? Have you thought about organic cotton? We have done some shopping with Oko-Tex European standard for clothing; but we want to find American made clothing with similar / higher standards!
Hi KWeinand! Thanks for your vote and comment! Please email me at info@softclothing.net and we can discuss ways we can work together. Look forward to hearing from you!
This is a wonderful idea and will greatly help children with autism and other disabilities. -Michael Arenson
An adult, as well as children's line would be a great idea, as joebucks suggested. I would consider buying.
An excellent idea!!! My son only wears trackpants and he is ten years old and cannot wear any other type of pant due to his sensitvity. I hope this idea flys....good luck!!!!!
Finally!! I have a son who is autistic and a daughter who has PDD. Both have extreme clothing sensitivity. I dread shopping for clothing. Neither will wear pants with zippers or buttons, they have to elastic waist bands. All clothing has to be incredibly soft. I would love to be able to purchase clothing that meets that criteria at an affordable price. I hope there will be a large selection. What about shoes? Good luck.
I think this is a great idea. I have a 5 year old with sensory issues. His main issue with clothes is he doesn't like buttons, they are "angry" . I hope it works out!
Great idea... esp if you can come up with comfortable bras our SID daughter will wear without complaint ;-D. One other issue I hope you're addressing are fabric dyes.... some affect SID and autistic kiddos. Best wishes! :-)
WOW! Thank you to all who voted and commented! Your feedback is so helpful and support so appreciated. -Jessica Elsas Soft(clothing for all children)
My daughter has sensory integration disorder and fluctuates between being under responsive and over responsive to clothing! Ugh. That means that somedays she could care less about what she is wearing and other days she can't focus because her tights are too itchy. This clothing line is SO needed, expecialy with the unfortunate rise in autistic spectrum diagnoses. Good luck. Christine RD Massachusetts
This is a great idea - I would love to try some items out. My daughter who has SPD has me spending tons of money trying different clothing. The clothes you offer should be of very good quality, which doesn't shrink, pill or change shape after washing. She needs to have clothes that have no seams, tags, or pills and must be snug fitting as not to rub against her skin... but no too tight! It's been a challenge to say the least. I hope you get up and running soon! Thank you and good luck! Nicole, New Jersey
Hi there, I was so excited that I started typing and almost clicked 'post comment' when I realised I hadn't even introduced myself... Hi, I am Samantha Pon, the South African Host of an International Parent Support Group, namely SPD Parent Share and our focus is providing support, advice, information and resources to all those families living with Sensory Processing Disorder - May I just say that... Oh my Gosh!!! when I came across your page, my thoughts were 'wow, this is a pretty good idea' and rushed off to make lunch for the kids, etc. Coming back to my pc, I refreshed the page and (by now I had time to actually look at SOFT) WOW!! WOW!! and you know what, WOW!! I was absolutely stunned to find that you are only 28 years old!! This is definitely the best thing since sliced bread…more
I'm eagerly awaiting the adult line of clothing. As they grow older children may learn to adapt, accommodate, or endure their SPD issues; but they may never grow out of them. (I didn't.)
MY son has a form of SPD and runs **** daily because he hates his clothes. We would sure love to have clothes he would ENJOY being in. Good Luck!!
This is such a great idea and I really hope you do well. Happy holidays!
I think your clothing line is a great idea! I teach kids with special needs, k-5th grade. Many have sensory problems. They also want to dress fashionably but find it difficult to do so and be independent. Those blasted button and snaps and zippers on jeans. Creating a line of fashionable clothing, using models with special needs in catalogs, and making sure everything promotes independence, I am in support of that! If you need help, just call!
Our 3 yr old resists labels on necklines and buttons on trousers that have adjustable waistbands, most concerning for him. Please address these issues primarily, the rest will happen. Best to you.
I have a 9 yr old girl who has been an extreme challenge to dress since she was 18 months old. I have spent many hours shopping to find clothes that will "work" for her, and most of the time I had to return more than she kept (stores & trying on clothes is not a postive experience for Sensory kids) and most of what she kept, didn't "work" later on. My daughter is very heavy & would LOVE to have fashionable clothes that look and feel good. Best wishes!
Hi, What a great idea. Why not for adults also? Wishing you all the success, Happy New Year.
Oh, I SO hope you win! My daughter has Autism and yet wants to dress cute. We've been buying the cheap cotton-knit clothes at WalMart and they just don't hold up to all of her flopping around. Even with those we are cutting out tags all the time. As a side note, I'm an Aspie with sensory issues myself, so an adult line of clothes might be an idea as well. I love yoga-style clothes because they're so loose and soft. But, you can't wear those all the time.
As an adult, on the rare occasions where I buy clothes, the first thing I do is check how the material feels. You could almost say it is a primary screening criterion.
I THINK THIS IDEA IS GRRRRREAT.IT WILL HELP SO MANY CHILDREN KEEP UP THE GOOD THINKING YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA.....
What a great idea for our kids (I have 2 children with autism and sensory issues). How about designing "chew-proof" t-shirts for autistic kids that chew holes in their shirts? Also, my son pulls the strings out of socks during class -- how about designing socks without strings they can pull? Just some ideas from a frustrated mom! I wish you much success in your wonderful endeavor!
I hope you make them out of nontoxic fabric also. velour would be nice for calming. Good luck
Non toxic, meaning no flame retardant coatings or parents of kids with this sensory issues will NOT purchase them. Socks with no seams at the toes. No tags in the clothes, soft soft soft. Don't forget the adults....
Excellent idea! I hope you get the funding to make this a reality.
I think your idea is fabulous. We need more people in this world like you. Hope you get the funding.
My son is 12 and I can't even express how difficult it is to find soft shirts and jeans. Back to school shopping takes months of checking every store in the area from June till September. Thank you so much for your efforts, I hope this works and that you will extend the line to help older children and adults. Sincerely, Patti Cap Boston, MA
Great idea - wish you best of luck, for the sake of parents out there pulling their hair out trying to find such clothing and painstakingly removing those **** labels from the neckline of each piece of clothing!!!
This is a wonderful idea! I have been struggling to find clothes that my son would wear for 20 years. Currently, the only clothes he will wear are sweat pants and a particular shirt we found in Target. I bought 10 of them since they are the only shirts he will wear. He wears the same thing every day. When we go to nice places he wears the shirts under the other shirts but still says he is stiff. I can't wait to see what you come up with!
I think that your idea is much more universal than you describe. Children with allergies would also benefit from your idea. I know that as a person with A.D.D. and with a daughter with A.D.D., we too have clothing sensitivities. It is incredibly distracting to have garments with itchy seams or tags, or that fit too tightly, etc.
It's a great idea, and it seems to fill a very large demand! You write that one of your challenges is how to appeal to a wider market. One idea for the future, add clothes that are adapted to childrens' specific needs when they play, for example market your soft versions of the scandinavian wintergloves and rain gear, trousers for toddler-girls that are not low waist, organic materials. I would look for these clothes even though my children have no sensory issues (but they prefer soft comfortable clothes that are not tight around the waist or neck). //Johanna
What a fantastic idea! I will be happy to promote your line on my sites about autism and sensory integration.
I am a pediatric occupational therapist. I look forward to recommending your line to parents. I am hopeful that you can keep your pricing affordable for families who are desperately in need of these products. Thanks!
Great idea! Children can benefit from clothing like this, and perhaps it may even catch on so much that even parents and people of all ages will start wearing it. This is something that could even be branded, possibly seen on the fashion runways years to come! Fabulous, and wishing you the best with it!
This is a wonderful idea that would fulfill a real need. It deserves all the support it can get, and I'm sure that sooner or later it will become reality! Best of luck!
Maybe you could find help with the manufacturing by enlisting sheltered workshops and supply capable adults with developmental disabilities with steady, meaningful work. And to respond to a comment above: a child that is uncomfortable in their clothing finds it difficult to attend to the task being taught. Therefore, comfortable clothing may well increase the likelihood that a child will be able to learn. This is a great idea. Good luck!
This is such a wonderful idea. I have two children with SPD and we can never find clothing that doesn't bother them Best of luck!
Wonderful, let me know when you come out with it. Please have a 100% cotton line organic if possible. My g-son is allergic to everything but seems to do great with %100 cotton.
Also, why not contact local and state media to what you want. A human interest story would generate lots of publicity and hopefully donations. Try the talk shows, too. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Good luck. Although I am a mom to two autistic kids, ages 7 and 4, they do not have sensory problems as I have read about here. The suggestions that you also carry adult sizes is a great one. Don't forget about big/tall and plus sizes, popular characters, and dress-up clothes (like for church or other formal occasions). GOOD LUCK. We families of special needs loved ones have an uphill war with nearly every little thing we need to make our loved one's lives even a little more comfortable that the government grudgingly gives up to us, that something else like clothes shopping..havi…more
I have sent this link to several people effected by autism as well as some contacts in the special education community. This is a great venture, good luck. I'm not personally autistic but have very sensitive skin and have to be particular about the fabrics i wear or else will be itchy and uncomfortable but as a relatively well-adjusted adult i can deal with it, i feel so much for these kids (and parents) and can only imagine the torture most dressing occasions cause them. SOFT clothes for everyone!!
This is an excellent idea! And it's also an idea with HUGE growth potential, because it taps (in its current format) just a tiny corner of a much greater market of millions and millions of people in the US, alone. This extends far beyond autism and SD issues. I hope this becomes a great success for you-- there is an enormous untapped customer base out there, for this clothing. Good luck!
Just now voted for you!! This is an EXCELLENT idea!!! Good luck!!!!!
Read about this over at Peter's place. As a mother of son with autism, I applaud your idea. Best of luck to you.
Many have prayed for the company you propose! Best of luck to you!
Its an excellent Idea I hope you have every success with this ...
im no sensitive dresser, but if softclothes ever adds an adult line i would dress in flat seems and tubular knits everyday