Browse through your favorite fashion websites and you will see that people with disabilities are not often covered. Frequently, it can feel that adaptive styles are an afterthought, but not for school uniform brand French Toast. Over the course of four years, the brand worked closely with the community of people with disabilities to find out exactly what they wanted, liked, and needed to make lives easier and more independent.
It’s a smart move. According to industry data, the adaptive fashion category is well on its way to being worth $54 billion. After all, clothing is a basic and universal need that goes along with food, security, and shelter. Everyone deserves to look and feel their best, which is something we think about each morning.
Adaptive Clothing Is Designed with Thought
But first, what is adaptive clothing and why does it matter? Adaptive clothing is designed with a lot of thought behind it. A few things to think about include how a person with disabilities will be putting it on and off, what are the person’s needs, and is it ultimately convenient to use. People with sensitivity issues also benefit from adaptive styles. Generally speaking, adaptive clothing will include one or more of the following: hook-and-loop or magnetic closures instead of buttons, pants with back support and lower cut at the front, and easy access for ports.
Launch of French Toast Adaptive
French Toast Adaptive launched in August, just in time for the new school year and back to school shopping rush. The journey for the new collection actually started in 2019 with brand messaging. The focus was on inclusion and the phrase “Schoolwear for All” was born. From there, in 2020, the Research and Development phase began. By 2021 the design team at French Toast began working with focus groups, testing product, and testing 3D design fittings and on students. Once fine tuning was completed, the collection was launched.
Stephen Ashear, President of French Toast, said, “It was important for French Toast to keep the product at our everyday great value – which is why we kept our prices the same across the board. The most important thing for us is to be inclusive and do the right thing.”
Dress Code and School Ready Styles
The French Toast Adaptive Collection is made up of 12 dress-code-ready tops and bottoms. Included are woven shirts, polos, shorts, pants skorts, dresses, and activewear like hoodies. The basis of the collection are popular core styles with adaptive features like EZ-Closure Hook + Loop featured on lower leg closures and replaces zippers and buttons for easy dressing, among others.
Getting an A+ in Fashion and Function
The collection seems to have hit a note with parents, students, and the press. Jaclyn Greenberg, mother of Henry who has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and is a contributor tp Reviewed.com said, “This kids clothing is reasonably priced and nicely made, while keeping in mind the needs of the disability community. And, French Toast manages this impressive feat without allowing the prices to skyrocket for the extra functionality. French Toast Adaptive was also featured on the Today Show, New York Post, and on the annual coverage of back-to-school fashion segments across the country.