Our adaptive clothing guide
Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about the importance of adaptive clothing and our growing adaptive range.
There is an increasing need for adaptive clothing with 1.8 billion people, or 17% of the population experiencing some form of disability. (EMPWRMNT) Customers increasingly value brands that show they care about diversity and inclusion (Global Macro Trend, WGSN 2023), but 80% of shoppers can’t name a clothing or footwear brand that shows a commitment to being inclusive. (Kantar 2024)
Current products don’t meet the needs of those with a disability. 67% of physically disabled consumers state that there are no clothes for their body shape while 40% of physically disabled shoppers can’t easily find clothes that fit. (Kantar 2024)
What is adaptive clothing?
Adaptive clothing refers to clothing designed with modifications that make it easier to wear for people living with health conditions and disabilities. These modifications aim to improve comfort, independence, and ease of dressing for people who may have challenges with mobility, dexterity, or sensory sensitivity.
Key features of adaptive clothing
Adaptive clothing can include, but is not limited to, key features such as:
Velcro, magnetic or popper closures: Instead of traditional buttons, zippers, or hooks, adaptive clothing often uses Velcro or magnets for easy fastening.
Elastic waistbands and inner pull loops: For people with limited mobility or strength, elastic waistbands and pull loops are easier to manage than buttons or zippers and aid in putting on and removing trousers and shorts.
Side seam belt attachments: Many adaptive garments, like dresses or shirts, are designed with belts and waist ties attached at the side of the garment rather than the back to minimise discomfort for people in seated positions, like wheelchair users.
Seamless construction: Clothing made with minimal seams or seams placed in non-irritating locations can help individuals with sensory sensitivities or skin conditions.
Adjustable features: Some adaptive clothing items include adjustable necklines, cuffs, or waistlines, allowing the garment to be modified for comfort or size.
Tube access: The addition of holes to pockets and seams, helps individuals with the use of any medical devices, while also protecting modesty when tubes are required.
Large pockets: Ensuring there is sufficient room within the garment’s pockets to carry everything from essentials to medical devices.
Easy-wear technologies: Fabrics like modal and those with moisture-wicking properties help keep the wearer comfortable when wearing the garments.
Stylish: Our adaptive range includes the same stylish and on-trend pieces as our main range collections but has been adapted to suit our customers with diverse needs.
Why is adaptive fashion important?
Adaptive fashion is important for several reasons, all of which contribute to improving the lives of people living with health conditions and disabilities.
It goes beyond just the functional aspects of clothing to also promote dignity, independence, and inclusivity.
What are the benefits of adaptive clothing?
Adaptive clothing offers numerous benefits, including:
Increases independence: By allowing individuals to dress with ease, whether independently or with assistance.
Improves comfort: By using soft fabrics and adjustable features.
Promotes dignity and confidence: The designs enable people to wear fashion-forward clothing that helps them express themselves.
Enhances social inclusion: Adaptive clothing helps break down barriers and challenges stereotypes about disability. By offering clothing options that are both functional and stylish, the fashion industry is recognising that disabled people should have the same choice, variety, and opportunities to engage in social activities as everyone else.
Supports mental health: Struggling to put on clothes, feeling uncomfortable, or not being able to express yourself through personal style can lead to frustration, isolation, and lower self-esteem. Adaptive fashion alleviates some of these emotional challenges, providing a sense of empowerment.
Encourages innovation: The growing demand for adaptive fashion encourages designers and brands to think more creatively about how they design clothing for a wider range of bodies and abilities. It pushes the boundaries of fashion design and drives innovation, resulting in new materials, techniques, and ideas that benefit both the adaptive and general populations.
Saves money, time, effort and energy: By decreasing the need to alter clothes, time wasted figuring out what will work with their bodies, or deal with a large number of clothing returns.
What does adaptive clothing look like?
At Primark, adaptive clothing is where fashion meets function. Ensuring that our adaptive range is stylish and on-trend, while remaining comfortable and innovative is the top priority. Subtle design tweaks such as poppers instead of buttons, ring pull zips instead of regular zips and tube access holes discreetly added into pockets are just some of the ways that a wardrobe staple can become more wearable for those with diverse needs.
Adaptive underwear & nightwear
Pyjama sets
Grey ribbed set made from a super soft fabric that feels gentle on the skin.
Green range made with a minimum of 50% modal — this provides moisture-wicking technology that ensures the wearer is kept cool and comfortable.
Features
Accessible openings: Poppers on the sleeves and on the legs of the trousers to allow for ease of dressing and full exposure as needed.
Tube access.
Inner waistband pulls on the trousers.
Extra-large pockets on the trousers.
Nightdress & robes
Super soft fabric – feels gentle on the skin.
Belt attached at the side seam - for comfort of the wearer when seated or laying down.
Dressing gown
Belt attached at the side seam – for comfort of the wearer if seated or laying down.
Tube access – discreetly added to the pockets.
Accessible openings – thumb hole on the sleeves and zip opening to allow for full exposure as needed.
Extra-large pockets.
Bras
Bralette
Elasticated band - for comfort and support.
Magnetic and fabric hook front closure – for ease of dressing for customers with low dexterity.
Delicate lace design – For a sexy, feminine feel.
Adjustable straps – to make sure the fit is correct.
Removable cup – for additional comfort and support.
Seamfree bra
Magnetic and fabric hook front closure – for ease of dressing for customers with low dexterity.
Adjustable straps – to make sure the fit is correct.
Removable cup – for additional comfort and support
Briefs
Women’s
Seam free brief
Seamfree construction – feels gentle and comfortable on the skin.
Magnetic and fabric hook closures - positioned either side for ease of dressing. The fabric hook also ensures they sit flat and securely against the body.
Period pant
- Seamfree period pants – feels gentle and comfortable on the skin.
Men’s
Adaptive brief
Inner waistband pulls – to enable ease of dressing.
Tube access.
Adaptive trunk
Inner waistband pulls – to enable ease of dressing.
Tube access.
Types of adaptive clothing
Women’s adaptive clothing
Jersey T-shirts
Accessible openings – poppers from neckline to the sleeve to allow full exposure as needed. Soft tape has also been used here for added comfort.
Tube access.
Cotton leggings
Tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Thoughtful waistband seam placement – to ensure this isn’t pressing on a stoma bag.
Leisurewear set
Zip-through hoodie
Accessible openings – poppers added to the full length of the arm to allow full exposure as needed.
Pockets with tube access.
Larger pockets.
Magnetic zip – the end of the zip is magnetic allowing both sides to come together themselves so the zip can be pulled up.
Ring puller on the zip – ease of use for customers with low dexterity.
Joggers
Accessible openings – poppers added from the knee down to allow full exposure as needed.
Pockets with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls to enable the wearer to pull them on.
Straight leg style - chosen for ease of dressing.
Poppers applied to the pocket openings so that they sit flat.
Wrap dress
Pockets with tube access.
Designed for someone with a stoma– zips added at the waist to allow full access to the midsection/stoma.
Accessible openings – zips added from the shoulder seam down the arm for full exposure as needed.
Belt attached at the side seam – wrap style amended to start from the side seam for comfort.
V-neck knit jumper
Accessible openings – zips added to the full length of the arm to allow full exposure as needed.
Slits at side seam – for the comfort of the wearer.
Straight leg jeans
Accessible openings - side splits at the leg opening for access to the bottom half of the leg.
Zip fly amended to poppers – for ease of use for customers with low dexterity.
Pockets with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Waistband elasticated at the back for the comfort of the wearer.
Trench coat
Magnetic pocket fastenings – to ensure they sit flat and keep belongings and devices safe.
Accessible openings – zips added to the full length of the arm to allow full exposure as needed.
Pocket with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Belt attached at the side seam for comfort of the wearer.
Poplin shirt
Accessible openings – poppers added to the arm to allow full exposure as needed.
Poppers replace buttons down the front of the shirt – for ease of dressing for customers with low dexterity.
Tube access – opening at the side seams for tube access.
Men’s adaptive clothing
Leisurewear set
Zip-through hoodie
Accessible openings
Pockets with tube access.
Larger pockets for essentials and devices.
Magnetic zip with ring pull.
Zips on sleeves and legs.
Joggers
Accessible openings.
Pockets with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Elasticated waistband.
Sports top
- Accessible openings - poppers from neckline to the sleeve to allow full exposure as needed.
Sports short
Zips on pockets with ring pull.
Internal waistband pulls.
Extra-large pockets.
Tube access.
Elasticated waistband.
Jeans
Accessible openings.
Pockets with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Cargo trousers
Accessible openings.
Pockets with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Extra-large pockets.
Jersey T-shirt
Accessible openings – poppers from neckline to the sleeve to allow full exposure as needed. Soft tape has also been used here for added comfort.
Tube access
Oxford shirt
Accessible openings – poppers added to the arm to allow full exposure as needed.
Poppers replace buttons down the front of the shirt – for ease of dressing for customers with low dexterity.
Tube access – opening at the side seams for tube access.
Gilet
Pockets with tube access.
Larger pockets.
Magnetic zip – the end of the zip is magnetic allowing both sides to come together themselves so the zip can be pulled up.
Ring puller on the zip – ease of use for customers with low dexterity.
Adaptive clothing: seated options
Wrap dress
Designed for seated position.
Pockets with tube access.
Designed for people with stomas – zips added at the waist to allow full access to the midsection/stoma.
Accessible openings – zips added from the shoulder seam down the arm for full exposure as needed.
Belt attached at the side seam– wrap style amended to start from the side seam for comfort.
Straight leg jeans
Straight leg jeans designed for seated position.
Accessible openings - side splits at the leg opening for access to the bottom half of the leg.
Zip fly amended to poppers – for ease of use for customers with low dexterity.
Pockets with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Waistband elasticated at the back for the comfort of the wearer.
V-neck knit jumper
Designed for seated position.
Accessible openings – zips added to the full length of the arm to allow full exposure as needed.
Slits at side seam – for the comfort of the wearer.
Jersey T-shirt
Designed for seated position.
Accessible openings – poppers from neckline to the sleeve to allow full exposure as needed. Soft tape has also been used here for added comfort.
Tube access.
Trench coat
Designed for seated position.
Magnetic pocket fastenings – to ensure they sit flat and keep belongings and devices safe.
Accessible openings – zips added to the full length of the arm to allow full exposure as needed.
Pocket with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Belt attached at the side seam for comfort of the wearer.
Zip on arm amended to a ring puller – for ease of dressing for customers with low dexterity.
Button removed on the storm flap at the back – for comfort of wearer when seated.
Popper added to each side seam – so that the fit can be amended as required.
Zip-through hoodie
Designed for the seated position.
Accessible openings.
Pockets with tube access.
Larger pockets.
Magnetic zip.
Joggers
Designed for the seated position.
Accessible openings.
Pockets with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Denim jeans
Designed for the seated position.
Accessible openings.
Pockets with tube access.
Inner waistband pulls.
Jersey T-shirt
Designed for seated position.
Accessible openings – poppers from neckline to the sleeve to allow full exposure as needed. Soft tape has also been used here for added comfort.
Tube access.
Oxford shirt
Designed for the seated position.
Accessible openings – poppers added to the arm to allow full exposure as needed.
Poppers replace buttons down the front of the shirt – for ease of dressing for customers with low dexterity.
Tube access – opening at the side seams for tube access.
Who does adaptive clothing support?
Adaptive clothing is designed for people with health conditions, disabilities, and impairments, such as limited mobility, low dexterity, and sensory sensitivities. It can also support those recovering from health treatments, surgery, or temporary health conditions. It makes dressing easier, whether independently or with assistance, while still being comfortable and stylish.
How can I tell which products are adaptive in store?
You can shop the range in store and online. Before heading in store, use our handy stock checker to see estimated product availability.
Once in store, you’ll find the adaptive range of the ground floor, with product merchandised on bespoke fixtures and near a walkway.
The fixture images and signs will feature a navi-code, that when used in conjunction with the Navilens app will provide audible directions to guide customers to the product area and type that they’re after (e.g. adaptive womenswear, adaptive menswear or adaptive lingerie.) The navi-code can be detected from up to approximately 15 metres away and will auto-translate for the customer too.
Example navi code below:
- Outside of the app, customers will be able to identify adaptive product by the labelling. Our unique font and lilac and grey colour palette, distinguish this product from our other ranges in store. Extensive detail about the product features and benefits, fabric composition and care instructions can also be found on these labels.
Example adaptive product label below:
You can find our adaptive range online, split by product category below: