An Examination of Clothing Issues and Physical Limitations in the Product Development Process

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore physical limitations and clothing problems among working women with physical disabilities to determine whether types of physical limitations are linked to specific clothing problems. The sample included 117 working women with a variety of disabilities. Principle Components Factor Analysis and Multiple Regression were used to analyze the data. Three distinct factors emerged to represent clothing problems (called Design, Materials Performance, and Dressing) and four distinct factors emerged to represent physical limitations (called Limbs/Outer Extremities, Central Core/Torso, Central Nervous System, and Intellect, Vision and Hearing). Regression analysis showed that the physical limitations impact each of the three clothing factors. The study extends research by focusing on an underserved market segment and providing the apparel industry with a potential method of addressing the needs of that market. The study also contributes to interdisciplinary research by further developing an Inclusive Design model for apparel product development.

Disability, Participation and Apparel throughout the Life Course

“…For example, clothing might need to be modified to allow access to IV ports or catheters necessitated by impairments in body function, or might interfere with the ability to use assistive devices and thus a person's ability to execute different activities (Banks 2001;Garner and Douglas 1991;Nessley and King 1980;Wang et al 2014;White and Dallas 1977). Further, clothing can increase feelings of stigma that influence the desire or ability to engage in social participation (Carroll and Gross 2010;Carroll and Kincade 2007;Freeman, Kaiser, and Wingate 1985;Wingate, Kaiser, and Freeman 1986). For many PLWD, "…dressing in patient clothing can be a metaphor for illness or other health problems" (Topo andIltanen-Tähkävuori 2010, 1685).…”

Development of an integrative process model for universal design and an empirical evaluation with hospital patient apparel

“…Carroll and Kincade (2007) proposed a five-stage product development model involving (a) the collection of consumer needs and preferences from the consumers themselves, as well as past literature; (b) co-design between consumer and designer to collect ideas and generate a prototype; (c) consumer wear-testing the product and the designer checking that it adheres to the universal design principles mentioned earlier; (d) industry evaluation and feedback to determine any constraints of the product; and (e) implementation and distribution to ensure that everything works. Carroll and Gross (2010) refined the aforementioned model in a later study to better illustrate the relationship between disability and apparel. Recognising that not all products would meet every user's needs, they categorised the difficulties of apparel products by design, materials, performance, and dressing, with a specific focus on three different body areas (i.e.…”

“…Noting the lack of interaction between consumers with disabilities and the apparel industry, scholars (Carroll & Gross, 2010) have explored product development possibilities for working women with physical disabilities using a universal design approach. Carroll and Kincade (2007) proposed a five-stage product development model involving (a) the collection of consumer needs and preferences from the consumers themselves, as well as past literature; (b) co-design between consumer and designer to collect ideas and generate a prototype; (c) consumer wear-testing the product and the designer checking that it adheres to the universal design principles mentioned earlier; (d) industry evaluation and feedback to determine any constraints of the product; and (e) implementation and distribution to ensure that everything works.…”

“…As of 2014, there are still very limited numbers of empirical applications available in this particular field (Carroll & Gross, 2010;Martins & Martins, 2012;Park, Morris, Stannard, & Hamilton, 2014). To encourage more practical work by apparel scholars, a study by Park et al (2014) recognised the need for a process model as guidance for universal design practices that can be applicable to apparel design.…”

“…To encourage more practical work by apparel scholars, a study by Park et al (2014) recognised the need for a process model as guidance for universal design practices that can be applicable to apparel design. The researchers pointed out that existing approaches to develop a framework for universal design are either not fully applicable to apparel products or not sufficiently comprehensive to incorporate principles of universal design into apparel design practices (Carroll & Gross, 2010).…”