Design and Development of Functional Clothing for the Visually Challenged

WHO revealed that around 285 million people of all ages worldwide have some form of disability. Visually challenged alone account for 39 million and two-thirds of its population are women and girls. Visually challenged persons find different levels of difficulty in doing their daily chores. Clothing plays a major role on the social front as they feel it connects them to the world. This paper presents a part of the CSR initiative undertaken by Impulse India Pvt. Ltd., to explore the feasibility of introducing fashion lines that are inclusive, and usable by everyone, regardless of disabilities. An in-depth survey was undertaken at the Blind Relief Association, Delhi, which included officials and vocational trainers followed by boys and girls of classes 5th to 12th, who are completely or partially blind. The primary objective of this study was to know what fashion means to them, and their concerns, needs, and preferences for clothing. Lack of independence in choosing what to wear, non-availability of specific clothing options in the market that self-communicate, and being prone to thefts and accidents, are major concerns. The use of walking sticks and wearing luminous jackets on the other hand make them feel conscious of being recognized as blind. The study was aimed at satisfying the basic expectation of the blind to be treated as independent, confident, and self-reliant in doing day-to-day activities. Adaptive features like the incorporation of sensors for S.O.S. signalling and obstruction detection, Braille labels, and the addition of functional aspects are proposed as a scope for the design and development of smart clothing.