For most of us, the idea of putting on underwear seems so easy – just slide in through and you’re done! However, for wheelchair users, people with physical impairments or even mobility issues – this process can simply just be a lot more difficult than we think.

Enter ‘Inclusive Underwear’

Inclusive underwear provides ease and independence for these kinds of people, who find traditional underwear difficult to use. These undies are designed with clasps, buttons, magnets, or other fasteners. The underwear may open from the side, so a person could slip their adaptive underwear around their hips rather than pull the underwear up over their legs.

Disabled bodies come in all shapes and sizes. The misuse of the concept of “inclusion” is grating.

Inclusive lingerie is usually intended for people who have a disability or injury, use a wheelchair, suffer from chronic illness or pain, or are recovering from a surgical procedure such as a C-section. However, inclusive briefs in particular can also be useful for anyone who needs to change discreetly in a location where it’s difficult to get fully undressed, such as in an aeroplane bathroom or while camping.

On the other hand, the fashion industry has slowly begun to design clothing for disabled bodies. We have done some research and the only easy and accessible underwear that is made is pretty unflattering and only fit to suit one kind of age selection – the elderly. While some companies have begun to produce better adaptive underwear, the fashion industry has room for improvement.

Inclusive underwear can be more expensive than standard panties. The market still has a limited range of sizes, styles, and colours. Inclusive designs tend to require hand dexterity since people fasten the panties around their hips. In the future, underwear brands may consider alternatives that are easier to wear for people who have arthritis, nerve pain, tremors, or other difficulties moving their hands and fingers.

Even the idea of men’s inclusive underwear – it’s just so unpopular! We think that there definitely needs to be more of an awareness when it comes to men in the disabled world, there is such a vast amount – men care about fashion too!

Enhancing a disabled person’s underwear selection can also enhance their quality of life

For most people, wearing a comfortable selection of undergarments can make that someone feel sexy and confident, no matter the gender. The vast population of disabled people just simply want to feel included, and making companies more diverse when it comes to disabled people is just the first step into becoming a more well-known and having a chance of a wider audience.

We have created a quiz that you can take that could help figure out whether your brand is inclusive as we have described – just click ‘here‘ to find out more!

What are your thoughts on this topic? Should all websites make their underwear section on their websites and in their stores more inclusive? – share with us in the comments below!