Adaptive Sweatshirt
Products worn on the body do more than just clothe us
This sweatshirt reduces sensory overload for children with autism to help them focus to develop their unique strengths, and involve in activities that will help them build bonds and skills.
The design will help to calm, relieve stress, and block out uncomfortable sensory input.
Problem Definition
Competitive Analysis
Looking at a wide range of soft goods for Autism, it can be concluded that:
most shirts are focused on minimizing touch sensitivity
common features avoid discomfort
some non-wearable products help to build skills
There is an opportunity to combine discreet, functional features with comfortable wearables
After drawing insights from studying the market, I began with the initial ideation:
6 design possibilities
studying the dressing process
They were further developed into 3 detailed explorations, which the class voted on.
The squeeze hem & sleeve direction seemed to have the most potential.
Different fillings were tested
Looked for the sensation closest to that of squeezing a stress-relieve ball
The material also needed to be comfortable and conform to the body
