In a UK supermarket first, Asda has created a range of schoolwear that is specifically designed to be comfortable for children with sensory-sensitive needs, such as autism.
George at Asda’s ‘Easy On Easy Wear’ range features school uniform items such as polo shirts and jumpers, and employs design features that make them more suitable for children with specific needs.
The garments avoid design features that can cause distress to children who are sensory-sensitive, as Asda found 80 per cent of parents with a child who has additional needs said it’s difficult to get them dressed.
As such, design choices such as fabric, seam thickness, labels and fastenings have been taken into consideration for maximum ease and comfort.
Asda said: “Helping with independent dressing and made from sensory-kind fabric for extra comfort, our boys’ school uniform and girls’ school uniform will have them covered day-in, day-out.
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“From pull-on polo shirts and school jumpers to easy fastenings, our range has been specially designed to help kids with independent dressing.
“Our easy on easy wear school uniform range also includes soft threads, non-bulky seams and label-free separates for maximum comfort.”
Asda said that, while designing the range, they undertook extensive research with charities and customers.
Their research found things like tight necklines, scratchy labels, non-elasticated cuffs and uncomfortable fabrics can cause distress to a child with a condition such as autism.
The range also includes features like softer seam threads, elasticated waistbands, buttons with easy-close fastenings and care instructions printed on the fabric itself instead of a label.
Head of schoolwear at George, Caroline Hicks, said they the brand “‘received a few letters from customers asking us how we could support their needs, focused around independence and easy to wear clothing”.
She continued: “These customers supported us as we developed the range, and have given us incredibly valuable feedback along the way.
“71 per cent of children with autism attend mainstream schools. We know that these children want to look the same as their peers, so we have designed the range to look just like the rest of the school clothing we offer.”
Parents said trying to dress their child with specific needs in traditional clothing, made with neurotypical people in mind, can take almost twice as long.
