💌 From Rut’s Studio

Hello friends,

Inclusive design is evolving—from adaptive fabrics to wearable tech, innovation is becoming more human-centred than ever.

I’m also happy to share: the Inclusive Fashion Accelerator returns 15 September 2025. If you’re ready to design with purpose, now’s the time.

Let’s keep shaping a fashion future that includes everyone.
Rut 💛

💡 Notice this

Bringing Inclusive Design to Zalando

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to train teams at Zalando in Apparel, Accessories, Underwear, and Footwear, focusing on how to embed Accessibility and Inclusive Design into every stage of product development.

Together, we explored:
👗 Adaptive garment construction
🧦 Functional detailing for ease of use
👠 Inclusive footwear that accommodates orthotics and mobility needs
🧵 Materials that respect sensory sensitivities

This wasn’t just a training—it was a shift in mindset. Teams began to see how designing with disability in mind doesn’t limit creativity; it expands it.

🔗 Zalando has documented part of this journey in their piece “If the Shoe Fits, Wear It” — and I’m proud to be part of it:
👉 Read the article

Let’s keep proving that inclusive design is smart design—for everyone.

🧠 Curious about…

Designing With, Not Just For: Adaptive Design Research in Focus

A new study from Fashion and Textiles (June 2025) shines light on the everyday barriers physically disabled men face when accessing fashion. It identifies three key challenges:

👕 Functional: Poor fit, difficult fastenings, and a lack of adaptable silhouettes

🛍️ Consumption: Limited access in mainstream retail spaces

🧠 Emotional: Fashion still not recognising disabled identities as stylish

🔎 The study advocates for co-design, mass customisation, and greater empathy in design education.
A powerful reminder: inclusion is more than technical—it’s emotional and systemic.

📖 Read the full study

🗓️ Agenda: Upcoming Events in Inclusive Fashion

🧠 Inclusive Design 24 (#id24) – Global Online Event

📅 25 September 2025
A free, 24‑hour online global event covering inclusive design across physical, digital, and social environments. Ideal for creative thinkers, UX professionals, and adaptive fashion innovators to share and learn from diverse practices voguebusiness.com

🇧🇪 European Accessibility Summit 2025 – Brussels & Online

📅 14 October 2025
A leading gathering focused on advancements under the European Accessibility Act. Expect sessions on design innovation, policy updates, and best practices in universal access. Great for designers, product teams, and accessibility advocates

Register here

👗 Runway of Dreams: Adaptive Fashion Show

📍 Austin, TX | Date TBA
Celebrating adaptive fashion on the catwalk with models of all abilities.
Tag: Fashion – Adaptive – Awareness
🔗 UT Austin calendar

🧵 Innovation corner

🧶 ExoFabric – Smart Textile That Changes Shape

Developed by a team of researchers and published on arXiv, ExoFabric is a remouldable textile that combines thermoplastics and embroidery to shift between rigid and soft forms.

📐 Why it matters: This could enable clothing that self-adjusts to different postures, swelling, or mobility aids—empowering wearers with dynamic needs.
It's washable, programmable, and flexible: smart design that moves with you.

🧠 Microsoft’s Adaptive Interfaces – A Glimpse into Wearable Access

At their Inclusive Tech Lab, Microsoft is exploring soft, accessible interface designs—developed in collaboration with disabled creators—to reimagine how users interact with technology.

While not yet embedded in garments, these tactile, gesture-friendly switches offer inspiration:

👋 Imagine a future where clothing could trigger speech tools or smart devices with a gentle tap or movement.
This is fashion as interface, grounded in autonomy.

📰 Read more in Wired

🌱 Plant-Based Stretch Fabrics Are Finally Scalable

Stretch materials are being reimagined with the planet in mind.

🌿 Brands like Triarchy and Yulex are using natural rubber instead of synthetic fibres. Meanwhile, Lycra’s EcoMade line repurposes discarded fibres into high-performance, low-impact stretch.

For inclusive fashion, this means adaptive clothing can now be flexible, functional, and sustainable—supporting both the body and the Earth..