• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 85 subscribers
  • Views 919 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Neurodivergency brands

Expecto_Patronum

I'm intrigued by people's opinions on neurodivergent branding. I'm seeing lots of clothes brands pop up that have autism/ADHD/neurodivergency slogans etc as their branding. As much as I'm fully behind neurodivergency awareness and acceptance, I have zero desire to wear clothing symbolising it. It seems an odd concept to me to have your disability written on your clothes. I can accept my autism and ADHD without needing to literally wear them and I don't need every person I pass in the street knowing that I'm AuDHD. Each to their own and if people enjoy wearing such things then fair enough. I just wondered how other people feel about these clothes?

Parents

  • I find it astonishing that so many of these new brands, which are supposedly neurodivergent- or specifically autism-friendly, are designed in ways that fail to accommodate the sensory hypersensitivities that so many of us have.

    My favourite clothes that are genuinely autism-friendly are made with a mix of soft, stretchy fabrics that include bamboo and elastane. They have flat seams, soft necklines, no labels, and - on most items - minimal or no branding. This latter point minimises or completely avoids the irritation that can so easily be caused by such things as printed slogans, or printed or embroidered graphic designs or logos.

    By contrast, so many of these new brands seem to feature 100% cotton (which I find uncomfortably restrictive, and often also too rough) and are plastered with huge slogans and/or logos and/or other graphic designs. Not to mention the questionable design choices (eg who really wants to walk around with a depiction of a brain on their top?).

    I certainly shan't be buying any of these kinds of trendy, statement items, regardless of whether some or all of the profits are destined for charities. It's a "bah humbug" from me! :)

  • in reply to Bunny

    I think the problem with neurodivergent friendly clothing is everyone's sensory sensitivities are different. Some people, for example, love tight clothing whereas I cannot stand clothes to be tight. I don't think advertising "autism friendly" clothing works. It needs to be advertised as seamless or soft material etc. The specifics of what it's doing. As goes the phrase "if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person". What is friendly clothing for one, will not necessarily be for everyone else.

    But it is your point on the logos and the depictions of ASC and ADHD brains etc that bother me about the clothing. I just don't feel the need to walk round in clothing that tells people that neurodivergency exists. If people are not yet aware, me walking round in clothes telling them is probably not going to help.

Reply
  • in reply to Bunny

    I think the problem with neurodivergent friendly clothing is everyone's sensory sensitivities are different. Some people, for example, love tight clothing whereas I cannot stand clothes to be tight. I don't think advertising "autism friendly" clothing works. It needs to be advertised as seamless or soft material etc. The specifics of what it's doing. As goes the phrase "if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person". What is friendly clothing for one, will not necessarily be for everyone else.

    But it is your point on the logos and the depictions of ASC and ADHD brains etc that bother me about the clothing. I just don't feel the need to walk round in clothing that tells people that neurodivergency exists. If people are not yet aware, me walking round in clothes telling them is probably not going to help.

Children
No Data