Primark has unveiled a new affordable 49-piece adaptive clothing range for men and women that includes wardrobe staples based on Primark’s bestsellers.

The new collection ranges from trench coats and tees to jumpers and jeans, all with features designed around the needs of disabled people or those experiencing temporary disability.

Developed with the award-winning adaptive fashion designer and disability campaigner Victoria Jenkins, the founder of Unhidden, the collection will be available from Tuesday 28 January in 31 stores nationwide and through the 113 UK stores offering Click & Collect.

The collection’s adaptive features are designed to make dressing simpler, from magnetic zippers and snap fastenings to waist loops that help to pull up trousers and hidden openings for tube, stoma, or catheter access.

There is also a range of options for people who are seated, such as wheelchair users. Created to reflect a diverse range of needs, the collection was shaped through a series of focus groups and hands-on fit sessions with members of the disabled community.

Although 24 percent of people in the UK have a disability, according to UK disability statics, new research, commissioned by Primark in partnership with the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC), shows that 75 percent of people with a disability in the UK find it difficult to get accessible clothing.

Additionally, 70 percent of those surveyed state they must spend more on clothing that meets their needs, while 80 percent say they feel excluded from buying fashionable clothes.

The findings highlight the challenges and frustrations that come from not being able to find the right clothing. Three quarters said that this has led to them being in a situation where they have felt uncomfortable, such as in social settings, on holiday, or attending weddings. Two in five said that they often cancel plans due to difficulties in finding the right clothing.

Charlie Magadah-Williams, Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Primark, said: “Since the launch of our accessibility commitments, we have been working to make Primark more accessible for our customers and colleagues and the last twelve months have seen us accelerate this, introducing wider changes right across our business.

“At each stage of the journey in developing this adaptive collection we’ve challenged ourselves to make every element of it more accessible – from the labelling used through to how a customer will experience the product when shopping in store.

“We’re so grateful for the expert partnership we’ve drawn on and the many colleagues and advisors we’ve worked with in the disabled community to inform this collection and our work, who have pushed us to go further and do more.”

The 49-piece collection includes wardrobe staples for women and men as well as nightwear and underwear. The marketing campaign for the collection features models with a range of disabilities and celebrates the style, comfort, and freedom found in finding clothes that suit your needs.

Primark says the collection builds on the success of its first adaptive lingerie range, launched in January 2024, which was unveiled alongside plans to improve accessibility for customers and colleagues. This includes offering more accessible products, creating inclusive store environments, fostering a culture of accessibility, and ensuring diverse representation across its campaigns.

To drive this forward, Primark has partnered with a number of organisations and consultants, including the Business Disability Forum, Dr. Shani Dhanda, Purple Tuesday, and AccessAble, who have developed Detailed Access Guides for all Primark stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland to help customers plan their visits with confidence.

Dr. Gregory Burke, Founder and Executive Chair of Accessible, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Primark to develop Detailed Access Guides for their stores and offices across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

“We know that 90 percent of disabled people search for accessibility information before visiting somewhere for the first time. Our guides, produced through comprehensive surveyor assessment, cover everything from parking, to entrances, toilet facilities, lifts, fitting rooms and checkouts. Whether you need to know about walking distances, assistive listening, signage, seating or transfer spaces, they are here to help.

“To date, AccessAble has surveyed over 8,000 shops and shopping centres in the UK and is proud to collaborate with Primark to address the challenges disabled people face when shopping.”

The retailer has also collaborated with accessibility app NaviLens on the launch of the adaptive clothing range, with a code available to scan on product signage to support visually impaired people access information, translating it into the user’s local language, and locate the range in store.

An affordable, adapted clothing range to support independent dressing for children and young people with disabilities was launched by supermarket clothing line in 2023.

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