Kohl’s adaptive clothing line offers inclusive products with fun, comfortable and relevant style
Kohl’s is committed to all families, with all kinds of needs and we strive to celebrate our differences by helping consumers see themselves reflected in our brands. We are proud to showcase our growing adaptive apparel line that is thoughtfully designed to make stylish, quality clothing more accessible.
As a way to support and better serve all of our customers, Kohl’s launched adaptive apparel across several of our private label kids’ brands in 2019. Kohl’s recognizes the unique needs of these customers and offers inclusive products that make their everyday realities a little easier and more rewarding.
Cultivating our Associates’ Passions to Serve our Customers
Kohl’s adaptive assortment originated from an intern project when associates identified an unmet customer need and was further fueled by a passionate design team that was determined to provide clothing solutions for these families. By listening to personal experiences from both associates and customers, Kohl’s was able to understand the challenges that families face and the opportunity we had to support their needs through accessible apparel. Since launching in 2019, customers have responded really well to our adaptive apparel and our teams continue to innovate and grow our offerings with expanded assortments, including denim and a special, limited-time holiday Jammies for the Families collection to better serve families.
“Our associates are rightfully passionate about designing the adaptive apparel line because they can see it making a difference,” said Katherine Finder, Kohl’s senior vice president, product design and brand management. “When we hear from parents that the products have made dressing just a little easier or that they’ve been able to come back to our assortment as their kids grow, that’s what fuels our team.”
Thoughtfully Designed for Accessibility
With features including abdominal access and sensory-friendly and wheelchair-friendly options, the adaptive clothing is thoughtfully designed, making stylish, quality apparel accessible to all. Our adaptive apparel is created with three core principles in mind:
- Sensory-Friendly: Pieces are made with a focus on comfort of the wearer, with the inside of the garment being soft and smooth. This comes to life through soft fabrics and threads, flat seams with external seaming to prevent irritation, and heat sealed tags to be smooth against the skin.
- Physical: Each piece is designed with a focus on ease of dressing and functionality. Added care is taken to ensure products offer abdominal access, functional leg openings, wider necklines, seated comfort, reinforced belt loops on bottoms for the individual or their caretaker, hook and loop closures and are diaper friendly.
- Foundational: It was also important to us that we create everyday pieces that could serve as the foundation of a child’s wardrobe, with a focus on extending the useability of the apparel. Our team is purposeful in choosing items that will make getting dressed easier, for example, bodysuits or tanks with abdominal access typically mean any top can be worn as an overlayer.
Just in time for the back-to-school season, our Adaptive Landing Page has been updated to highlight the latest adaptive styles to help kids feel confident and prepared as they head back to the classroom.
Supporting Our Communities
Kohl’s has been a proud sponsor of Runway of Dreams since 2019, when we introduced adaptive apparel into our three largest kids’ brands. This year, we are excited to be the presenting sponsor of the Runway of Dreams 2021 Fashion Show to support their efforts in fashion inclusivity. By participating, we hope to continue driving awareness of the need for adaptive apparel and increase accessibility for families across the country.
To shop Kohl’s adaptive clothing options, visit Kohls.com. For more details on Kohl’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and community involvement, visit Corporate.Kohls.com.