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Just a little Extension

8A – Solving The Problem


As I explained in my last post, I noticed that a friend of mine had trouble zipping up his jacket because he is shorter and heavier than most so most clothes are not made for his proportions. To solve this problem I created the idea for an extension people could add to their jackets to better fit larger profiles. The design is a strip of elastic fabric 2 inches wide between zippers on either side. The zippers would let you attach this as a extra section in between the two sides on a jacket. You could still put on or take off the jacket easily by undoing one of the zippers, but having this extra material would allow people who have trouble fitting into the standard jacket sizes to adjust the width of the torso without changing the length of the arms or torso like you would if you went up a size. It is important that the material be stretchy so that it will fit and help more people. 

I think the main advantages of this product are that it would be cheaper than a custom fitted or made jacket and easily applied to anything with a compatible zipper. Some of the people I interviewed even said they would be interested in this as a way to customize jackets simply for looks if it was made in multiple colors. Since this is a more specialized problem I see this product being sold online where you can select the size (one for each of the standard jacket sizes. s-m-l-xl...) and color/pattern you want. 

The picture below is what I rushed to draw and explain my proposal to the people I interviewed. In my real vision the jacket isn't nearly that lopsided, but the extension is the important part and the picture illustrates how it acts as a bridge between the two sides of the jacket.

Comments

  1. anukshagotFebruary 3, 2019 at 6:21 PM

    Hi Paul,
    I really love your idea for this opportunity. In the clothing industry, there are still some obstacles that people face when they do not conform to the “usual standard” of sizing of clothing brands. There have been many improvements to the inclusivity of brands in their sizing. However, there is stillroom for change in terms of functionality in clothing. Good job!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Barfield Swamp SpotFebruary 4, 2019 at 8:57 PM

    I agree that offering this as an online product would be a great avenue to sell and market your zip up. It definitely would be cheaper than having to have the clothing item customized or altered.

    ReplyDelete

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