3D printing as a building block of adaptive fashion: Students develop functional details for children’s clothing

At Iowa State University, design students have demonstrated in practice how 3D printing can complement adaptive clothing for children with complex medical needs. As part of a course on digital textile technologies, supervised by Rachel Eike, prototypes were created for the International Institute for the Brain (iBRAIN). The pieces were presented during New York Fashion Week 2025 and address typical hurdles such as access openings for feeding tubes, pressure-sensitive seating areas in wheelchairs, or assistance with dressing and undressing.

The projects relied on modular constructions and near-serial base garments that were selectively enhanced using additive manufacturing and digital fabrication techniques. For example, master’s student Michelle Beaudet used 3D printing to develop a wind-up cord mechanism that controls length management for gathers on shirts and pants. Printing was done in PLA, a bio-based, recyclable thermoplastic.

“When’s Cielo’s mom told me how much Cielo loves rainbows and colorful designs, and her wish for a princess outfit, I was ready to get to work and create something she’d love wearing while also working in functional elements that would help support her needs,” Heilman said.

“This was our first time partnering with iBRAIN, and our design students really embraced the opportunity,” Eike said. “Fashionable adaptive clothing is important because it allows children with different capabilities to express their personal style while also incorporating the functionality needed to help improve their daily lives, as well as the lives of their caretakers.”

“My goal was to provide a secure closure with easy access and a hidden adaptation,” she said.

Other works combined magnetic fasteners, snaps, and interchangeable hook-and-loop applications to speed up care routines while maintaining design freedom.

“I decided to keep the tulle skirt tiers to the front of the dress, which gives the look of a fully tiered dress when Cielo is sitting in her wheelchair but helps eliminate discomfort and possible pressure sores if she was sitting on a lot of fabric,” Heilman said.

“This project was very meaningful and a great learning experience about how adaptative design can go beyond function and feature aesthetic value with personality,” Heilman said.

“These kids require garments that can accommodate medical equipment, support non-traditional body postures and allow for quick access to facilitate care routines,” Smriti said. “Off-the-rack adaptive options are often lacking and leave caregivers feeling frustrated and searching for creative clothing options.”

“His mom told me he’s a fun, happy boy who enjoys being with other people and who would love to be able to express himself more through his clothing choices,” Smriti said.

“My goal for each design was to integrate modularity, ease of use, identity expression and sensory awareness, and use a fashion approach where function, fun and flexibility are never mutually exclusive,” Smriti said.

The digital infrastructure—3D printers, laser cutters, industrial sewing machines, and embroidery machines—was consolidated in the university makerspace. The teams deliberately pursued an approach derived from off-the-shelf garments to increase reproducibility for parents and caregivers.

“My goal was to modify adult clothing so that it could be made smaller at first and then larger again over time as a child grows,” Beaudet said.

“The cord winder allows the user to be able to increase or decrease the length of the cord by simply twisting the inner part of the 3D print,” said Beaudet, who also has a passion for sustainable design. “For the 3D printed materials, I used polylactic acid, which is biodegradable because it’s typically derived from corn or sugarcane and is sustainable due to its recyclability as a plant-based material.”

“It was a bit surreal to see my garments on the runway during New York Fashion Week,” Beaudet said. “I’ve never had something I designed presented live on a major runway before, so the anticipation leading up to the show was exciting. I’m proud to be part of this important project and help bring more attention to adaptive designs for kids.”

In conclusion, the project shows that additive manufacturing in apparel is not only suitable for rapid prototypes but also serves as a precise component in functional layouts: mechanisms can be integrated with dimensional accuracy, closures standardized, and components exchanged modularly. The group plans to provide instructions as open educational resources—a step that increases transferability into families’ everyday lives and facilitates future iterations through feedback.

“We know there are many caregivers out there who are looking for adaptive design ideas, and we want to share our designs and what we learned with them,” said Eike, who also joined her students in designing an adaptive garment for an iBRAIN client. “Open educational resources help make learning more affordable, accessible and adaptable for everyone.”