PREPARED FOR ALL WEATHERS 

Sam Neale has always enjoyed being outdoors, come rain or shine, but would become frustrated when heavy downpours and soaking wet clothing put an end to his fun. So, he decided to do something about it and designed his very own waterproof trousers. 

 

It is typical in Britain to plan an outing with friends and family, only for it to be put on hold or not enjoyed as much as it could be due to bad weather. This especially applies to people who live with SCI, as sitting in wet trousers all day is not ideal for general comfort, let alone skin issues. 

 

Why You Need Fastfit Clothing Waterproof Trousers

This has happened to me many times. On one particular occasion, I went on a ten-minute roll to the shops but got caught in the rain and was soaked by the time I got home. When things like this happen, I have to either sit around trying to dry out or get out of the chair and onto my bed to change my trousers. This is not an ideal situation and if I was out and far from home it would put a real downer on my day. 

On a separate occasion, I went to visit a friend and the parking situation was not ideal, so I had to park down the road. The weather was awful and, even though I only had to travel two minutes from the car, I was drenched by the time I got to their house. 

As I enjoy the great outdoors, I was determined not to let this stop me from going out but I still want to keep my dignity and wear something that I feel happy and comfortable wearing. I do not want to have to put up with or feel embarrassed about my appearance.

 

How We Became Fastfit Clothing

 I did not want to miss out on events or have to stay at home because of the rain, etc. Using my engineering background and my mum's sewing skills, we came up with a prototype of waterproof trousers. It was then time to choose the material, so I bought samples to test.  I selected the perfect fabric , with the ideal properties for waterproof clothing, I purchased a few metres of material. All I needed to do now was find a seamstress to make them for me. 

After ringing around a few places and not having much luck, I started to give up on the idea until I came across a small and local seamstress. We arranged a meeting and together decided there were a few things that could be improved in terms of the design. We did this a few times until we agreed that my prototype was fit for production. 

We now produce a range of sizes and have sold to customers all across the country and internationally.

Here is an overview of the product benefits: 

• They are made for men and women 

• The waterproof trousers are designed especially for wheelchair users 

• The product fits over your existing trousers in under two minutes, give or take 

• They’re easily fitted while you are seated in your wheelchair 

• They come with a waterproof bag for easy storage. 

FORWARD FOCUS: FASHION 

FORWARD | OCTOBER 2018 

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Other great SCI charities include:

Back Up Trust

Aspire

Regain

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Grippitz

Active hands

All terrain wheelchairs