These DU Students Are Helping Disabled People Make Clothes for Their Own Community & Earn From It!

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Designing Dignity: How Delhi Students Are Tailoring Freedom Through Adaptive Fashion

Inside the vibrant campus of Delhi University’s Delhi College of Arts and Commerce (DCAC), a quiet revolution is taking shape — not through loud protests or viral campaigns, but with threads, fabric, and a mission stitched with empathy. At the heart of this movement is Enactus DCAC, a student-run social impact society that’s redefining what it means to design with purpose.

These DU Students Are Helping Disabled People Make Clothes for Their Own Community & Earn From It!

Their initiative, Project Riayat, is transforming the adaptive clothing landscape in India. It’s not just about fashion — it’s about freedom, functionality, and giving people with disabilities the autonomy to dress with confidence and dignity. Launched in 2023, the project sets its sights on creating inclusive clothing that empowers and enables.

These DU Students Are Helping Disabled People Make Clothes for Their Own Community & Earn From It!

A Spark from Struggle

The idea for Project Riayat emerged when a young student at DCAC witnessed a close relative, who used a wheelchair, struggle daily with conventional clothing. That deeply personal moment became the catalyst for a larger mission: to make clothing more accessible, stylish, and respectful of physical differences.

Together with fellow students, the team dove into research. They sought to ensure the issue wasn’t isolated. Visiting institutes for people with disabilities and interacting with children, dancers, and working professionals, they began to understand just how pervasive the problem was. The team designed detailed surveys and engaged directly with individuals to uncover the unspoken challenges tied to everyday dressing.

These DU Students Are Helping Disabled People Make Clothes for Their Own Community & Earn From It!

The findings were powerful. People faced difficulties not only in regular clothing but also during performances, travel, or even daily routines. The team knew they had a responsibility to respond — and they did, with innovation and heart.

Turning Ideas into Action

One of their first designs was a pair of adaptive pants with adjustable padding — created specifically for those with lower limb disabilities. The design enabled users to manage their daily needs with ease and privacy. Soon after, they introduced pants with side zippers for amputees, making it simpler to wear and remove clothing without assistance.

As the designs evolved, so did the project’s scope. Project Riayat began expanding its focus to include a wide range of individuals — from wheelchair users to children with disabilities — each design carefully tailored to specific needs.

Empowerment Through Inclusion

What truly sets Project Riayat apart is its belief that those facing the challenges should also be the ones shaping the solutions. The team partnered with Family of Disabled (FOD), a Delhi-based nonprofit, to train individuals with disabilities in adaptive garment-making.

These DU Students Are Helping Disabled People Make Clothes for Their Own Community & Earn From It!

With the support of mentors and master tailors, around 25–30 individuals are now directly involved in crafting the garments. Electric sewing machines make the process smoother for those with mobility issues. Beyond clothing, others contribute art and handicrafts to the project — all of which are showcased and sold online, with earnings returned directly to the creators.

The impact has been multi-dimensional. From generating sustainable income to restoring a sense of self-worth, the project brings dignity into the hands of those who had long been sidelined in conversations about fashion.

Building a Community of Change

Project Riayat thrives on collaboration. The students joined forces with Zyenika, an adaptive clothing startup, and Dewey Clothing, a UK-based brand catering to people with short stature and other disabilities. These mentors helped refine designs and expand the project’s reach.

These DU Students Are Helping Disabled People Make Clothes for Their Own Community & Earn From It!

With their guidance, Project Riayat introduced magnetic-button shirts and began exploring adaptive versions of traditional Indian wear, like sarees and kurtas. They also adopted a sustainable production model, sourcing surplus textiles from Mumbai-based exporter StyleFab.

Of course, no journey is without its hurdles. Convincing people to share personal experiences with clothing was challenging. There were barriers of trust, communication, and emotion. But with patience and persistence, the team broke through.

Funding also posed difficulties. However, by grounding their vision in community need and thorough research, they gained support from organizations such as Oncocare, enabling them to scale up operations.

More Than a Brand

The students behind Project Riayat don’t just sell clothes — they advocate for inclusion. Through awareness campaigns and desensitisation camps conducted in partnership with the Association of People with Disabilities (APD), they’ve reached over 800 individuals in schools and workplaces, creating conversations around disability, design, and empathy.

These DU Students Are Helping Disabled People Make Clothes for Their Own Community & Earn From It!

Their dedication recently bore fruit with a major order of 350 clothing units from the Maharani Foundation. To maintain affordability without compromising quality, they priced their pieces between ₹1,000 and ₹1,500, based on feedback from need-based assessments.

Yet for the team, success isn’t measured in revenue or orders. It’s measured in stories — the person who feels confident wearing adaptive clothing for the first time, or the artisan who earns from their own hands after years of dependency.

Stitching Futures, One Seam at a Time

Today, the students at Enactus DCAC juggle college, project meetings, design iterations, and community outreach. Their schedules are packed, but their purpose is clear.

Project Riayat is more than a fashion initiative. It’s a blueprint for how design, when led by empathy and inclusion, can shape a better world. From pants with purpose to kurtas that empower, every thread tells a story — of resilience, of creativity, and of a future where everyone is seen, heard, and beautifully dressed.