Julia Veldhuijzen van Zanten

De-stigmatizing living aids

Department: Social Design

Protective Underwear

Looking at the obstacles faced by the ageing population, Julia Veldhuijzen van Zanten challenged incontinence, a key problem of daily life that can negatively impact quality of life and mental well-being. Disposable adult diapers do nothing to address the emotional side of dealing with incontinence and are an unsustainable solution. By developing washable textile protective underwear, she researched the stigma of the daily living aid and how designers could re-think the experience of an aid. This topic was approached through inclusive design principles where the needs of a wider audience are considered, irrespective of age or ability and understood further using active participatory methodologies such as interviews, experience and observation.