Clothing with a purpose: Inclusive fashion line supports Edmonton charity
A new local clothing collaboration promoting inclusivity is helping support a charity serving youth and adults with visible and invisible disabilities.
The project, started by Kathy Heath, aims to raise funds and awareness about people living with disabilities.
Heath’s nine-year-old son, Abel, has autism. For the past year, Heath has sought connections with other parents with children on the spectrum to gain inspiration and advice.
“I personally felt really isolated and alone,” Heath said. “It was a tough journey to go through.”
Her blog, The Autism Edit, found a large audience and sparked a podcast and email newsletters to help connect with even more people.
“I really gained strength from hearing other people’s stories and what they’ve been through,” Heath told CTV News Edmonton. “So I wanted to share mine in the hopes of helping others through theirs.”
This year, to help celebrate Autism Awareness Month, Heath partnered with a local graphic design artist to create a clothing line representing her son Abel and other children like him.
“The hope is that everyone is a little bit more inclusive and gives a little more time of day to the people in their lives that they might meet that do have a different way of communicating and understanding,” Heath said.
“There’s more than what people see on the surface,” she added. “These amazing, unique designs support inclusion and discuss how it’s important for everyone in the community, not just anyone with a disability.”
The collection features t-shirts, sweaters, baby jumpers, and toques displaying inclusive messages to ensure no one feels excluded due to their anxiety, disability, sexuality, or colour of their skin. Local designer and mastermind behind The Branded Good, Lianne Cawley, carefully created the designs featured in the clothing line.
“The first design was, ‘I have a whole universe in my mind,’ and that was inspired by Kathy’s son,” Cawley said. “I really wanted to capture what is going on in their minds and be insightful of their experiences.”
A photo showing one of the designs featured in the fundraising collaboration (CTV News Edmonton/Ryan Harding).
All proceeds will support Edmonton non-profit organization AdaptAbilities, a group focused on helping those with disabilities to develop the skills to grow and succeed.
"Just know you are not alone in your journey," Heath said. "Support others and find that community."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Ryan Harding
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Person engulfed in flames outside N.Y. courthouse where Trump trial underway, says CNN
A person was covered in flames outside the New York courthouse where former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial is underway, CNN reported on Friday.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.