Unhidden: What is it?
Unhidden is a fashion brand that embodies inclusivity. While their clothes are undeniably stylish, what we love most about Unhidden (and there is lots to love) is that their range is made accessible for everyone. Their entire collection – from shirts to trousers to dresses – is designed to be body inclusive, size inclusive and customisable for people with disabilities. Down to the last detail, their adaptive designs and product lines are considerate of people’s individual clothing requirements, which are too often overlooked by the fashion world.
Unhidden’s inspiring messaging has just as powerful a story behind it. Founder and CEO, Victoria Jenkins, is a garment technologist with 14 years experience in the fashion industry who became disabled in her 20s. Unhidden was born from Victoria’s own challenges of suddenly having to adjust to dressing with her disability, and recognising the similar, unaddressed struggle of others within the disability community.
Unhidden: How sustainable is it?
Unhidden leads by example in presenting a new, socially conscious and responsible direction for fashion. They employ a factory liaison and 20 seamstresses as part of a B Corp certified factory in Bulgaria, all of whom are highly skilled, paid above the living wage, and entitled to benefits such as paid maternity leave, education, and healthcare.
Victoria is a brand ambassador for Models of Diversity and works closely with Not A Phase and Parapride to raise awareness and support for social equality. She is also co-founder of No Comment Required, an ethical slogan clothing range focusing on positive representation for people with mental health issues and disabilities.
Unhidden only uses deadstock fabrics and manufacturers committed to reducing waste. Their plastic-free packaging is all recyclable or compostable and sourced from certified UK based companies and their swing tickets are plantable.
They are conscious of the areas in their supply chain that have room for improvement. Sourcing is more difficult for products like magnets, which they use as alternatives to buttons for some fastenings, and they are looking for a way to develop their own.
Around 80% of people with disabilities are not born that way. This means a lot of non-adaptive clothing unnecessarily going to landfill – waste which Victoria wants to avoid by upcycling people’s clothing to become accessible. Watch this space for Unhidden’s next project.
