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After recognising the relevance of concern in wellbeing at the core, it is necessary for the project to establish itself through the lens of clothing. The State of the Art prepare the vision for response by understanding and being acquainted with the work of other designers, manufacturers and artists. Determining the position of the project in relation to contemporaries is crucial to considering what can be offered differently with a new perspective. Exploring the concept of care in clothes begins with direct translations represented for the healthcare industry. Such niche designs can parallel with their level of innovation in sportswear. Cosmic Armour wishes to question why this level of expertise and consideration is not infused more into clothes so that they can be worn with more compelling purpose. CalmCare is a sensory clothing brand with compression capabilities. Their products use CalmTex® fabric – a breathable sensory material providing gentle compression and body temperature regulation. Compression sensations work well in this industry because it imitates the feeling of being hugged - increasing the release of serotonin and oxytocin. CalmCare claims to provide “the perfect amount of sensory input to calm, soothe and support self-regulation”. Working with “proprioceptive feedback” a term sometimes referred to as our “hidden sixth sense” and a predominant focus in occupational therapy. Proprioception uses proprioceptors, giving us access to knowing and recognising the motion of our bodies. These might include recognising opening and closing joints as well as weight, pressure, position and tension. Proprioceptors give us all this information and are crucial to reducing anxiety which can be built up through lack of circulation.
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