The Charlie Shirt
For teens with autism and sensory processing disorders to fit in and feel comfortable
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Autism and Compression
1 in 68 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A person with autism typically has sensory disorders meaning senses can be intensified or be diminished. People with a diminished sense of touch may exhibit arm flapping, excessive hugging or crawling under heavy objects such as mattresses or couch cushions in order to feel pressure.
Deep pressure therapy, such as hugging, squeezing, or swaddling, has been shown to be beneficial for people with sensory disorders, providing a sense of calm and relaxation. One way to provide deep pressure therapy is through compression clothing that provides a consistent firm sensory input.
While there are products on the market claiming to provide deep pressure therapy, many are expensive, lower quality, and not stylish. Teens with autism are already three times more likely to be bullied and the existing deep pressure therapy garments can lead teens with autism to stand out even more.
What's Unique?
Molly Fuller Design garments uses a power stretch compression material instead of weights or inflatables for deep pressure therapy. This eliminates the need to carry around (and potentially lose) extra items such as weights or a pump. Molly Fuller compression shirts can be worn all day long (compared to weighted vests) and are stylish and sleek enough to be worn on their own or under clothing.
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Compression Shirt Comparison
Molly Fuller Design products are made to specifically address sensory needs by providing consistent and comforting deep pressure for the wearer. In comparison, Nike and Under Armour shirts are designed for athletes to promote blood flow and wicking away sweat.
Athletic compression shirts and other autism compression shirts apply less pressure because they use a lower percentage of spandex (5-8%), compared to Molly Fuller Design’s shirts, which are made up of 12% spandex.
Spio compression shirts are made for joint stability. They have zippers in the back, requiring assistance to put on, and apply more restriction than everyone with sensory disorders needs.
Molly Fuller Design is made in the USA and uses brushed spandex to provide firm pressure with the softest feel possible. The Charlie Shirt is unique with stylish details that provide tactile sensory input and act as a built in fidget. The Charlie Shirt eliminates irritation through three-needle cover stitching on the seams and a tag-less construction.
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Why Back Molly Fuller Design
I’ve come as far as I can on my own, I’d love your support so I can continue to sustainably produce affordable and stylish garments that also improve peoples’ lives. The cost of finding new fabrics, developing and testing prototypes, and gathering feedback can easily be several thousand dollars, not including my time.
The $10K will allow me to:
- Manufacture more long sleeve Charlie Shirts
- Produce a short sleeve version of the Charlie Shirt
- Add graphics and prints to the Charlie Shirt
- Develop, test, and produce new products (such as blazers, sweatshirts, shorts, and pants)
By backing Molly Fuller Design, you are supporting our mission to help families and teens with autism. Even if you don’t personally have a connection to autism you can choose to donate a product to two great autism organizations, Fraser and the Autism Society of Minnesota. A teen with autism is three times more likely to be bullied than their sibling, help me continue to create stylish, functional and affordable products that bring positive attention to a teen and help them feel comfortable and confident.
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About Molly Fuller
I've combined my background in fashion design with my experience in health care and human-centered design at the Mayo Clinic and UnitedHealth Care, to make stylish products that also address medical needs.
My first shirt, the Charlie Shirt, went through multiple iterations and testing with teens with autism across the States.
I plan to continue to work closely with people with autism and their families to design the next line of products by testing new concepts and gathering feedback.
What Do You Get?
I don't care about Perks.
If you don’t want a Perk simply hit the “Back It” button at the top of this page to donate to your heart’s content. Any amount of support is truly appreciated.
I love Perks!
If you’d like to get a Perk for your donation simply click on the “Get This Perk” button for the perk you want! All shirts come with the option for you to either keep the shirt for yourself or donate it to one of the autism organizations I’ve collaborated with, Fraser or the Autism Society of Minnesota.
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Shirts fit both boys and girls
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