Giving Sensory Clothing a Second Life: Our Visit to Het GielsBos in Gierle

Written by Blusss

Many children, teenagers and adults with sensory needs struggle with clothing every single day.
Labels, seams, rough fabrics or tight waistbands can cause irritation, stress and even challenging behaviour.

At Blusss we design sensory-friendly clothing that feels soft, calm and safe on the body.
Recently we decided to go one step further: giving our sensory pieces a second life.

Why Second Life Sensory Clothing Matters

Sensory-friendly clothing is more than “comfortable fashion”.
For people with sensory processing differences, autism, intellectual disabilities or high sensitivity, it is often a real support tool.

Second life sensory clothing means:

less waste and more circular fashion
high-quality, sensory-friendly pieces that stay in use longer
extra support for organisations that work with vulnerable groups

In this project we collected:

clothing that became too small for my own son
Blusss samples that were still in perfect condition

All of them: soft, tag-free and designed for sensory comfort.

Meeting Het GielsBos: A Green Care Environment in the Kempen

For this second life action we reached out to professionals and care organisations who might be interested in sensory-friendly clothing.
We received many lovely reactions. One of them came from Het GielsBos in Gierle.

Het GielsBos is a large care facility in the heart of the Antwerp Kempen, on a green 85-hectare domain. Children and adults with a disability can live, stay, enjoy day care, work with support or receive guidance there.

It is:

a place to live and feel at home
a place to experience nature, activities and community
a place where every person gets support tailored to their needs

Their team looks every day for ways to improve quality of life, comfort and wellbeing for their residents.

How Sensory-Friendly Clothing Supports Residents

During my visit I was warmly welcomed by Tiny Lauwers.
She told me more about the challenges they see with some residents:

clothing that feels too tight or scratchy
labels and seams that cause constant irritation
agitation or behavioural changes linked to physical discomfort

In these situations, sensory-friendly clothing can play a small but powerful role:

soft, breathable fabrics reduce skin irritation
seamless or flat-seam designs avoid rubbing and pressure points
tag-free and elastic waistbands give more freedom of movement
calm, neutral designs feel less overwhelming for many people

This brings not only more physical comfort, but can also support emotional regulation and behaviour.

What We Brought to Het GielsBos

Blusss delivered a large box filled with:

soft sensory trousers, T-shirts, hoodies
soft seamless underwear and socks
sample pieces from our collection with calm, neutral colours

All items are:

designed to be sensory-friendly
made with soft, breathable materials

The goal is simple: give residents more comfort around their body, with clothing that supports their sensory needs instead of creating extra stress.

Impact on Wellbeing and Behaviour

Clothing will never be the only answer.
But from our experience with families and professionals, we know that the right clothing can influence:

how calm a person feels in their own body
how long they can tolerate an outfit during the day
how much energy is left for learning, play or social contact
frequency and intensity of meltdowns related to physical discomfort

If a resident feels less “attacked” by their clothes, there is often more space for connection, activities and rest.

That is exactly what we hope to contribute to at Het GielsBos: small moments of extra comfort that, over time, can make a real difference.

Curious About the Residents’ Experiences

We are very curious to hear how the residents of Het GielsBos experience these second life sensory pieces:

Which items do they reach for most often?
Do caregivers notice changes in comfort or behaviour?
What could we improve in future designs for this group?

Their feedback is incredibly valuable for us as a brand.
It helps us design sensory-friendly clothing and accessories that truly support people with complex needs in daily life.

Want to Join the Second Life Movement?

This second life action is only a first step.
In the future we would love to:

set up more second life projects with care organisations
collect gently used sensory-friendly clothing from families
connect these items to children, teenagers and adults who need them

Are you a professional, school or care facility working with people with sensory needs or disabilities?
Or are you a parent or caregiver who wants to know more about sensory-friendly clothing?

Feel free to reach out to us at Blusss. Email: hello@blusss.com
Together we can give calm, sensory-friendly clothing a second life – and bring a little more comfort and wellbeing to bodies that need it most. 💙