Solutions to win: volunteer initiative launches website with adaptive clothing patterns to support defenders
Photo: Ukrainian Fashion Week
The "Shveina Rota" [Sewing Military Company – ed.] volunteer initiative has launched a website offering patterns and instructions for crafting adaptive clothing for wounded soldiers. Dnipro students developed this online platform during a hackathon organized by SoftServe, an IT company.
The organizers reported this.
The website compiles all previous developments by the "Shveina Rota" for creating adaptive clothing. It features dozens of PDF files with patterns, including underwear with Velcro, hoodies, T-shirts, and pants, all easily adaptable to the needs of individuals with injuries or limited mobility.
The clothes are sewn with convenient fasteners, such as Velcro or buttons, which allow them to be quickly put on and taken off without causing pain.
The platform also contains:
- video instructions;
- step-by-step sewing workshops.
From now on, anyone can:
- sew clothes for defenders,
- join the initiative,
- order a ready-made kit.
The "Shveina Rota" notes that all materials will eventually be translated into English to support those in other war-affected countries and to equip local sewists and volunteers with the necessary tools.
The site is the result of the work of a team of three students — Maksym Ivanov, Artem Starikov, and Maksym Vazhnenkov. Under the guidance of a mentor from SoftServe, they won the hackathon and implemented a socially important project.
A team of student developers with a mentor from SoftServe and a co-founder of the "Shveina Rota"
"We want every craftswoman, mother, wife, or daughter to be able to sew the best for their beloved defender," the initiators emphasize.
Now, anyone interested—from experienced tailors to beginners—can contribute to the common cause.
For reference:
The "Shveina Rota" initiative emerged in Dnipro at the onset of the full-scale invasion. Founders Kseniia Samoilych and Maryna Palchenko began by sewing clothes for the military, initially without patterns for men's clothing. Starting with balaclavas and thermal underwear, the team eventually expanded to producing adaptive clothing for the wounded.
Today, the initiative unites over 700 volunteers and has helped produce over 100 thousand units of adaptive clothing for the military in over 90 hospitals throughout Ukraine.
According to Rubryka, fashion designer Anna Pavlus remained dedicated to her craft after sustaining an injury and continued creating clothing. Amid the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, she expanded her work into a socially significant project by establishing Ukraine's first adaptive clothing brand for people in wheelchairs. Rubryka explored her journey in making this decision and the achievements she has reached thus far.
