How Two Moms Founded An Adaptive Clothing Company

When Nicole Puzzo's daughter, Stella, was dealing with her recovery from a double hip surgery in 2015, the challenge of dressing for her condition sparked an ingenious idea. Puzzo created a pair of pants that could be worn over Stella's casts, transforming an everyday struggle into a practical solution. "Understanding how difficult it can be, and what a struggle it can be for millions of people, was very eye-opening," said Joanne DiCamillo, Puzzo's friend, who was inspired to join the effort. Together they launched befree, a company that creates adaptive clothing for people in similar situations to make their lives easier and bring a sense of normalcy during challenging times. The women's work, which includes consulting with healthcare professionals to design for functionality, has been met with great positivity from users. Their pants, dubbed zipOns, have already had an enormous influence, transforming their creations made of necessity into agents of change in the world of adaptive fashion.

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