Touching Choice: Clothing Accessibility for Blind and Visually Impaired Consumers- exploratory study

Touching Choice: Clothing Accessibility for Blind and Visually Impaired Consumers- exploratory study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Touching Choice: Clothing Accessibility for Blind and Visually Impaired Consumers- exploratory study Payton Becker, Izabela Ciesielska-Wrobel This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8712448/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract There are 1 billion visually impaired and blind individuals (VIBIs). Many are unable to complete satisfying clothing purchases independently and often face difficulties identifying or caring for their clothing after purchase. This initial research—phase one—surveyed VIBIs to learn about their clothing preferences, their interest in three-dimensional (3-D) printed braille conveying clothing information on a tag or the clothing itself, and what clothing information they would need or want to be 3-D printed. 96% of respondents reported an interest in 3-D printed braille on clothing or clothing tags as a source of clothing information, although samples of textiles with 3-D print were not presented during the study. While color and pattern were marked as the most important information to be included in braille 3-D print on fabric, participants also indicated interest in fiber content and care information. Future research—phase two—will involve presenting VIBIs with different textiles with various 3-D printed braille information. Clothing accessibility blind and visually impaired consumers 3-D printing on textiles 3-D printed braille braille clothing purchase Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 1. Introduction There are 7 million visually impaired and blind individuals (VIBIs) in the United States (US) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022 ). There have been a few studies performed on examining the clothing preferences and ability to purchase satisfying clothing by VIBIs performed so far in the US (Kaufman, 2000; Macias & Rucker, 1979 ; Alali, 2017 ), and some additional studies performed outside of the US (Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ; Pina, et. al., 2020 ), as 1 billion people globally have a visual impairment or blindness (World Health Organization, 2021 ). Satisfactory clothing purchases are apt to be especially difficult when one is a VIBI, as clothing and fashion choices are often made based on the visual appeal of clothing (Williams, Neylan, & Hurst, 2013). Based on prior studies, a satisfactory clothing purchase is defined as a purchase in which the consumer’s expectations regarding the garment’s fit, comfort, style, quality, and functionality are met or exceeded, resulting in a sense of confidence, usability, and overall contentment with the product (Macias & Rucker, 1979 ; Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ; Alali, 2017 ). This definition describes purchase satisfaction as a combination of the garment’s physical performance and the consumer’s emotional response to the buying experience. Additionally, acquiring enough information for informed clothing selection and purchase is a basic problem in stores because signs and clothing tags are the primary purveyors of information but are not accessible to VIBIs (Alali, 2017 ; Pina, et al., 2020 ). It means they do not have braille embossed or printed or any other tactile system allowing VIBIs to obtain information about clothing they are to purchase. One study found that over 90% of their participants who identified as blind were ultimately unsatisfied with their clothing purchases (Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ). If the clothing information were to be made accessible, VIBIs would be able to successfully shop independently. Clothing tags, sometimes called hang tags, are made of paper, plastic, or fabric, are cut off, detached from the clothing after the purchase and before donning the clothing. The clothing tags contain retail information, such as price, manufacturer, and brand logo, somethings composition and clothing conservation information. The clothing tags are not a synonym of clothing labels. Clothing tags are usually small pieces of fabrics or other materials that are sewn into the clothing and contain only information on conservation. 1.1. Previous Studies on VIBIs’ clothing preferences and their ability to purchase satisfying clothing VIBIs evaluates clothing based on preferences for comfortable styles and fabrics, ease of clothing care, high quality garments, overall affordability, colors, and current fashion trends (Alali, 2017 ; Cho, et al., 2020 ; Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ; Kaufman, 2000; Macias & Rucker, 1979 ; Williams, Neylan, & Hurst, 2013; Xue, 2022 ). These preferences have remained consistent over several decades from 1979 (the earliest study considered) to 2022 (Macias & Rucker, 1979 ; Xue, 2022 ). The difficulties of purchasing satisfying clothing have also remained consistent, and the obstacles to the satisfactory purchasing of clothing by VIBIs remain unmoved. One study reports that over 90% of blind participants were unsatisfied with their clothing purchases and cited ill-fitting or uncomfortable clothing, styling issues, and quality issues as the source of their dissatisfaction (Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ). Several obstacles made it difficult to purchase clothing, including limited income, transportation issues, difficulty identifying color, inconsistent sizing, and a reliance on sales people or friends and family for assistance (Alali, 2017 ; Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ; Macias & Rucker, 1979 ; Williams, Neylan, & Hurst, 2013). Chang and Lee reported that the biggest obstacle to clothing purchases was the readability of the clothing tags and an inability to recognize color (Chang & Lee, 2015 ). Alali reported that issues with color identification, sizing, prices, and care instructions were all obstacles to purchasing clothing, as all of those elements were visual cues or included in small tag text (Alali, 2017 ). While the advent of the internet and the rise of online shopping eliminates some of the obstacles faced by VIBIs when purchasing clothing in stores, many VIBIs still prefer to shop in-store as they value the fit and feel of the garments, which requires them to be able to physically touch and try on the clothing items (Alali, 2017 ; Chang & Lee, 2015 ; William, Neylan, & Hurst, 2013). Thus, the inability to read clothing information from the provided clothing tags remains a significant problem for the VIBI community when purchasing clothing. Additionally, the identification of clothing items once purchased continues to be an issue, since the VIBIs must either rely on memorizing their wardrobe or must add braille tags that often fall off their clothing (Williams, Neylan, & Hurst, 2013; Xue, 2022 ). The primary concerns for post-purchase identification include being able to coordinate colors and patterns, as well as properly caring for the garments since the washing and care instructions are also inaccessible on the care tags (Alali, 2017 ; Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ; Williams, Neylan, & Hurst, 2013; Xue, 2022 ). These issues limit or prevent VIBIs from shopping for clothing independently, making it difficult for them to coordinate outfits and care for their clothing correctly at home. Since VIBIs are lacking satisfaction after completing the purchase, or associate the purchase of clothing with a risk of dissatisfaction due to having limited access to information on the clothing they are buying, they may be considered as a group of vulnerable customers. 1.2. Existing solutions for VIBIs in the context of clothing selection and purchase While a variety of studies have proposed solutions to the problems VIBIs encounter during clothing selection and purchase, there have been few instances of the implementation of these solutions (Alali, 2017 ; Cho, et. al., 2020 ; Pina, et. al., 2020 ; Xue, 2022 ). Süller Zor and Vuruskan’s study on assistive technologies reported on currently available technology for VIBIs to comfortably shop on their own in stores. These technologies included an assistive clothing pattern recognition system, LCW Sense, that is in its prototype stage and can identify pattern categories and eleven colors, which is an application for VIBI to shop at the LCW store by scanning barcodes and reading out the information. Another example of this type of system is OrCam MyEye 2.0 which reads aloud or identifies visual information (Süller Zor & Vuruskan, 2019 ). The study concluded that there were limited examples of research and affordable assistive technologies specifically for clothing related experiences like shopping and laundering (Süller Zor & Vuruskan, 2019 ). Some small brands have made efforts to provide solutions for VIBIs shopping for clothing, including Rugilè Gumuliauskaitè, Two Blind Brothers, and Aille Design. These are all online businesses whose incorporation of braille do one or more of the following: identify garment design and fit, describe color, specify washing and care instructions, and take the place of graphic text. The biggest of these brands, Two Blind Brothers, focuses on raising awareness and money for a cure to blindness, which results in the designs and the utilization of braille being more about the novelty for sighted individuals than usability for VIBIs. To the best of our knowledge, no known brands are implementing physical in-store solutions for VIBIs at this time. There are affordable options for pre-embossed metal or plastic tags, for instance, Reizen RL-350 Braille Labeler, which VIBIs could use after they purchase an item to label it for themselves. This would aid in identifying the object in their closet and could be marked with the color, pattern, and/or style of the garment. However, these tags are not a solution for in-store purchasing information, as they can be applied by the VIBIs only after the purchase. In the last 10 years, some assistive technologies have emerged that leverage computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to describe visual scenes and objects in real time. These include wearable devices such as Envision Glasses released in 2020 (Envision store, 2025 ) and smartphone applications such as Microsoft Seeing AI, released in 2017, Google Lookout, released in 2019, and Be My Eyes released in 2015 (Microsoft, 2023; Google, n.d.; Be My Eyes, 2025 ). While currently, the Envision glasses cost is $ 699 and may be beyond the reach of many VIBIs, AI-based tools are free of charge applications, and these tools can recognize printed and handwritten text, products and barcodes, money, faces, colors, and scenes, and then provide spoken descriptions or live visual assistance to the user. Despite their impact, these solutions remain non-tactile and depend on access to a device, connectivity (in many cases), and audio output. In this context, 3-D-printed braille and tactile symbols on clothing and tags should be understood as complementary to AI-based solutions, offering silent, always-available access to key garment information. To our knowledge, 3-D printing on fabrics or paper tags regarding information accessibility for VIBIs has not been studied so far, as this is a relatively new technology (Stratasys, 2023 ). Therefore, this study investigates if 3-D printed braille on fabric interests VIBIs, and if it does, then what type of information needs to be conveyed by the 3-D print to satisfy their needs; if it is not of interest to VIBIs, why not? 1.3. VIBIs’ Consumer Vulnerability and Empowerment Theory Consumer Vulnerability Theory addresses the exclusion of certain consumer groups from equitable participation in the marketplace due to inherent disadvantages and barriers, both mental and physical (Baker, Gentry, & Rittenburg, 2005 ). Concurrently, Empowerment Theory (Zimmerman, 1995 ; Nardo, Loi, Rosati, 2011 ) emphasizes the rights of all consumers to autonomy and informed choice within market contexts. VIBIs represent a vulnerable consumer segment due to pervasive marketplace exclusions, particularly concerning accessible product information and independent purchasing decisions. Although some existing solutions for VIBIs are available, they are limited, do not offer a holistic, permanent solution readily available to VIBIs anytime they perform independent and in-person shopping for clothing. Despite advancements in assistive technology, tactile communication strategies—such as embossing or 3D-printed braille and tactile symbols - remain notably absent from mainstream apparel offerings. This omission underscores a significant gap in marketplace inclusivity, limiting the empowerment of VIBIs by perpetuating barriers to informed choice and independent consumer engagement. The absence of tactile accessibility features directly added to the clothing or the package may reflect economic viability concerns. The statistics from 2016 posted by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) indicate that only 15.7% of all VIBIs working-age adults in the US have attained a bachelor's degree or higher level of education (NFB, 2016). The percentage of VIBIs living below the poverty line is 27.7%. Thus, the financial status of VIBIs may significantly differ from that of sighted people. As of 2023, the unemployment rate among VIBIs adults is 47.7%, which is significantly higher than in the group of sighted individuals, which is about 4% (3.8% in 2023) in the general population (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). Also, the median annual earnings for VIBI adults approximate $ 38,500, considerably below their sighted counterparts (National Federation of the Blind, 2023). Such economic disparities may inadvertently discourage mainstream brands from investing in tactile innovations, as these consumers are often perceived as economically marginal and lacking sufficient purchasing power. However, emerging research emphasizes the overlooked market potential and consumer loyalty associated with inclusive innovations. Recent studies highlight the positive consumer responses when VIBIs encounter apparel products tailored to their specific needs, resulting in heightened brand loyalty and advocacy (Akter & Goncu-Berk, 2022; Williams & Rothenberg, 2022). Aim of this study This study aims to learn from VIBIs about their preferences regarding 3-D printed braille on clothing or clothing tags as a way to obtain information about the textile’s look, fiber content, size, color, pattern, and other information, such as country of origin or sustainability. This information can be important when a VIBI attempts to purchase an item of clothing, but it can be difficult to access if it is written on a small tag. The study’s focus is on 3-D printed braille; this does exclude those in the VIBI community who do not read braille, but the exact percentage of the VIBI population in the US who cannot read braille is unclear, with estimates ranging from 60–90% (Sheffield, et al., 2022 ). While this study evaluates interest based on conceptual understanding, being the first phase, a second phase is underway in which participants will physically interact with 3D-printed braille and tactile symbol prototypes. This aims to bridge the sensory assumption gap and explore actual usability, not just perceived value. 2. Methods 2.1. Institutional Review Board (IRB) The researchers obtained approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Rhode Island (URI) to survey human subjects through a self-reported survey. Next, the researchers sent an email to support organizations for people with visual impairments or blindness and posted the information about the study at LinkedIn to spread the information about the survey. The email and information posted on LinkedIn contained a link to a Qualtrics survey titled Braille Clothing Information Survey. The survey was anonymous. When participants clicked on a provided link, they were presented with an IRB Exempt Consent Form, at the bottom of which they indicated if they have read and understood the consent, are 18 years old or older, and volunteer to participate in this study. If all of that was the case, they were requested to select 'continue' below to be taken to the survey. This action denoted their explicit consent to complete the study. Survey access was limited to VIBIs. There was no compensation offered for taking the survey. 2.2. Survey design The Qualtrics survey aimed to be as accessible as possible for an online survey and passed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) (Qualtrics, n.d.), as tested by the Qualtrics software. In addition to passing the WCAG 2.0, several suggestions from a previous study (Kaczmirek & Wolff, 2007 ) on accessible survey design were implemented, including numbering each question, assigning each answer a consecutive letter for each question, and providing information about the length of the survey. The survey was then tested by a text-to-speech browser extension in Chrome called Read&Write and was tested using Apple’s VoiceOver accessibility feature. Both tests of the survey using these text-to-speech tools were successful, and the survey was determined to be accessible. The survey began with the demographic questions to ensure those taking the survey were self-identifying as a VIBI. After the demographic questions, a series of questions were asked on the clothing purchase and care habits of the VIBI participants. This section ended with a question about their interest in having braille clothing information printed on either their clothing or clothing tags. If a participant selected yes, they moved to the next section, which asked detailed questions about the braille clothing information. If a participant selected no, they were directed to the end of the survey, as their disinterest in braille clothing information would have made that section impractical for them to complete. The survey design was intentionally simplified and limited to categorical (yes/no) responses to ensure full accessibility, ease of responding, and independence of VIBIs who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnifiers, or voice-navigation software. This simplified structure followed WCAG 2.0 and enabled participants to complete the survey without external assistance. A binary yes/no format was selected instead of continuous variables data collection to maintain accessibility and ease of navigation for assistive technologies, prioritizing clarity and participant independence over data depth at this early stage of the research. 2.3. Survey questions It was hypothesized based on the previous studies (Kaufman, 2000; Macias & Rucker, 1979 ; Alali, 2017 ; Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ; Pina, et. al., 2020 ) that people with visual impairments or blindness may find it more difficult to purchase clothing because the information about the clothes is not readily available for them. They may also miss key information about the clothes like fiber content, washing instructions, or appearance. This research is designed to (1) determine if VIBIs are interested in clothing information being written in braille on the clothing or clothing tag and (2) determine what information would be the most helpful and/or desirable. The survey contained five demographic questions, six questions about their current clothing purchasing, clothing care, and clothing tag related experiences, and nine questions about specific preferences for information written in braille on clothing or clothing tags. The survey questions are presented in Table 1 . The demographic questions that were chosen targeted the areas of most interest to this study. At the time, we were not interested in economic status, education level, ethnicity, etc. The most obvious areas of interest were their self-identification as either blind or visually impaired, what age they became blind or visually impaired, and how old they were now, as an indication of how long they have been blind or visually impaired for. Gender was included, as it is often associated with different clothing purchasing and care habits (Koca & Koc, 2016 ). Table 2 presents demographics of surveyed VIBIs. Table 1 Braille clothing information survey questions. No. Question Type of the questions 1 Which gender do you identify with the most? (seven options) Demographic 2 What is your age? (seven age ranges, from 18 to over 75, plus prefer not to answer) 3 Which of the following best describes you? (e.g., blind, visually impaired) 4 Were you born visually impaired or blind? (Yes or No) 5 If you were not born visually impaired or blind, at what age did you develop difficulty seeing? (eight age ranges, from 0 to over 80) 6 Which of the following best describes your clothing purchasing experience? (eight options, e.g., I purchase clothing by myself both in a store and online) Current clothing purchase and care experience 7 When purchasing clothing, which of the following are you most concerned about? (six options, e.g., the fit of clothing, feel, look) 8 Do you wash your own clothes? (three options, e.g., Yes, but with assistance) 9 Do you add braille tags to label the colors or styles of your clothing? (Yes or No) 10 Would 3D printed braille on clothing or clothing tags that gives information about the clothing be helpful for you in purchasing clothing? (Yes or No) 11 Are you interested in having braille on your clothing or clothing tags that gives you information about your clothing? (Yes or No) 12 Would you want the braille information about the clothing to be permanent (i.e. on the clothing itself or on an interior tag) or removable (i.e. on a removable, exterior tag)? (e.g., permanent, removable, both, either) Braille on clothing or clothing tags 13 Are you interested in having clothing's size written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? (Yes or No) 14 Are you interested in having clothing’s color or colors written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? For example: red, light brown, navy blue. (Yes or No) 15 Are you interested in having clothing’s color or colors coded in another way in your clothing or clothing tag? For example: thermal color coding where warm colors like red feel warm to the touch. (Yes or No) 16 Are you interested in having clothing’s pattern or patterns written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? For example: polka dots, stripes, floral. (Yes or No) 17 Are you interested in having clothing’s fiber contents written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? For example: 50% wool and 50% cotton or 100% polyester. (Yes or No) 18 Are you interested in having clothing’s country of origin written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? For example: Made in the USA. (Yes or No) 19 Are you interested in having clothing’s washing and care instructions written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? (Yes or No) 20 Are you interested in any other information about your clothing being written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? If you do, list it below: 3. Results 3.1. Demographics of participants A total of 23 participants completed the survey, but one finished early after indicating for question 11 that they did not have an interest in braille on clothing or clothing tags. The majority of participants were either between the ages of 35–44 (26%) or 65–74 (26%), female (65%), identified as blind (96%), and have been blind since birth (79%). The number of participants in this study reflects the inherent challenges of conducting research within a highly specific and underrepresented VIBI population who would want to actively engage with tactile clothing information systems. Table 2 Demographics of Participants (n = 23). Variable Levels Frequency Percentage Age 18–24 1 4% 25–34 0 0% 35–44 6 26% 45–54 4 17% 55–64 4 17% 65–74 6 26% 75+ 1 4% Prefer Not to Answer 1 4% Gender Male 7 30% Female 15 65% Trans-Male 0 0% Trans-Female 1 5% Non-Binary 0 0% Not Listed 0 0% Prefer Not to Answer 0 0% Visual Disability Self-Identification Blind 22 96% Visually Impaired 1 4% Other 0 0% Age When Visual Impairment Developed At Birth 18 79% 0–4 1 4% 5–9 0 0% 10–14 0 0% 15–18 0 0% 19–29 3 13% 30–49 0 0% 50–79 1 4% 80+ 0 0% 3.2 Current clothing purchase and care experience Most of the participants reported needing and having help when purchasing clothing in store and/or online (87%). Several participants reported only needing assistance when shopping in store and would shop alone online (13%). Only three respondents reported not needing help with clothing purchasing (13%). When shopping for these clothing items, most participants reported that all listed features of clothing, such as feel, fit, look, and sustainability or ethicality of clothing are important to them when purchasing. Two participants reported that the feel was the most important clothing feature (9%), three participants reported that they were most concerned about the fit (13%), and one participant reported that the look of clothing was the most important to them (4%). Nine participants disclosed that they utilized do-it-yourself (DIY) braille tags after purchasing clothing to label them (39%), but 14 participants revealed that they did not use DIY braille tags (61%). The majority of respondents reported washing and caring for their clothing independently (83%). Two of the remaining participants reported that they washed their clothes with assistance (9%), and the other two disclosed that they relied entirely on others to wash their clothes (9%). The majority of participants expressed interest in a concept of 3-D printed braille on either the clothing or clothing tags (96%). The one participant who did not report an interest in 3-D printed braille clothing information finished the survey at that stage, which counts for 4% of the surveyed VIBI population. Those who continued were asked if they would prefer the braille to be permanent (i.e. printed onto the clothing itself), removable (i.e. printed onto a tag), both, or either. The majority of respondents wanted permanent 3-D printed braille (41%), while only 18% wanted removable. Three participants expressed they would be content with either (14%), and six participants wanted both permanent and removable 3-D printed braille (27%). 3.3 Specific Braille Clothing Information Interests 96% of respondents expressed their interests in having information about the size of the clothing printed in braille when they purchase clothing (21 respondents). All of the respondents were interested in having a description of the color of the clothing printed in braille, although most of these individuals are blind since they were born and have not experienced color. Twenty participants reported interest in having information about the clothing patterns (91%). Fiber content (73%) and country of origin (59%) were of the least interest to respondents but were still of relatively high interest. Washing and care instructions were generally more interesting to those who already washed their clothing with an interest from 17 participants (77%), as presented in Fig. 1 . The last question in the series of questions about the specifics of braille on clothing or clothing tags (Table 1 , question 20) asked for suggestions about what else can be added to the information printed on the removable tags or printed directly on textiles. Respondents suggested adding information on a brand name, clothing style, or what it may be a good match with. 4. Discussion 4.1 Braille literacy among The majority of individuals taking the survey were at the age of 35 and older. Since they were interested in braille on textiles or clothing tags, it is assumed that they can use this tactile writing system. It means they can benefit from the 3-D printing of braille information onto their clothing or clothing tags. We can only speculate that the younger generation of VIBIs, below 35, was not interested in the study since they may not know braille. The lower braille literacy among the younger generation was reported by the NFB, following the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) polls from each state for data on the number of legally blind children saying that there are 7.8% of braille readers among children from the elementary school through the age of 21. This is because they are not being taught it or do not have access to it. Thus, there is a braille literacy crisis in the US. Its causes are not the subject of this paper; however, the current low number of braille users may contribute to developing a universal symbol language for textiles and other everyday use products (e.g., CyR.U.S., a raised universal system; (CyR.U.S. System, 2023 )). Beyond braille, universal tactile symbols—such as standardized icons, raised graphic shapes, and simplified tactile codes used in public accessibility signage —offer a promising avenue for communicating garment attributes (e.g., size, color family, fabric type, care complexity) to both braille readers and non-braille readers. Adapting such symbol sets to textile substrates could support a more inclusive, multi-sensory garment information system that does not depend solely on braille literacy. 4.2. VIBIs Clothing Information Needs The results of this study align with both older (Macias, P., & Rucker, M., 1979 ) and newer research (Xue, 2022 ) and demonstrates the need for VIBIs to receive information on the clothing they purchase, so they can make purchases that are informed and satisfactory. The fact that the current research conclusions show such similarity to the past research suggests that there were no significant changes or improvements over the last 45 years in how the information about the clothing is delivered to VIBIs during the purchase process. The current study indicates that the most critical features of clothing while purchasing remain unchanged for VIBIs; they are the color, size, and pattern of the clothes. VIBIs continue to experience difficulties learning about these key features when purchasing clothing, which shows that the issue of providing this fundamental information to VIBI customers has not been addressed. While in the store or purchasing online, respondents worry about the fit of clothing, how it feels, and how it looks, which is no different from what non-VIBIs are concerned about when they purchase their clothing (Chrimes et al., 2022). Although country of origin and fiber content information were of a lesser concern, many of the VIBIs taking the survey still wanted that information to be accessible to them via braille (13 and 16 individuals, respectively). From previous studies, we know that fiber content can be important for VIBIs, as it often indicates the comfort of the fabric or ease of caring for the clothing (Frency, Patrick, & May, 2000 ; Xue, 2022 ). While the washing and care instructions are less important during the purchasing process, they are important in post-purchase circumstances and were marked as essential by 17 out of the 22 individuals surveyed. The remaining five surveyed individuals are those who need assistance with washing their clothes. Particularly interesting are the answers to two questions concerning the color of clothing. To question 14 about conveying information about the color of clothing by braille printed on clothing or clothing tag, 100% of respondents said they were interested in receiving information about the color of the clothing when purchasing it. 79% of this population has been blind since they were born, so they may not perceive the color the way the non-VIBIs do. However, they must have been exposed to the concept of color through their education and when listening to auditory information. As a consequence, they have a need to match colors in their clothing. This is congruent with what one of the respondents suggested answering the final open question. This individual said that how the colors match between clothes they buy is also a piece of important information. In addition to questions about an individual’s interest in braille clothing information, one question about interest in the conveyance of color through thermal coding was asked. The coding could utilize thermal color coding, where a warm color would feel warm to the touch, while a cool color would feel cold. This was a very theoretical question and was asked to evaluate interest in technologies outside of 3-D printed braille. Nine (41%) participants expressed an interest in color coding, while 13 (59%) were not interested in it. It is not clear why the respondents answered this way. One of the reasons for that could be the fact that the researchers did not provide any additional information about this technology. Another reason could be that color coding may be perceived as a novelty and, as such, may be considered expensive. A key limitation of this phase-one study is that participants did not physically interact with 3D-printed braille or tactile prototypes; their responses reflect conceptual interest and anticipated usefulness rather than direct experience. Phase two of this research will therefore focus on hands-on testing of 3D-printed braille. 4.3 Novel solutions The survey brought the attention of VIBIs to an additive manufacturing technique of polymer deposition on the surface of textiles, called 3-D printing on fabrics. 3-D printing promises to be an attractive solution for designers, artists, engineers, and all textile users. One of the applications of this technique is printing braille directly on fabrics using photosensitive acrylic resins (Stratasys, 2023 ; Xiao and Kan, 2020). This technique allows a permanent attachment to text written in braille (or any other symbol or design) on the surface of textiles or the tags attached to textiles. So far, the authors of this study have designed the text and symbols and had a third party 3-DP them on textile substrates as a proof of concept, as presented in Figs. 2 and 3 . Figure 2 shows a white fabric with 3-D printed braille information and its alphanumeric translation. The alphanumeric characters were printed on the material for non-VIBIs and as a demonstration of the technique's capabilities. The alphanumeric characters text says "white," "small," "100% cotton", "wash cold," and "tumble dry low" and is an example of a type of concise information about clothing that may be printed on a fabric or a clothing tag. "White" refers to the color of the fabric. "Small" refers to the size of the clothing. "100% cotton" refers to the raw material the fabric is made of. "Wash cold" indicates that the fabric should be washed in lower temperatures, usually not more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). "Tumble dry low" means that the material should be dried in the dryer on a low heat setting, usually not more than 50 degrees Celsius (around 122 degrees Fahrenheit). This fabric has not been shown to the respondents, yet they all expressed interest in this technique. Figure 3 . Enlarged view of the 3-D printed braille on the fabric surface, showing seven braille domes - raised dots. This close-up illustrates the dot geometry, spacing, and height achieved on the textile, which are critical for tactile legibility. The design adheres to ADA guidance on braille dot dimensions and demonstrates the feasibility of integrating readable braille directly onto fabric using additive manufacturing. Authors’ design and photography. . While the presented 3-D polyjet printing on fabrics using photosensitive acrylic resin is a relatively new development (Stratasys, 2023 ), it is worth mentioning that other known lower-cost techniques are available and have been widely applied on paper and textiles. For instance, thermography produces raised printing similar in appearance to engraving but using a different process for attaining the effect (Gregory, 2012 ). While they may not be able to generate a rounded dot for braille, they may be successfully used to print symbols. This study examines the accessibility gap in apparel information through the lens of visually impaired and blind individuals (VIBIs) consumer vulnerability, proposing 3D-printed tactile information as a means of restoring autonomy in clothing selection. VIBIs have difficulty making satisfactory clothing purchases due to an inability to read important clothing information from the tags or take visual cues from the clothing itself. 5. Conclusions When purchasing clothing independently, VIBIs are not provided with tactile information on clothing during the purchase process. Although the most critical features and information about clothing (fit, feel, look, size, color, pattern) for VIBIs have remained the same for at least the last 45 years, there has been no significant change in their accessibility to VIBIs, other then development of non-tactile information for selected, and unknown number of products. This means that the needs of VIBIs have yet to be met, and they continue and will continue to struggle to purchase satisfactory clothing, if they are not provided with the solution. The new technique of 3-D printing on textiles and/or clothing tags is of interest to VIBI. When braille is 3-D printed on textiles or clothing tags, it can convey information about their look, size, color, or pattern. However, since the VIBI population that is able to read braille continues to decline, other avenues, such as 3-D printing universal symbols on clothing and clothing tags, may be considered and developed to serve a broader population beyond VIBIs, in addition to AI-based applications. These results, while based on a small exploratory sample, indicate a persistent gap in accessible clothing information and highlight the potential of 3-D-printed tactile systems as one avenue for addressing it. While there are no technical limitations to pursuing 3-D printing on textiles and clothing tags, other solutions, such as thermal color coding combined with 3-D printing, are only theoretical. Regardless, a small population of VIBIs are interested in this solution as a conveyor of information about textiles’ color. Future work will explore the design and testing of universal tactile symbol systems, informed by existing tactile iconography and accessibility standards, to assess whether symbol-based communication on textiles can be rapidly learned and accurately interpreted by VIBIs who do not read braille as well as by sighted consumers. Declarations Conflict of interest The authors have no conflict of interest to report. Author Contribution Conceptualization: ICW, PBDraft: PBData collection: PBAnalysis: ICW, PBFinal text and revisions: ICW, PBFigures and tables: PB, ICWProject supervision: ICWFinal manuscript: ICW Acknowledgement N/A Data Availability The manuscript presents original data collected for this study. All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper. References Accent Signage Systems: ADA Signage Quick Reference Guide. Retrieved May 25, 2023, from (2021). https://www.accentsignage.com/resources/pdf-library/ Alali, R.: A case study of visually impaired individuals' preferences of the availability of braille clothing labels in shopping and selection of apparel . [Master's Thesis, Ball State University]. (2017) Baker, S.M., Gentry, J.W., Rittenburg, T.L.: Building Understanding of the Domain of Consumer Vulnerability. J. Macromarketing. 25 (2), 128–139 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1177/0276146705280622 Be My Eyes: Be My Eyes and Be My AI [Mobile application software]. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from (2025). https://www.bemyeyes.com Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Prevalence Estimates - Vision Loss and Blindness . (2022)., July https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/vehss/estimates/vision-loss-prevalence.html Chang, H.J., Lee, S.Y.: Special Apparel Needs of Consumers with Visual Impairments. 2015 Proceedings of International Textile and Apparel Association. ITAA. (2015) Cho, S., Aflatoony, L., Morris, K., Uriyo, A.: March). Development of garment design strategies for women with visual impairments. Int. J. Fashion Des. Technol. Educ., 181–189. (2020) Chrimes, C., Boardman, R., Vignali, G., McCormick, H.: Investigating how online fashion product page design affects the consumer's clothing fit appraisal. J. Consumer Behav. 21 (6), 1478–1493 (2022, November). https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2100 CyR.U.S. System: Touch Tags by CyR.U.S. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from (2023). https://cyrussystem.com Envision store: Envision Glasses [Wearable assistive device]. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from (2025). https://www.letsenvision.com Frency, N., Patrick, H., May, C.: Selecting and Purchasing Clothing: The Experience of Visually Impaired People in Hong Kong. J. Visual Impairment Blindness (2000), January Google: Lookout – Assisted vision [Mobile application software]. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from (2025). https://play.google.com Gregory, P.: Chemistry and Technology of Printing and Imaging Systems. Springer Netherlands (2012). https://books.google.com/books?id=07SvBQAAQBAJ Kaczmirek, L., Wolff, K.G.: Survey design for visually impaired and blind people. In: Stephanidis, C. (ed.) Universal Access in Human Computer Interaction; Part 1, Coping with Diversity, pp. 374–381. Springer, Berlin, Germany (2007) Kaufman, A.: Clothing-Selection Habits of Teenage Girls Who are Sighted and Blind. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (2000, August) Koca, E., Koc, F.: A Study of Clothing Purchasing Behavior By Gender with Respect to Fashion and Brand Awareness. Eur. Sci. J. ESJ. 12 (7), 234 (2016). https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2016.v12n7p234 Lamuda, P., Wittenborn, J., Rein, D.: (n.d.). ACS Summary Data Report; For Vision & Eye Health Surveillance System . Chicago: NORC Lee, C., Erickson, W., von Schrader, S.: 2018 Disability Status Report: United States. Cornell University Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability (YTI), Ithaca (2020) Macias, P., Rucker, M.: Clothing Selection and the Visually Impaired Consumer. J. Visual Impairment Blindness. 73 (10), 400–404 (1979) Microsoft: Seeing AI [Mobile application software]. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from (2025). https://www.seeingai.com Nardo, M., Loi, M., Rosati, R.: The consumer empowerment index. A measure of skills, awareness, and engagement of European consumers. Published in: JRC Scientific and Technical Reports No. EUR 24791 EN – 2011 (April 2011): pp. 1-232. (2011) National Federation of the Blind: Blindness Statistics . (2016). Retrieved from https://nfb.org/resources/blindness-statistics on May 4, 2025 Pina, L.M., Lucas, J.M., Duarte, P.A., Martins, P.G., Miguel, R.A.: Browsing clothing with senses; A sensorial brand experience concerning visually impaired consumers. Global Fashion Conference. Lyon. (2020) Qualtrics: (n.d.) Survey Accessibility . Qualtrics Support. https://www.qualtrics.com/support/survey-platform/survey-module/survey-tools/check-survey-accessibility/ Sheffield, R.M., D’Andrea, F.M., Morash, V., Chatfield, S.: How Many Braille Readers? Policy, Politics, and Perception. J. Visual Impairment Blindness. 116 (1), 14–25 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X211071125 Stratasys: J850 Prime 3D Printer. Retrieved May 25, 2023, from (2023). https://www.stratasys.com/en/3d-printers/printer-catalog/polyjet/j8-series-printers/j850-prime-3d-printer/ Süller Zor, B., Vuruskan, A.: Assistive Technologies for Individuals with Visual Impairment: Contribution of Design in the Field of Clothing. J. Eng. Sci. Des. 7 (4), 913–925 (2019) U.S. Access Board (n.d.). Americans with Disabilities Act; Accessibility Standards. Retrieved May 25: from (2024). https://www.access-board.gov/ada/ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Employment Statistics - CES (National). Retrieved April 28: from (2025). https://www.bls.gov/ces/ ​​Williams, M.A., Neylan, C., Hurst, A.: Preliminary Investigation of the Limitations Fashion Presents to Those with Vision Impairments. Fashion Pract. 5 (1), 81–106 (2013). https://doi.org/10.2752/175693813X13559997788808 Wonjin, J.J.-W.: Introduction of 3D Printing Technology in the Classroom for Visually Impaired Students. J. Visual Impairment Blindness, 115–121. (2016) World Health Organization: Blindness and vision impairment . Retrieved from World Health Organization: (2021). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment Xiao, Y.-Q., Chi-Wai Kan: Review on Development and Application of 3D-Printing Technology in Textile and Fashion Design Coatings 12, no. 2: 267. (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12020267 Xue, M.: Development of Tactile Woven Fabrics for the Visually Impaired . [Master's Thesis, North Carolina State University]. (2022) Zimmerman, M.A.: Psychological empowerment: Issues and illustrations. Am. J. Commun. Psychol. 23 , 581–599 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02506983 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8712448","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":581269115,"identity":"4a366ae1-8de7-4bf2-a8db-41f2fee84845","order_by":0,"name":"Payton Becker","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Rhode Island","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Payton","middleName":"","lastName":"Becker","suffix":""},{"id":581269116,"identity":"524cd927-95ed-455a-83b9-81aed2a86f78","order_by":1,"name":"Izabela Ciesielska-Wrobel","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAx0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACNgbGBhCdwMDOfICBwQDIPEC0Fma2BOK0wABQC48BhElICx/74cbHvHts8viZeb5JVxQwyPHdSCDgMJ7EZmOeZ2nFks282yTPGDAYSxLUIsHYJp1z4HDihsNALQ0GDIkbiNDS/hukZf9hnmcgLfXEaGljBtvCzMMG0pJgQIxfpP8cSCuWOMxmbNlgIGE488wD/Frk248//DjjADDE2psf3mz4YyPPd5yALehAgjTlo2AUjIJRMAqwAwABmj/7JhGXqgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of Rhode Island","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Izabela","middleName":"","lastName":"Ciesielska-Wrobel","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-27 15:54:59","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8712448/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8712448/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":101439074,"identity":"6a9e4341-1231-4a87-9c1e-88cc9df323bd","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-29 16:42:12","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":59501,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eResponses to questions about interests in having washing instructions, country of origin of clothing, fiber content, pattern, color, and size in braille printed on a tag or clothing (n=22).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8712448/v1/ba3b99400f36bb1b74e1a107.png"},{"id":101439076,"identity":"f50039eb-772e-47eb-8ccd-3e05bfe47012","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-29 16:42:12","extension":"jpeg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":2250173,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eWhite fabric with 3-D printed braille and an alphanumeric translation of braille is an example of the information that can be printed on fabrics for VIBI. The alphanumeric text was added as a translation for non-VIBI. The enlarged area from the red frame is in Figure 3. Authors' design and photography.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8712448/v1/3de51cf0828334fd9a192609.jpeg"},{"id":101439075,"identity":"257cd5ec-cfe1-4e56-8081-bd77a96c5473","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-29 16:42:12","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1219801,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eEnlarged view of the 3-D printed braille on the fabric surface, showing seven braille domes - raised dots. This close-up illustrates the dot geometry, spacing, and height achieved on the textile, which are critical for tactile legibility. The design adheres to ADA guidance on braille dot dimensions and demonstrates the feasibility of integrating readable braille directly onto fabric using additive manufacturing. Authors’ design and photography. .\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8712448/v1/bbeb83e767b5524ef08725e1.png"},{"id":106879173,"identity":"48f2b8a1-c050-4dfa-b1ff-094468e10910","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-14 10:57:13","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4239736,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8712448/v1/aa9b6ccc-5f72-4e24-aac4-393fe0ea068c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Touching Choice: Clothing Accessibility for Blind and Visually Impaired Consumers- exploratory study","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThere are 7\u0026nbsp;million visually impaired and blind individuals (VIBIs) in the United States (US) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). There have been a few studies performed on examining the clothing preferences and ability to purchase satisfying clothing by VIBIs performed so far in the US (Kaufman, 2000; Macias \u0026amp; Rucker, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1979\u003c/span\u003e; Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), and some additional studies performed outside of the US (Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e; Pina, et. al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), as 1\u0026nbsp;billion people globally have a visual impairment or blindness (World Health Organization, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Satisfactory clothing purchases are apt to be especially difficult when one is a VIBI, as clothing and fashion choices are often made based on the visual appeal of clothing (Williams, Neylan, \u0026amp; Hurst, 2013). Based on prior studies, a satisfactory clothing purchase is defined as a purchase in which the consumer\u0026rsquo;s expectations regarding the garment\u0026rsquo;s fit, comfort, style, quality, and functionality are met or exceeded, resulting in a sense of confidence, usability, and overall contentment with the product (Macias \u0026amp; Rucker, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1979\u003c/span\u003e; Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e; Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). This definition describes purchase satisfaction as a combination of the garment\u0026rsquo;s physical performance and the consumer\u0026rsquo;s emotional response to the buying experience. Additionally, acquiring enough information for informed clothing selection and purchase is a basic problem in stores because signs and clothing tags are the primary purveyors of information but are not accessible to VIBIs (Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Pina, et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). It means they do not have braille embossed or printed or any other tactile system allowing VIBIs to obtain information about clothing they are to purchase. One study found that over 90% of their participants who identified as blind were ultimately unsatisfied with their clothing purchases (Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e). If the clothing information were to be made accessible, VIBIs would be able to successfully shop independently. Clothing tags, sometimes called hang tags, are made of paper, plastic, or fabric, are cut off, detached from the clothing after the purchase and before donning the clothing. The clothing tags contain retail information, such as price, manufacturer, and brand logo, somethings composition and clothing conservation information. The clothing tags are not a synonym of clothing labels. Clothing tags are usually small pieces of fabrics or other materials that are sewn into the clothing and contain only information on conservation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec2\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e1.1. Previous Studies on VIBIs\u0026rsquo; clothing preferences and their ability to purchase satisfying clothing\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eVIBIs evaluates clothing based on preferences for comfortable styles and fabrics, ease of clothing care, high quality garments, overall affordability, colors, and current fashion trends (Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Cho, et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e; Kaufman, 2000; Macias \u0026amp; Rucker, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1979\u003c/span\u003e; Williams, Neylan, \u0026amp; Hurst, 2013; Xue, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). These preferences have remained consistent over several decades from 1979 (the earliest study considered) to 2022 (Macias \u0026amp; Rucker, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1979\u003c/span\u003e; Xue, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). The difficulties of purchasing satisfying clothing have also remained consistent, and the obstacles to the satisfactory purchasing of clothing by VIBIs remain unmoved. One study reports that over 90% of blind participants were unsatisfied with their clothing purchases and cited ill-fitting or uncomfortable clothing, styling issues, and quality issues as the source of their dissatisfaction (Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e). Several obstacles made it difficult to purchase clothing, including limited income, transportation issues, difficulty identifying color, inconsistent sizing, and a reliance on sales people or friends and family for assistance (Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e; Macias \u0026amp; Rucker, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1979\u003c/span\u003e; Williams, Neylan, \u0026amp; Hurst, 2013). Chang and Lee reported that the biggest obstacle to clothing purchases was the readability of the clothing tags and an inability to recognize color (Chang \u0026amp; Lee, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Alali reported that issues with color identification, sizing, prices, and care instructions were all obstacles to purchasing clothing, as all of those elements were visual cues or included in small tag text (Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). While the advent of the internet and the rise of online shopping eliminates some of the obstacles faced by VIBIs when purchasing clothing in stores, many VIBIs still prefer to shop in-store as they value the fit and feel of the garments, which requires them to be able to physically touch and try on the clothing items (Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Chang \u0026amp; Lee, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; William, Neylan, \u0026amp; Hurst, 2013). Thus, the inability to read clothing information from the provided clothing tags remains a significant problem for the VIBI community when purchasing clothing. Additionally, the identification of clothing items once purchased continues to be an issue, since the VIBIs must either rely on memorizing their wardrobe or must add braille tags that often fall off their clothing (Williams, Neylan, \u0026amp; Hurst, 2013; Xue, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). The primary concerns for post-purchase identification include being able to coordinate colors and patterns, as well as properly caring for the garments since the washing and care instructions are also inaccessible on the care tags (Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e; Williams, Neylan, \u0026amp; Hurst, 2013; Xue, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). These issues limit or prevent VIBIs from shopping for clothing independently, making it difficult for them to coordinate outfits and care for their clothing correctly at home. Since VIBIs are lacking satisfaction after completing the purchase, or associate the purchase of clothing with a risk of dissatisfaction due to having limited access to information on the clothing they are buying, they may be considered as a group of vulnerable customers.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e1.2. Existing solutions for VIBIs in the context of clothing selection and purchase\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile a variety of studies have proposed solutions to the problems VIBIs encounter during clothing selection and purchase, there have been few instances of the implementation of these solutions (Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Cho, et. al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Pina, et. al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Xue, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). S\u0026uuml;ller Zor and Vuruskan\u0026rsquo;s study on assistive technologies reported on currently available technology for VIBIs to comfortably shop on their own in stores. These technologies included an assistive clothing pattern recognition system, LCW Sense, that is in its prototype stage and can identify pattern categories and eleven colors, which is an application for VIBI to shop at the LCW store by scanning barcodes and reading out the information. Another example of this type of system is OrCam MyEye 2.0 which reads aloud or identifies visual information (S\u0026uuml;ller Zor \u0026amp; Vuruskan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). The study concluded that there were limited examples of research and affordable assistive technologies specifically for clothing related experiences like shopping and laundering (S\u0026uuml;ller Zor \u0026amp; Vuruskan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSome small brands have made efforts to provide solutions for VIBIs shopping for clothing, including Rugil\u0026egrave; Gumuliauskait\u0026egrave;, Two Blind Brothers, and Aille Design. These are all online businesses whose incorporation of braille do one or more of the following: identify garment design and fit, describe color, specify washing and care instructions, and take the place of graphic text. The biggest of these brands, Two Blind Brothers, focuses on raising awareness and money for a cure to blindness, which results in the designs and the utilization of braille being more about the novelty for sighted individuals than usability for VIBIs. To the best of our knowledge, no known brands are implementing physical in-store solutions for VIBIs at this time.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere are affordable options for pre-embossed metal or plastic tags, for instance, Reizen RL-350 Braille Labeler, which VIBIs could use after they purchase an item to label it for themselves. This would aid in identifying the object in their closet and could be marked with the color, pattern, and/or style of the garment. However, these tags are not a solution for in-store purchasing information, as they can be applied by the VIBIs only after the purchase.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the last 10 years, some assistive technologies have emerged that leverage computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to describe visual scenes and objects in real time. These include wearable devices such as Envision Glasses released in 2020 (Envision store, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) and smartphone applications such as Microsoft Seeing AI, released in 2017, Google Lookout, released in 2019, and Be My Eyes released in 2015 (Microsoft, 2023; Google, n.d.; Be My Eyes, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). While currently, the Envision glasses cost is \u003cspan\u003e$\u003c/span\u003e699 and may be beyond the reach of many VIBIs, AI-based tools are free of charge applications, and these tools can recognize printed and handwritten text, products and barcodes, money, faces, colors, and scenes, and then provide spoken descriptions or live visual assistance to the user. Despite their impact, these solutions remain non-tactile and depend on access to a device, connectivity (in many cases), and audio output. In this context, 3-D-printed braille and tactile symbols on clothing and tags should be understood as complementary to AI-based solutions, offering silent, always-available access to key garment information.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo our knowledge, 3-D printing on fabrics or paper tags regarding information accessibility for VIBIs has not been studied so far, as this is a relatively new technology (Stratasys, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, this study investigates if 3-D printed braille on fabric interests VIBIs, and if it does, then what type of information needs to be conveyed by the 3-D print to satisfy their needs; if it is not of interest to VIBIs, why not?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e1.3. VIBIs\u0026rsquo; Consumer Vulnerability and Empowerment Theory\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eConsumer Vulnerability Theory addresses the exclusion of certain consumer groups from equitable participation in the marketplace due to inherent disadvantages and barriers, both mental and physical (Baker, Gentry, \u0026amp; Rittenburg, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2005\u003c/span\u003e). Concurrently, Empowerment Theory (Zimmerman, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e; Nardo, Loi, Rosati, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e) emphasizes the rights of all consumers to autonomy and informed choice within market contexts. VIBIs represent a vulnerable consumer segment due to pervasive marketplace exclusions, particularly concerning accessible product information and independent purchasing decisions. Although some existing solutions for VIBIs are available, they are limited, do not offer a holistic, permanent solution readily available to VIBIs anytime they perform independent and in-person shopping for clothing.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite advancements in assistive technology, tactile communication strategies\u0026mdash;such as embossing or 3D-printed braille and tactile symbols - remain notably absent from mainstream apparel offerings. This omission underscores a significant gap in marketplace inclusivity, limiting the empowerment of VIBIs by perpetuating barriers to informed choice and independent consumer engagement. The absence of tactile accessibility features directly added to the clothing or the package may reflect economic viability concerns. The statistics from 2016 posted by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) indicate that only 15.7% of all VIBIs working-age adults in the US have attained a bachelor's degree or higher level of education (NFB, 2016). The percentage of VIBIs living below the poverty line is 27.7%. Thus, the financial status of VIBIs may significantly differ from that of sighted people. As of 2023, the unemployment rate among VIBIs adults is 47.7%, which is significantly higher than in the group of sighted individuals, which is about 4% (3.8% in 2023) in the general population (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). Also, the median annual earnings for VIBI adults approximate \u003cspan\u003e$\u003c/span\u003e38,500, considerably below their sighted counterparts (National Federation of the Blind, 2023). Such economic disparities may inadvertently discourage mainstream brands from investing in tactile innovations, as these consumers are often perceived as economically marginal and lacking sufficient purchasing power.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, emerging research emphasizes the overlooked market potential and consumer loyalty associated with inclusive innovations. Recent studies highlight the positive consumer responses when VIBIs encounter apparel products tailored to their specific needs, resulting in heightened brand loyalty and advocacy (Akter \u0026amp; Goncu-Berk, 2022; Williams \u0026amp; Rothenberg, 2022).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eAim of this study\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study aims to learn from VIBIs about their preferences regarding 3-D printed braille on clothing or clothing tags as a way to obtain information about the textile\u0026rsquo;s look, fiber content, size, color, pattern, and other information, such as country of origin or sustainability. This information can be important when a VIBI attempts to purchase an item of clothing, but it can be difficult to access if it is written on a small tag. The study\u0026rsquo;s focus is on 3-D printed braille; this does exclude those in the VIBI community who do not read braille, but the exact percentage of the VIBI population in the US who cannot read braille is unclear, with estimates ranging from 60\u0026ndash;90% (Sheffield, et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). While this study evaluates interest based on conceptual understanding, being the first phase, a second phase is underway in which participants will physically interact with 3D-printed braille and tactile symbol prototypes. This aims to bridge the sensory assumption gap and explore actual usability, not just perceived value.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"2. Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1. Institutional Review Board (IRB)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe researchers obtained approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Rhode Island (URI) to survey human subjects through a self-reported survey. Next, the researchers sent an email to support organizations for people with visual impairments or blindness and posted the information about the study at LinkedIn to spread the information about the survey. The email and information posted on LinkedIn contained a link to a Qualtrics survey titled Braille Clothing Information Survey. The survey was anonymous. When participants clicked on a provided link, they were presented with an IRB Exempt Consent Form, at the bottom of which they indicated if they have read and understood the consent, are 18 years old or older, and volunteer to participate in this study. If all of that was the case, they were requested to select 'continue' below to be taken to the survey. This action denoted their explicit consent to complete the study. Survey access was limited to VIBIs. There was no compensation offered for taking the survey.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2. Survey design\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e The Qualtrics survey aimed to be as accessible as possible for an online survey and passed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) (Qualtrics, n.d.), as tested by the Qualtrics software. In addition to passing the WCAG 2.0, several suggestions from a previous study (Kaczmirek \u0026amp; Wolff, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e) on accessible survey design were implemented, including numbering each question, assigning each answer a consecutive letter for each question, and providing information about the length of the survey. The survey was then tested by a text-to-speech browser extension in Chrome called Read\u0026amp;Write and was tested using Apple\u0026rsquo;s VoiceOver accessibility feature. Both tests of the survey using these text-to-speech tools were successful, and the survey was determined to be accessible.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe survey began with the demographic questions to ensure those taking the survey were self-identifying as a VIBI. After the demographic questions, a series of questions were asked on the clothing purchase and care habits of the VIBI participants. This section ended with a question about their interest in having braille clothing information printed on either their clothing or clothing tags. If a participant selected yes, they moved to the next section, which asked detailed questions about the braille clothing information. If a participant selected no, they were directed to the end of the survey, as their disinterest in braille clothing information would have made that section impractical for them to complete.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe survey design was intentionally simplified and limited to categorical (yes/no) responses to ensure full accessibility, ease of responding, and independence of VIBIs who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnifiers, or voice-navigation software. This simplified structure followed WCAG 2.0 and enabled participants to complete the survey without external assistance. A binary yes/no format was selected instead of continuous variables data collection to maintain accessibility and ease of navigation for assistive technologies, prioritizing clarity and participant independence over data depth at this early stage of the research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.3. Survey questions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt was hypothesized based on the previous studies (Kaufman, 2000; Macias \u0026amp; Rucker, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1979\u003c/span\u003e; Alali, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e; Pina, et. al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) that people with visual impairments or blindness may find it more difficult to purchase clothing because the information about the clothes is not readily available for them. They may also miss key information about the clothes like fiber content, washing instructions, or appearance. This research is designed to (1) determine if VIBIs are interested in clothing information being written in braille on the clothing or clothing tag and (2) determine what information would be the most helpful and/or desirable. The survey contained five demographic questions, six questions about their current clothing purchasing, clothing care, and clothing tag related experiences, and nine questions about specific preferences for information written in braille on clothing or clothing tags. The survey questions are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe demographic questions that were chosen targeted the areas of most interest to this study. At the time, we were not interested in economic status, education level, ethnicity, etc. The most obvious areas of interest were their self-identification as either blind or visually impaired, what age they became blind or visually impaired, and how old they were now, as an indication of how long they have been blind or visually impaired for. Gender was included, as it is often associated with different clothing purchasing and care habits (Koca \u0026amp; Koc, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e presents demographics of surveyed VIBIs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBraille clothing information survey questions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestion\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eType of the questions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhich gender do you identify with the most? (seven options)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDemographic\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat is your age? (seven age ranges, from 18 to over 75, plus prefer not to answer)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhich of the following best describes you? (e.g., blind, visually impaired)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWere you born visually impaired or blind? (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIf you were not born visually impaired or blind, at what age did you develop difficulty seeing? (eight age ranges, from 0 to over 80)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhich of the following best describes your clothing purchasing experience? (eight options, e.g., I purchase clothing by myself both in a store and online)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"5\" rowspan=\"6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCurrent clothing purchase and care experience\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen purchasing clothing, which of the following are you most concerned about? (six options, e.g., the fit of clothing, feel, look)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDo you wash your own clothes? (three options, e.g., Yes, but with assistance)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDo you add braille tags to label the colors or styles of your clothing? (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWould 3D printed braille on clothing or clothing tags that gives information about the clothing be helpful for you in purchasing clothing? (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in having braille on your clothing or clothing tags that gives you information about your clothing? (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWould you want the braille information about the clothing to be permanent (i.e. on the clothing itself or on an interior tag) or removable (i.e. on a removable, exterior tag)? (e.g., permanent, removable, both, either)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"8\" rowspan=\"9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBraille on clothing or clothing tags\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in having clothing's size written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in having clothing\u0026rsquo;s color or colors written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? For example: red, light brown, navy blue. (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in having clothing\u0026rsquo;s color or colors coded in another way in your clothing or clothing tag? For example: thermal color coding where warm colors like red feel warm to the touch. (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in having clothing\u0026rsquo;s pattern or patterns written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? For example: polka dots, stripes, floral. (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in having clothing\u0026rsquo;s fiber contents written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? For example: 50% wool and 50% cotton or 100% polyester. (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in having clothing\u0026rsquo;s country of origin written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? For example: Made in the USA. (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in having clothing\u0026rsquo;s washing and care instructions written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? (Yes or No)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre you interested in any other information about your clothing being written in braille on your clothing or clothing tag? If you do, list it below:\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1. Demographics of participants\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 23 participants completed the survey, but one finished early after indicating for question 11 that they did not have an interest in braille on clothing or clothing tags. The majority of participants were either between the ages of 35\u0026ndash;44 (26%) or 65\u0026ndash;74 (26%), female (65%), identified as blind (96%), and have been blind since birth (79%). The number of participants in this study reflects the inherent challenges of conducting research within a highly specific and underrepresented VIBI population who would want to actively engage with tactile clothing information systems.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDemographics of Participants (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;23).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLevels\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercentage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u0026ndash;24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25\u0026ndash;34\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e35\u0026ndash;44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45\u0026ndash;54\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e55\u0026ndash;64\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e65\u0026ndash;74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75+\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrefer Not to Answer\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e65%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrans-Male\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrans-Female\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNon-Binary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Listed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrefer Not to Answer\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVisual Disability Self-Identification\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlind\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVisually Impaired\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOther\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge When Visual Impairment Developed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt Birth\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e79%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u0026ndash;4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u0026ndash;9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u0026ndash;14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u0026ndash;18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u0026ndash;29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30\u0026ndash;49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u0026ndash;79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e80+\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Current clothing purchase and care experience\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMost of the participants reported needing and having help when purchasing clothing in store and/or online (87%). Several participants reported only needing assistance when shopping in store and would shop alone online (13%). Only three respondents reported not needing help with clothing purchasing (13%). When shopping for these clothing items, most participants reported that all listed features of clothing, such as feel, fit, look, and sustainability or ethicality of clothing are important to them when purchasing. Two participants reported that the feel was the most important clothing feature (9%), three participants reported that they were most concerned about the fit (13%), and one participant reported that the look of clothing was the most important to them (4%).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNine participants disclosed that they utilized do-it-yourself (DIY) braille tags after purchasing clothing to label them (39%), but 14 participants revealed that they did not use DIY braille tags (61%). The majority of respondents reported washing and caring for their clothing independently (83%). Two of the remaining participants reported that they washed their clothes with assistance (9%), and the other two disclosed that they relied entirely on others to wash their clothes (9%).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe majority of participants expressed interest in a concept of 3-D printed braille on either the clothing or clothing tags (96%). The one participant who did not report an interest in 3-D printed braille clothing information finished the survey at that stage, which counts for 4% of the surveyed VIBI population. Those who continued were asked if they would prefer the braille to be permanent (i.e. printed onto the clothing itself), removable (i.e. printed onto a tag), both, or either. The majority of respondents wanted permanent 3-D printed braille (41%), while only 18% wanted removable. Three participants expressed they would be content with either (14%), and six participants wanted both permanent and removable 3-D printed braille (27%).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Specific Braille Clothing Information Interests\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e96% of respondents expressed their interests in having information about the size of the clothing printed in braille when they purchase clothing (21 respondents). All of the respondents were interested in having a description of the color of the clothing printed in braille, although most of these individuals are blind since they were born and have not experienced color. Twenty participants reported interest in having information about the clothing patterns (91%). Fiber content (73%) and country of origin (59%) were of the least interest to respondents but were still of relatively high interest. Washing and care instructions were generally more interesting to those who already washed their clothing with an interest from 17 participants (77%), as presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe last question in the series of questions about the specifics of braille on clothing or clothing tags (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, question 20) asked for suggestions about what else can be added to the information printed on the removable tags or printed directly on textiles. Respondents suggested adding information on a brand name, clothing style, or what it may be a good match with.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Discussion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1 Braille literacy among\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe majority of individuals taking the survey were at the age of 35 and older. Since they were interested in braille on textiles or clothing tags, it is assumed that they can use this tactile writing system. It means they can benefit from the 3-D printing of braille information onto their clothing or clothing tags. We can only speculate that the younger generation of VIBIs, below 35, was not interested in the study since they may not know braille. The lower braille literacy among the younger generation was reported by the NFB, following the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) polls from each state for data on the number of legally blind children saying that there are 7.8% of braille readers among children from the elementary school through the age of 21. This is because they are not being taught it or do not have access to it. Thus, there is a braille literacy crisis in the US. Its causes are not the subject of this paper; however, the current low number of braille users may contribute to developing a universal symbol language for textiles and other everyday use products (e.g., CyR.U.S., a raised universal system; (CyR.U.S. System, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e)). Beyond braille, universal tactile symbols\u0026mdash;such as standardized icons, raised graphic shapes, and simplified tactile codes used in public accessibility signage \u0026mdash;offer a promising avenue for communicating garment attributes (e.g., size, color family, fabric type, care complexity) to both braille readers and non-braille readers. Adapting such symbol sets to textile substrates could support a more inclusive, multi-sensory garment information system that does not depend solely on braille literacy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2. VIBIs Clothing Information Needs\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of this study align with both older (Macias, P., \u0026amp; Rucker, M., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1979\u003c/span\u003e) and newer research (Xue, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) and demonstrates the need for VIBIs to receive information on the clothing they purchase, so they can make purchases that are informed and satisfactory. The fact that the current research conclusions show such similarity to the past research suggests that there were no significant changes or improvements over the last 45 years in how the information about the clothing is delivered to VIBIs during the purchase process. The current study indicates that the most critical features of clothing while purchasing remain unchanged for VIBIs; they are the color, size, and pattern of the clothes. VIBIs continue to experience difficulties learning about these key features when purchasing clothing, which shows that the issue of providing this fundamental information to VIBI customers has not been addressed. While in the store or purchasing online, respondents worry about the fit of clothing, how it feels, and how it looks, which is no different from what non-VIBIs are concerned about when they purchase their clothing (Chrimes et al., 2022). Although country of origin and fiber content information were of a lesser concern, many of the VIBIs taking the survey still wanted that information to be accessible to them via braille (13 and 16 individuals, respectively). From previous studies, we know that fiber content can be important for VIBIs, as it often indicates the comfort of the fabric or ease of caring for the clothing (Frency, Patrick, \u0026amp; May, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e; Xue, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). While the washing and care instructions are less important during the purchasing process, they are important in post-purchase circumstances and were marked as essential by 17 out of the 22 individuals surveyed. The remaining five surveyed individuals are those who need assistance with washing their clothes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticularly interesting are the answers to two questions concerning the color of clothing. To question 14 about conveying information about the color of clothing by braille printed on clothing or clothing tag, 100% of respondents said they were interested in receiving information about the color of the clothing when purchasing it. 79% of this population has been blind since they were born, so they may not perceive the color the way the non-VIBIs do. However, they must have been exposed to the concept of color through their education and when listening to auditory information. As a consequence, they have a need to match colors in their clothing. This is congruent with what one of the respondents suggested answering the final open question. This individual said that how the colors match between clothes they buy is also a piece of important information.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn addition to questions about an individual\u0026rsquo;s interest in braille clothing information, one question about interest in the conveyance of color through thermal coding was asked. The coding could utilize thermal color coding, where a warm color would feel warm to the touch, while a cool color would feel cold. This was a very theoretical question and was asked to evaluate interest in technologies outside of 3-D printed braille. Nine (41%) participants expressed an interest in color coding, while 13 (59%) were not interested in it. It is not clear why the respondents answered this way. One of the reasons for that could be the fact that the researchers did not provide any additional information about this technology. Another reason could be that color coding may be perceived as a novelty and, as such, may be considered expensive.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA key limitation of this phase-one study is that participants did not physically interact with 3D-printed braille or tactile prototypes; their responses reflect conceptual interest and anticipated usefulness rather than direct experience. Phase two of this research will therefore focus on hands-on testing of 3D-printed braille.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.3 Novel solutions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe survey brought the attention of VIBIs to an additive manufacturing technique of polymer deposition on the surface of textiles, called 3-D printing on fabrics. 3-D printing promises to be an attractive solution for designers, artists, engineers, and all textile users. One of the applications of this technique is printing braille directly on fabrics using photosensitive acrylic resins (Stratasys, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Xiao and Kan, 2020). This technique allows a permanent attachment to text written in braille (or any other symbol or design) on the surface of textiles or the tags attached to textiles. So far, the authors of this study have designed the text and symbols and had a third party 3-DP them on textile substrates as a proof of concept, as presented in Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e shows a white fabric with 3-D printed braille information and its alphanumeric translation. The alphanumeric characters were printed on the material for non-VIBIs and as a demonstration of the technique's capabilities. The alphanumeric characters text says \"white,\" \"small,\" \"100% cotton\", \"wash cold,\" and \"tumble dry low\" and is an example of a type of concise information about clothing that may be printed on a fabric or a clothing tag. \"White\" refers to the color of the fabric. \"Small\" refers to the size of the clothing. \"100% cotton\" refers to the raw material the fabric is made of. \"Wash cold\" indicates that the fabric should be washed in lower temperatures, usually not more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). \"Tumble dry low\" means that the material should be dried in the dryer on a low heat setting, usually not more than 50 degrees Celsius (around 122 degrees Fahrenheit). This fabric has not been shown to the respondents, yet they all expressed interest in this technique.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. Enlarged view of the 3-D printed braille on the fabric surface, showing seven braille domes - raised dots. This close-up illustrates the dot geometry, spacing, and height achieved on the textile, which are critical for tactile legibility. The design adheres to ADA guidance on braille dot dimensions and demonstrates the feasibility of integrating readable braille directly onto fabric using additive manufacturing. Authors\u0026rsquo; design and photography. .\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile the presented 3-D polyjet printing on fabrics using photosensitive acrylic resin is a relatively new development (Stratasys, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), it is worth mentioning that other known lower-cost techniques are available and have been widely applied on paper and textiles. For instance, thermography produces raised printing similar in appearance to engraving but using a different process for attaining the effect (Gregory, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). While they may not be able to generate a rounded dot for braille, they may be successfully used to print symbols.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study examines the accessibility gap in apparel information through the lens of visually impaired and blind individuals (VIBIs) consumer vulnerability, proposing 3D-printed tactile information as a means of restoring autonomy in clothing selection. VIBIs have difficulty making satisfactory clothing purchases due to an inability to read important clothing information from the tags or take visual cues from the clothing itself.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eWhen purchasing clothing independently, VIBIs are not provided with tactile information on clothing during the purchase process. Although the most critical features and information about clothing (fit, feel, look, size, color, pattern) for VIBIs have remained the same for at least the last 45 years, there has been no significant change in their accessibility to VIBIs, other then development of non-tactile information for selected, and unknown number of products. This means that the needs of VIBIs have yet to be met, and they continue and will continue to struggle to purchase satisfactory clothing, if they are not provided with the solution. The new technique of 3-D printing on textiles and/or clothing tags is of interest to VIBI. When braille is 3-D printed on textiles or clothing tags, it can convey information about their look, size, color, or pattern. However, since the VIBI population that is able to read braille continues to decline, other avenues, such as 3-D printing universal symbols on clothing and clothing tags, may be considered and developed to serve a broader population beyond VIBIs, in addition to AI-based applications. These results, while based on a small exploratory sample, indicate a persistent gap in accessible clothing information and highlight the potential of 3-D-printed tactile systems as one avenue for addressing it.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile there are no technical limitations to pursuing 3-D printing on textiles and clothing tags, other solutions, such as thermal color coding combined with 3-D printing, are only theoretical. Regardless, a small population of VIBIs are interested in this solution as a conveyor of information about textiles\u0026rsquo; color.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFuture work will explore the design and testing of universal tactile symbol systems, informed by existing tactile iconography and accessibility standards, to assess whether symbol-based communication on textiles can be rapidly learned and accurately interpreted by VIBIs who do not read braille as well as by sighted consumers.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eConflict of interest\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors have no conflict of interest to report.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eConceptualization: ICW, PBDraft: PBData collection: PBAnalysis: ICW, PBFinal text and revisions: ICW, PBFigures and tables: PB, ICWProject supervision: ICWFinal manuscript: ICW\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eN/A\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe manuscript presents original data collected for this study. 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Psychol. \u003cb\u003e23\u003c/b\u003e, 581\u0026ndash;599 (1995). \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1007/BF02506983\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1007/BF02506983\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Clothing accessibility, blind and visually impaired consumers, 3-D printing on textiles, 3-D printed braille, braille, clothing purchase","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8712448/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8712448/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThere are 1\u0026nbsp;billion visually impaired and blind individuals (VIBIs). Many are unable to complete satisfying clothing purchases independently and often face difficulties identifying or caring for their clothing after purchase. This initial research\u0026mdash;phase one\u0026mdash;surveyed VIBIs to learn about their clothing preferences, their interest in three-dimensional (3-D) printed braille conveying clothing information on a tag or the clothing itself, and what clothing information they would need or want to be 3-D printed. 96% of respondents reported an interest in 3-D printed braille on clothing or clothing tags as a source of clothing information, although samples of textiles with 3-D print were not presented during the study. While color and pattern were marked as the most important information to be included in braille 3-D print on fabric, participants also indicated interest in fiber content and care information. Future research\u0026mdash;phase two\u0026mdash;will involve presenting VIBIs with different textiles with various 3-D printed braille information.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Touching Choice: Clothing Accessibility for Blind and Visually Impaired Consumers- exploratory study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-29 16:42:06","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8712448/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"b48a37ec-51b7-47dd-8472-f0a78cfa57f5","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 29th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-26T13:41:59+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-29 16:42:06","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8712448","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8712448","identity":"rs-8712448","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}