Design an Adaptive Veshti for Parkinson's

Design a traditional South Indian veshti reimagined for people with Parkinson's.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

Getting dressed is something most of us do on autopilot. But for someone living with Parkinson's disease, a traditional garment that requires knotting, tucking, and precise pleating becomes an exhausting daily barrier.

In this project, you will design an adaptive veshti (a traditional South Indian men's garment) for people with Parkinson's. You will replace manual knots and pleats with velcro and magnetic closures while preserving the garment's cultural identity.

What You'll Build

A complete adaptive design package for a men's veshti reimagined for people with Parkinson's disease, including a user needs analysis, concept sketches, a technical flat illustration in Figma, and a mini tech pack.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

A completed user needs matrix that maps Parkinson's motor symptoms to the specific veshti dressing actions they disrupt.
A portfolio-ready technical flat in Figma showing your adaptive veshti with velcro and magnetic closure callouts.
A one-page mini tech pack specifying materials, key measurements, and construction details for your adaptive design.
Secret Mission: Design a caregiver-assist version with sequential dressing guides and grip features for assisted dressing.

Are there any prerequisites?

You should have basic fashion design knowledge and familiarity with garment construction terminology. You will also need a free Figma account and access to pen and paper for sketching.

Before We Start

Before We Start...

Map Parkinson's Symptoms to Veshti Dressing Actions

Great design starts with understanding the user, not the garment. Before sketching a single line, you need to know exactly which motor challenges make traditional veshti dressing difficult for someone with Parkinson's disease.

In this step, you will create a structured user needs matrix on paper. This matrix connects specific Parkinson's symptoms to the exact dressing actions they disrupt, giving you a clear design brief to work from in every step that follows.

In this step, get ready to:

Map four Parkinson's motor symptoms to veshti dressing barriers.
Rate each dressing action's difficulty level per symptom.
Write a design rationale statement summarizing the core problem.

Create your two-column symptom matrix

A user needs matrix is the foundation of any adaptive design project. It forces you to be specific about which disabilities affect which actions, preventing you from designing generic solutions that miss the real barriers.

Grab a sheet of paper and orient it in landscape (horizontal) position.
Draw a vertical line down the center to create two columns.
Label the left column Parkinson's Motor Symptom.
Label the right column Veshti Dressing Actions Disrupted.
In the left column, list these four primary motor symptoms, one per row:

Tremor (involuntary shaking, especially in the hands).
Rigidity (stiff muscles, reduced range of motion).
Bradykinesia (slowness of movement, requiring additional time for daily tasks).
Postural instability (poor balance, difficulty standing unsupported).

In the right column, write the specific dressing actions each symptom disrupts. Think about what each symptom makes physically difficult when wrapping a veshti.

What is a veshti?

A veshti is a South Indian men's garment worn in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It uses the vikaccha style, wrapped around the waist like a sarong and falling straight to the ankles.

Unlike the North Indian dhoti (which passes between the legs in a sakaccha style), the veshti's primary closure challenge is at the waist. It is a single unstitched rectangular piece of cloth, approximately 3.7 meters long, secured by tucking, knotting, and pleating.

Think about the hands

For the right column, focus on what the hands and arms must do during each part of dressing. Tremor disrupts precision tasks like knotting. Rigidity disrupts reaching behind the body. Map each symptom to its specific impact, not just a general "difficulty."

Document and rate the five critical dressing actions

Now that you have the symptoms mapped, you need to get specific about the dressing sequence. A traditional veshti involves five distinct physical actions, each requiring different motor skills.

Below your matrix, draw a grid with five rows (one per dressing action) and four columns (one per symptom).
Label each row with one of the five critical veshti dressing actions:

Holding the fabric horizontally behind the body.
Wrapping and aligning both ends at the front.
Tying the waist knot with correct tension.
Creating 4-5 evenly spaced pleats.
Tucking pleats securely into the waistband.

Label the four columns across the top: Tremor, Rigidity, Bradykinesia, Postural Instability.
In each cell, write a difficulty rating: High, Medium, or Low.
Consider what motor skill each action demands, then judge how severely each symptom disrupts that skill.

How should I decide the ratings?

Rate an action as High when the symptom makes it nearly impossible without assistance. Rate it Medium when it is still possible but takes much longer or requires multiple attempts. Rate it Low when the symptom has minimal impact on that particular action.

For example, "tying the waist knot" would rate High for tremor (shaking hands cannot hold thread tension) and High for bradykinesia (the multi-step knot sequence requires coordinated speed). It might rate Medium for rigidity (stiff wrists make looping harder but do not prevent it entirely).

Why does the Parkinson's Foundation recommend velcro?

The Parkinson's Foundation specifically recommends replacing buttons with velcro or magnetic closures for daily dressing. They also recommend dressing while seated and choosing elastic-waist garments.

These recommendations confirm the direction of our design. The traditional veshti violates all three principles: it requires standing balance, fine motor knotting, and has no elastic or closure system at all.

Your completed grid should reveal that actions 3, 4, and 5 (knotting, pleating, tucking) score High difficulty across most symptoms. These are the actions your adaptive design must eliminate.

Write your design rationale statement

A design rationale statement is a single paragraph that captures the core problem your design solves. It connects the user's condition to specific barriers and declares your design intent. This statement will guide every decision you make in the following steps.

On a new section of your paper (or a fresh sheet), write a one-paragraph statement using this structure:

Sentence 1: Name the specific motor skills the traditional veshti demands.
Sentence 2: State which Parkinson's symptoms disrupt those skills and how.
Sentence 3: Declare what your design will eliminate (specific barriers).
Sentence 4: Declare what your design will preserve (cultural and visual elements).

What should my rationale sound like?

Here is an example structure: "The traditional veshti requires precise knotting, bilateral hand coordination, and sustained standing balance. For a person with Parkinson's experiencing tremor and bradykinesia, these actions become exhausting or impossible without assistance. This design eliminates the waist knot, manual pleating, and fine tucking through velcro closures and pre-formed construction. It preserves the uninterrupted zari border, the draped silhouette, and the cultural dignity of the garment."

Your version should reference the specific findings from your own matrix. Use the symptom names and dressing actions you documented.

Write your design rationale statement. Refer to your matrix and rating grid as you write.
Read it back and check that every claim links to a specific symptom or dressing action from your matrix. Remove any vague language like "general difficulty" or "various challenges."

Cultural preservation is non-negotiable

Your rationale must explicitly commit to preserving visual authenticity. The adaptive veshti should look identical to a traditional veshti when worn. All adaptive features should be internal or hidden. The zari border must remain visible and uninterrupted. This is what separates dignified adaptive design from clinical-looking assistive wear.

✔️ Awesome, I've got everything!

Great. Double check that your paper has all three components: the two-column symptom matrix, the five-row difficulty rating grid, and your one-paragraph design rationale statement.

ⓧ I'd like to double check my work

Here is what your completed artifacts should include:

Your two-column matrix should have four rows in the left column (tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, postural instability) with corresponding disrupted dressing actions in the right column.

Your difficulty rating grid should have five rows (holding fabric horizontally, wrapping and aligning ends, tying waist knot, creating 4-5 pleats, tucking pleats into waistband) and four columns (one per symptom). Each cell contains a High, Medium, or Low rating.

Your design rationale should be one paragraph that identifies the motor skills required, names the Parkinson's symptoms that disrupt them, declares what barriers your design eliminates, and commits to preserving cultural and visual authenticity (especially the zari border and draped silhouette).

You now have a clear picture of exactly which motor actions your design must replace. Next up, you will sketch three different concepts that solve these barriers in different ways.

Sketch Adaptive Closure Concepts

Your user needs matrix clearly shows which dressing actions are most problematic for each Parkinson's symptom. Now it is time to generate solutions.

In this step, you will rapidly sketch three different closure concepts on paper. Each concept takes a fundamentally different approach to eliminating the knot, pleat, and tuck actions that your matrix identified as high-difficulty barriers.

In this step, get ready to:

Sketch Concept A, a pre-pleated wrap with a hidden velcro waistband panel.
Sketch Concept B, a step-in tubular construction with magnetic side closure.
Sketch Concept C, a hybrid wrap-around with multiple velcro anchor points.

Sketch Concept A: Pre-Pleated Wrap

This first concept eliminates both pleating and knotting in a single design move. The pleats are permanently stitched into the fabric, and the entire closure relies on a wide velcro panel hidden inside the waistband.

Grab a fresh sheet of paper and draw the veshti in its "worn" position, hanging from the waist to the ankles.
Draw 4-5 vertical pleat lines at the center-front of the garment to indicate permanently stitched pleats.
Sketch a wide rectangular panel (approximately 15-20cm) on the inside of the waistband area, spanning the overlap zone.
Label the panel "sew-on velcro, hook side" on one layer and "loop side" on the opposing layer.
Draw an arrow showing the wrap direction (right to left, following traditional draping).
Annotate the sketch with: "Wearer wraps and presses to close. No knotting or pleating required."
Draw the zari border along the bottom hem to confirm it remains visible and uninterrupted.

Why velcro for the primary closure?

Velcro works well for large closure areas because exact alignment is not needed. A person with tremor can press anywhere within the 15-20cm panel and achieve a secure closure.

Snaps require too much precision for Parkinson's users. Magnetic closures work for point closures but may not hold the weight of heavier silk fabric across a wide area.

Sketch Concept B: Step-In Lungi Style

This concept takes a completely different structural approach. Instead of wrapping, the garment becomes a tube that the wearer steps into. A vertical magnetic closure strip at the side allows the tube to open flat for easier entry.

On a new sheet of paper, draw the garment as a tubular shape (like a cylinder) open at the top and bottom.
Draw a vertical dashed line from waist to hem on the left side to indicate the magnetic closure strip opening.
Label the dashed line "magnetic closure strip (neodymium disc magnets, 15mm diameter, sewn into fabric pockets)."
Sketch a 25mm elastic waistband at the top of the garment, labelling it "woven elastic, 25mm."
Draw pre-formed pleat lines at the center-front and annotate them as "tack-stitched at waistband only."
Add an annotation explaining the dressing action: "Wearer steps in, pulls up, magnetic strip self-aligns at side."
Draw the zari border running uninterrupted along the bottom hem.

What are magnetic closures good for?

Magnetic closures require only proximity, not precision. The magnets auto-align when brought close together, making them ideal for users with bradykinesia (slowness of movement) who need extra time to complete actions.

Important limitation: magnetic closures are contraindicated for wearers with pacemakers or defibrillators. Your tech pack will need to flag this and offer a velcro alternative.

Sketch Concept C: Hybrid Wrap with Anchor Points

This concept preserves the traditional wrap-around motion but breaks it into simpler stages. Internal anchor points replace the initial tuck and final knot, so the wearer still wraps but never needs to tie or hold fabric taut.

On a new sheet of paper, draw the veshti in its "worn" position, showing the wrap overlap at the front.
Mark closure point 1 at the right hip with a small rectangle. Label it "Velcro tab - holds first layer in place (replaces initial tuck)."
Mark closure point 2 at the center-front with a larger rectangle. Label it "Velcro panel - secures wrapped outer layer (replaces waist knot)."
Draw tack-stitched pleat lines at the center-front, noting "decorative pleats, tack-stitched at waistband only."
Draw the zari border along the bottom edge, confirming it remains visible and uninterrupted across the wrap overlap.
Add an annotation for closure point 3 if your design uses one (some hybrid designs add a small internal hook at the left hip for extra security).
Write the dressing sequence alongside: "1. Anchor right hip tab. 2. Wrap left. 3. Press center-front panel closed."

Why preserve the wrap motion at all?

The wrap-around motion is part of the cultural ritual of wearing a veshti. For users whose rigidity and tremor are mild to moderate, this concept lets them maintain familiar movements while removing the precision-dependent actions (knotting, tucking, holding fabric taut).

This matters for the garment's visual authenticity. When worn, the Hybrid Wrap looks closest to a traditional veshti because the fabric still drapes in its natural wrap pattern.

Keep your sketches rough

These concept sketches are about communicating ideas, not artistic perfection. Stick figures wearing the garment are perfectly fine. The annotations and labels are what matter most at this stage.

You now have three distinct approaches to the same problem. Next up, you will evaluate each concept against real-world criteria and refine your strongest design into a detailed, measurement-ready sketch.

Select and Refine Your Best Concept

You now have three distinct concepts on paper, each tackling the veshti's dressing barriers from a different angle.

Not every concept solves every problem equally well. In this step, you'll evaluate your sketches against real user needs to find the strongest candidate, then refine it into a detailed design ready for Figma.

In this step, get ready to:

Score all three concepts against four evaluation criteria.
Select your strongest concept and create a refined sketch with measurements.
Annotate your refined sketch with design callouts linked to Parkinson's symptoms.

Evaluate your three concepts against four criteria

A structured evaluation prevents you from picking a concept just because it looks good on paper. You need to test each idea against the real constraints your user faces.

Draw a grid on a fresh sheet of paper with three columns (one per concept) and four rows (one per criterion).
Label your four criteria rows:

Ease of donning with tremors - Can someone with shaking hands close this garment without precise finger control?
Visual authenticity - Does the garment look like a traditional veshti when worn, with the zari border uninterrupted?
Fabric compatibility - Does the construction work with both cotton (daily wear) and silk (ceremonies)?
Caregiver accessibility - Can someone else help dress the wearer easily using this design?

Score each concept 1-5 on each criterion, where 1 means the concept performs poorly and 5 means it excels.
Add up the totals for each concept at the bottom of the column.

How do I score these fairly?

Think about each criterion from the user's perspective. For "ease of donning with tremors," consider whether the closure requires precise hand placement or just proximity. Velcro works well here because exact alignment is not needed.

For "visual authenticity," look at whether the zari border remains visible and continuous, and whether the garment silhouette matches a traditional veshti when viewed from the outside.

Consider fabric weight in your scoring

Silk veshtis are heavier than cotton ones. Magnetic closures may not hold heavy silk fabric securely, which could affect your fabric compatibility score for Concept B. Velcro handles weight differences better because the closure area can be made wider.

Create a refined sketch of your selected concept

Your rough concept sketch captured the idea. Now you need a refined version with enough detail to translate directly into a technical flat in Figma.

Select the concept with the highest total score from your evaluation grid.
Take a fresh sheet of paper and divide it into two halves: left side for the "closed/worn" view and right side for the "open/flat" view.
Draw the closed/worn view showing the garment as it looks on the body, sitting at the natural waist and falling to the ankle (approximately 100-110cm total length depending on height).
Include the zari border position along the bottom hem edge.
Indicate the direction of wrap with an arrow.
Draw the open/flat view showing the garment laid flat with all closure positions clearly marked.
Add specific measurements to your sketch: velcro panel width (e.g., 18cm), total garment length, waistband height, and pleat spacing.

Why include both a worn view and a flat view?

The worn view shows what the garment looks like to the outside world. It proves your design preserves the traditional veshti appearance.

The flat view reveals the construction, showing where closures sit and how pieces overlap. Both views will carry directly into your Figma technical flat in the next step.

Annotate with design callouts linking features to symptoms

Every adaptive feature in your design exists for a reason. Your callouts make that reasoning visible, connecting each design choice to the specific motor challenge it solves.

Draw leader lines from each adaptive feature on your refined sketch to a blank area at the side of the page.
Write at least four callouts, each following this structure: feature name and dimension, then the specific Parkinson's symptom it addresses, then how it helps.

Here are examples of well-written callouts:

"Wide velcro panel (18cm) - accommodates imprecise hand placement due to tremor."
"Pre-stitched pleats - eliminates the fine finger dexterity needed for folding, addressing bradykinesia and tremor."
"Magnetic snap at hip anchor point - requires only proximity, not precision, addressing bradykinesia."
"Wrap-and-press closure - eliminates overhead reaching, accommodating rigidity and limited range of motion."

Refer back to your user needs matrix from Step 1 to ensure each callout maps to a documented symptom-action pair.
If your design uses magnets, add a note: "Magnet alternative: substitute 20mm sew-on velcro for wearers with pacemakers or implanted devices."

Why the pacemaker warning matters

Magnetic closures can interfere with implantable cardiac devices like pacemakers and defibrillators. Since Parkinson's primarily affects older adults who may also have cardiac conditions, noting a velcro alternative is not optional. It is a safety requirement for inclusive design.

Two concepts scored the same?

If you have a tie, weight the "ease of donning with tremors" criterion more heavily. This is the primary user need. A design that scores 5 on visual authenticity but 2 on ease of donning has failed its core purpose.

You can also combine elements from two concepts in your refined sketch, as long as you document why each element was chosen.

Help me break the tie between my concepts.

Your refined sketch with measurements and callouts is now your design blueprint. Next up, you'll translate this paper sketch into a polished technical flat in Figma.

Create the Technical Flat in Figma

You have a refined concept sketch with annotated adaptive features, specific measurements, and a clear design rationale.

Now it is time to translate that hand-drawn sketch into a professional technical flat in Figma. A technical flat is the industry-standard drawing that communicates your garment's exact construction to a manufacturer. It strips away styling and shows only the lines, seams, and features needed to build the garment.

In this step, get ready to:

Set up an A3 landscape frame in Figma with a title block and three drawing sections.
Draw front and back technical flats using consistent stroke weights for outlines, construction lines, and hidden features.
Add callouts, annotations, a legend, and a flat/open view inset showing velcro positions.

Set up your Figma file with an A3 frame and title block

A well-structured Figma file makes your technical flat easy to read and professional enough for a portfolio or manufacturer presentation. You will divide the canvas into clear zones so each view has room to breathe.

Open Figma in your browser or desktop app.
Create a new design file by clicking New design file from your Figma home screen.
Press F on your keyboard to activate the Frame tool.
In the right-side Design panel, set the frame width to 420 and height to 297 (this is A3 landscape in millimeters).
Select the Text tool by pressing T on your keyboard.
Click in the top-left corner of your frame and type your title block information: garment name (Adaptive Veshti), your name, today's date, and v1.0 as the version number.
Choose a clean sans-serif font such as Inter or Roboto from the font dropdown in the Design panel. Use this font for all labels throughout the file.

Now divide your frame into three sections to organize the technical flat views.

Use the Line tool (press L) to draw two vertical divider lines, splitting the frame into three equal columns.
Label each section at the top using the Text tool: FRONT VIEW (left third), BACK VIEW (center third), and DETAILS & CALLOUTS (right third).
Set the divider lines to a light gray stroke (e.g., #CCCCCC) so they guide layout without overpowering the garment drawings.

What is a technical flat?

A technical flat (also called a flat sketch or working drawing) shows a garment as if laid flat on a table, with no body inside it. It communicates proportions, construction details, and feature placement without artistic interpretation.

Manufacturers and pattern makers rely on these drawings to understand exactly how to construct the garment. Every line has a purpose.

Use Figma's ruler guides

Drag from the left ruler to place vertical guides at the one-third and two-third marks. These snap lines help you keep your drawings centered within each section as you work.

Draw the front and back technical flats

Your refined sketch is the reference for these drawings. You are translating it into clean, vector-based line art that uses industry-standard stroke conventions to communicate different types of construction information.

Select the Pen tool by pressing P on your keyboard.
In the FRONT VIEW section, draw the outer silhouette of the veshti as it appears when worn. Start at the waistline and trace down to the hem on both sides.
Set the outer silhouette stroke weight to 2pt in the Stroke section of the Design panel. This is your primary outline weight.
Draw the waistline as a horizontal line across the top of the garment shape.
Add the hem line at the bottom edge of the garment.
Draw the pleat lines at the center-front. Use 0.5pt stroke weight for these construction lines. Even though the pleats are pre-stitched in your adaptive design, they should still be visually indicated to show where they sit.
Draw the zari border along the bottom hem edge. Use a slightly thicker line (1pt) or a double line to indicate the decorative border width.
Indicate the wrap overlap direction with a small arrow or overlap line showing which layer sits on top.

Now add the hidden features using dashed lines.

Select the line or shape representing your internal velcro panel.
In the Stroke settings, click the three dots (...) to expand advanced options.
Change the Dash value to 4 and the Gap value to 4 to create a dashed line style. Use this for all hidden/internal features like velcro panels, magnetic closures, and reinforcement areas.

Repeat the process for your back view in the center section of the frame.

Draw the back silhouette in the BACK VIEW section using the same 2pt outline weight.
Include the waistline, hem, zari border, and any back-facing closure features (such as the continuation of the velcro panel or waistband elastic).
Use dashed lines for any internal features visible from the back view.

Why three different stroke weights?

In technical flats, stroke weight communicates construction hierarchy. A 1-2pt outline defines the garment's outer shape. A 0.5pt line shows internal construction (seams, pleats, topstitching). A dashed line indicates hidden features that sit beneath the outer layer.

A pattern maker reading your flat knows immediately whether a line is a cut edge, a fold, or something hidden. This convention saves back-and-forth questions during production.

Lines looking uneven or wobbly?

Hold Shift while drawing with the Pen tool to constrain lines to 45-degree angles. For the waistline and hem, use the Rectangle tool (R) with no fill and only a stroke for perfectly straight horizontal lines.

Help me draw clean technical flat lines in Figma for a garment.

Add callouts, a legend, and a flat/open view inset

A technical flat without annotations is just a picture. Callouts turn it into a specification document that tells a manufacturer exactly what materials to use, where to place them, and why each feature exists.

Select the Line tool (L) and draw a leader line from your first adaptive feature (e.g., the velcro waistband panel) outward toward the DETAILS & CALLOUTS section on the right.
At the end of the leader line, use the Text tool to add a callout with three lines of information:

Line 1: Feature name (e.g., Wide Velcro Waist Panel).
Line 2: Material/component specification (e.g., 20mm sew-on velcro, hook side).
Line 3: User benefit (e.g., eliminates waist knot).

Repeat this process for every adaptive feature in your design. You should have at least four callouts, matching the annotations on your refined paper sketch.
Keep all leader lines at 0.5pt stroke weight so they do not compete visually with the garment outlines.

Now add a legend that distinguishes visible features from hidden ones.

In the bottom-right corner of the DETAILS & CALLOUTS section, draw a small legend box using the Rectangle tool.
Inside the legend, draw a short solid line labeled Visible feature and a short dashed line labeled Hidden/internal feature.
Optionally add a third line style for Construction line (fold/pleat) using your 0.5pt solid weight.

Finally, add a flat/open view inset that shows the garment unfolded with velcro positions marked.

In the remaining space of the DETAILS & CALLOUTS section, draw a smaller-scale rectangle representing the veshti laid completely flat (approximately the rectangular shape of the unstitched fabric).
Mark the velcro positions on this flat view using dashed rectangles. Label them with HOOK and LOOP to indicate which side of the velcro goes where.
Add a label above this inset: FLAT/OPEN VIEW.
Indicate the wrap direction with an arrow showing how the fabric folds around the body from this flat state.

Why include a flat/open view?

The front and back views show how the garment looks when worn. The flat/open view shows how it is constructed before assembly. A manufacturer needs both perspectives to understand where to attach closures, how the fabric wraps, and which surfaces the hook vs. loop velcro sides attach to.

Keep callout text hierarchy clear

Use bold or a slightly larger font size for the feature name (line 1), regular weight for the specification (line 2), and italic for the user benefit (line 3). This visual hierarchy helps a reader scan your drawing quickly.

Callout lines overlapping or cluttering the drawing?

If leader lines cross each other, stagger them at different angles. Route lines around the garment shape rather than through it. You can also group callout text and leader lines together (select both, then press Cmd+G on macOS or Ctrl+G on Windows) so you can reposition them as a unit.

Help me organize my callout annotations in Figma.

Your technical flat is complete. You now have a professional illustration that communicates both the traditional appearance and the adaptive engineering of your veshti. Next up, you will build a mini tech pack that specifies the exact materials, measurements, and construction details a manufacturer would need to produce this garment.

Build the Mini Tech Pack

Your technical flat is complete. You now have a polished illustration showing exactly what your adaptive veshti looks like from the front, back, and laid flat.

A technical flat tells a manufacturer what the garment looks like, but it does not tell them how to make it. That is the job of a tech pack. In this step, you will build a one-page mini tech pack that specifies materials, measurements, and construction methods so a factory could produce your adaptive veshti.

In this step, get ready to:

Create a Bill of Materials (BOM) listing every component needed to produce the garment.
Define key measurements and a Points of Measure (POM) diagram.
Write construction notes linking each sewing method to a Parkinson's user need.

Create the Bill of Materials (BOM)

The BOM is the shopping list for your garment. It tells a manufacturer every material, component, and fastener they need to source before production begins.

In Figma, create a new frame by pressing F on your keyboard.
In the right panel under Frame, set the dimensions to 210x297mm (A4 portrait).
Rename the frame to Mini Tech Pack by double-clicking its name in the left Layers panel.
Add a heading at the top of the frame using the Text tool (press T). Type BILL OF MATERIALS (BOM).

Below your BOM heading, create a text block listing the following materials. Use a clean sans-serif font and keep each item on its own line.

List the shell fabric: cotton, 90-100 GSM, white/cream with zari border.
List the velcro: sew-on type, 20mm width. Specify hook side and loop side as separate line items so a factory knows the quantity of each.
List elastic: 25mm woven elastic for waistband (if your chosen concept uses it).
List thread: cotton, matching shell fabric colour.
List magnetic closures (if used): neodymium disc magnets, 15mm diameter, sewn into fabric pockets.

Pacemaker safety note

Neodymium magnets can interfere with pacemakers and implantable defibrillators. Add a clear note on your BOM that reads: "Magnets contraindicated for wearers with implanted cardiac devices. Substitute with additional velcro closure panel."

This safety callout is not optional. Any real tech pack with magnetic closures must include this warning.

Add the pacemaker warning and velcro alternative note directly below the magnets line item in your BOM.

Why list hook and loop sides separately?

The hook side (rough, scratchy) and loop side (soft, fuzzy) of velcro are manufactured separately and often purchased in different quantities. Your adaptive veshti may need a wider loop-side panel on the body and a narrower hook-side strip on the overlapping flap.

Specifying them separately prevents a factory from ordering equal amounts and running short on one side.

Add key measurements and a POM diagram

The Points of Measure (POM) section tells a factory exactly where to measure and what dimensions to hit. Without this, two different factories could produce garments with completely different fits from the same flat drawing.

Below your BOM section, add a new text heading: KEY MEASUREMENTS / POM.
Create a text block listing each measurement on its own line:

Total length (waist to ankle): 100-110cm depending on wearer height.
Waist circumference: measured value plus 5cm ease.
Hip circumference.
Velcro panel width.
Velcro panel vertical height.
Pleat depth and spacing.
Zari border width.

Below the measurements list, add a size range note: S / M / L / XL with waist circumference as the primary grading variable.
Use Figma's shape and line tools to draw a simple POM diagram next to the measurements list. This is a basic outline of the garment with numbered arrows pointing to where each measurement is taken.
Number each arrow (1, 2, 3...) and match the numbers to your measurements list so a pattern maker can see exactly where to place the tape.

Keep the POM diagram simple

Your POM diagram does not need to be a detailed illustration. A basic rectangular silhouette with labelled arrows is standard in the industry. The purpose is clarity, not beauty.

Why 5cm ease at the waist?

Ease is extra room built into a garment beyond the body measurement. For an adaptive veshti, 5cm of ease at the waist means the velcro panel overlaps generously. This accommodates imprecise hand placement caused by tremor and allows the garment to be donned without pulling fabric taut against the body.

Add construction notes and a Design Rationale box

Construction notes tell a factory how to sew the garment. For an adaptive garment, every sewing method should trace back to a user need. This section makes that connection explicit.

Add a new heading below your POM section: CONSTRUCTION NOTES.
List the following construction specifications, each on its own line:

Seam type: flat-felled seams throughout. This eliminates exposed seam allowances that can irritate sensitive skin.
Hem finish: rolled hem to preserve the traditional drape and appearance of the veshti edge.
Velcro attachment: double-stitched box pattern (stitching in a rectangle with an X through the center). This prevents the velcro from peeling away under repeated stress.
Pleat construction: tack-stitched at waistband only. Below the waistband, fabric drapes naturally to maintain the traditional silhouette.
Reinforcement: add extra bartack stitching at all closure stress points (where velcro meets fabric edge, where wrap layer overlaps).

Below your construction notes, draw a rectangular box using the Rectangle tool (press R). Give it a light fill colour to visually distinguish it.
Add a heading inside the box: DESIGN RATIONALE.
Inside the box, write 4-5 bullet points connecting each construction choice to the specific Parkinson's symptom it addresses.

Your Design Rationale entries should follow this format: construction choice, then the user need it solves.

Example: "Flat-felled seams: smooth interior prevents skin irritation during prolonged wear (rigidity limits the wearer's ability to adjust an uncomfortable garment)."
Example: "Tack-stitched pleats: eliminates the fine motor task of creating pleats by hand (tremor and bradykinesia make repetitive folding impossible)."
Example: "Wide velcro panel with box-stitch attachment: allows imprecise closure that still holds securely (tremor causes inaccurate hand placement)."
Example: "Rolled hem: maintains traditional visual appearance so the garment preserves cultural dignity."

Why flat-felled seams instead of overlocked edges?

Flat-felled seams enclose raw edges completely inside two folds of fabric. The result is a perfectly smooth interior with no ridges against the skin. This matters because a person with Parkinson's rigidity may struggle to reach down and adjust fabric that bunches or irritates.

Overlocked (serged) edges are faster to produce but leave a small ridge. For adaptive clothing where comfort is a functional requirement, flat-felled is the standard.

Review your completed tech pack frame. Confirm that all three sections (BOM, Key Measurements, Construction Notes) are present and legible.
Check that the Design Rationale box has at least four entries linking construction methods to Parkinson's symptoms.
Verify that the pacemaker safety note appears next to the magnets entry in your BOM.

Text too small or overlapping?

A4 frames in Figma can feel cramped. If your sections overlap, try reducing your font size to 8-10pt for body text and 12pt for section headings. You can also use Figma's Auto Layout feature (select elements and press Shift+A) to automatically space items evenly.

Help me fit all my tech pack sections into one A4 page in Figma without overlapping

Secret mission

Design the Caregiver-Assist Version

Many people with advanced Parkinson's rely on caregivers for dressing. Can you redesign your adaptive veshti with sequential guides, grip features, and a seated-dressing configuration that makes assisted dressing intuitive for any caregiver?

Clean Up Your Resources

This project uses pen and paper and Figma's free plan, so there are no ongoing costs. Decide whether to keep your design files organized for portfolio use, archive them for later, or remove them entirely.

Resources you used:

User needs matrix (pen and paper).
Concept sketches A, B, and C (pen and paper).
Refined concept sketch with annotations (pen and paper).
Figma file with technical flat (front and back views with callouts).
Figma file with mini tech pack (BOM, measurements, construction notes).
Design rationale statement.

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you plan to develop this design further, build a physical prototype, or use these files in your portfolio.

Keep your Figma files in a dedicated project folder for easy access.
Store your paper sketches in a portfolio sleeve or scan them for digital backup.
Consider renaming your Figma files with a clear naming convention (e.g., "Adaptive-Veshti-TechFlat-v1").

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Archive your work so you can pick it up again without clutter in your active workspace.

In Figma, move your design files into an archived project or folder.
Scan or photograph your paper sketches and save them in a cloud folder (Google Drive, iCloud, etc.).
Take a photo of your user needs matrix for reference.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Remove all project files if you do not plan to revisit this design.

In Figma, delete the technical flat file and the mini tech pack file from your workspace.
Recycle your paper sketches and user needs matrix.
Delete any scanned copies or digital backups you created during the project.

Nice Work!

You just designed an adaptive garment that addresses a genuine unmet need in the market. Your adaptive veshti design package demonstrates how fashion design can solve real accessibility problems for people with Parkinson's disease.

What you learned:

Mapped Parkinson's motor symptoms to specific dressing barriers with a traditional South Indian garment, creating a user needs matrix that drives every design decision.
Created a portfolio-ready technical flat in Figma with professional callouts connecting each adaptive feature to a real user need.
Produced a mini tech pack with a bill of materials, key measurements, and construction specifications ready for a manufacturer.
Designed a caregiver-assist version with color-coded sequential guides and grip features for assisted dressing.

This design package could be presented to a manufacturer, submitted as a portfolio piece, or used as the foundation for a prototype. The adaptive South Indian garment market is essentially untouched. You now have a head start.

Ready to quiz yourself?