Innovative clothing for injured service personnel
Case study from Staffordshire-based Rackety’s Ltd who pitched their ideas at the CDE Marketplace on 5 February 2015.
Rackety’s Ltd received funding to develop innovative clothing for wounded soldiers. Rackety’s, a micro-business based in Leek, Staffordshire set up in 2004, is a supplier of clothing for children and adults with disabilities. However, following funding from CDE, Rackety’s Care Ltd was established in 2014 to specialise in garments for rehabilitation and recovery.
The Richmond Trouser, named after Colonel David Richmond CBE, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was developed and user tested for wearing over external orthopaedic fixators used to hold bones in place during rehabilitation. External fixators are very uncomfortable for the user and need to be worn for long periods of time. The trousers are designed to help the comfort and dignity of the user during the long recovery period.
Annabel McMahon, Founder, Rackety’s Care says:
The funding and support we have received from Dstl and CDE has added a level of credibility, academic reporting and access within the Ministry of Defence that would have been impossible for a micro business like ours. We now hope to commercialise the garment for use in military and civilian markets globally and are looking to expand the portfolio of products to include ‘smart technology’ to assist with the rehabilitation of amputees and burns patients.
The company hopes to find partners to develop existing products to a commercial level and grow the range of products for rehabilitation using the latest electronic technology.
Centre for Defence Enterprise
Building R103
Fermi Avenue
Harwell Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX11 0QX
Please email for the quickest response.
Last updated 25 February 2015 + show all updates
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Video added - Rackety's at CDE Marketplace
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Pitch presentation slides added.
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First published.