Trouble sourcing suitable post-surgery clothing for her Dad motivated local woman start a business that serves those with limited movement
“Establishing a new business in the midst of recurring lockdowns is challenging,” said Murphy, founder of ComfortClothing, “trying to source suppliers, agree patterns, designs and quantities was all done via zoom or whatsapp, so it makes it even more special now that we finally launched the site in mid-June.
“Badly Needed”
Murphy explains: “The idea behind it is to make fashionable, practical and easy to get on and off clothes and useful accessories for people who may not have the same faculties as they once did (even temporarily), and to have them available from Ireland so there’s no 3 or 4 week delay. You can also pick up the phone and speak to someone about your needs so our service will be very personal”.
Murphy did her homework – one of the first people she reached out to was Prof. Niall Tubridy from St.Vincent’s Hospital. “I had read his book a few years ago and was fascinated by all the neurological issues that he sees” she says “so I googled him, sent him an email with my idea and was gobsmacked when he called me back a few weeks later to say he thought that it was ‘badly needed’ in Ireland. “I see people of all ages who have been diagnosed with MS, MND, Parkinson’s Disease and of course dementia. These people want to live their lives as independently as possible for as long as possible” said Tubridy.
She also reached out to people in MS Ireland who kindly asked their members what kind of products they would like to see more easily available. “It was then a case of sketching designs and trawling the internet to find suppliers that could offer a quality product – once I found two potential suppliers and began to see samples, things started to get exciting and real” says Murphy.
The clothes/items are designed and manufactured for:
- Ease of dressing (using velcro, magnets and zippers)
- Durable and washable in a regular wash so low maintenance
- With secret pockets built in for medication and /or personal alarm
- Fashionable, colourful, designs so people don’t feel confined to lounge wear in plain colours
- Weather /Season appropriate
- Affordable and Accessible online with transparent customer service
We would like to thank Dromana House & Gardens in Cappoquin for the use of their estate for the photoshoot.
Website will launch in mid-June : www.comfortclothing.ie
For more information, please contact
Monica Murphy 086 601 24 79
