We will all experience disability at some point in our lives. Today, 60 million adults in the US live with a disability. That’s 1 in 4!

Degree, the world’s #1 deodorant, has an inclusive purpose – “To inspire confidence in everyone to move more”. A deodorant may seem like a trivial, mundane thing. Until you can’t open the cap, press down on the aerosol or apply it. Imagine the importance of deodorant for your confidence. Then imagine you are sweating more, because you are in a wheelchair. Finally, consider the neuroscience research that shows that being excluded hurts people just as much as physically being hit.

That’s why inclusive design is so important. We believe that people with disabilities affecting their arms and/or vision should be able to take care of?their?hygiene needs independently.

Degree Inclusive is revolutionizing design to make more products accessible for EVERYONE.?

We believe products reflect the people who create them. Our motto is “build with, not for”.

Our team was an international, diverse and multi-disciplinary team, including a disabled inclusive designer, an engineer, occupational therapists, psychologists, disabled consultants all with the same belief that inequality is something that is designed.

The disabled community told us that fear of sweating – and body odor - sometimes held them back from going out or doing things they wanted. Being able to use deodorant was essential for confidence.

We identified the major challenges as grasping, opening, closing, application motions and tactile perceptibility.

We worked from these insights in an agile way, 3D modeled the design iterations and printed in-house so we could quickly distribute for rapid feedback during COVID. Three rounds of iterations gave us the design for Degree Inclusive, a deodorant that’s easier to identify, handle, open, close and apply.

A specially designed bottle that allows people with disabilities to apply deodorant easily themselves. The design addresses most mobility and functional diversity needs through a new size, form and features integrating magnetic components, ergonomic openings and a hook. It is also designed to be easier for people with vision impairment, with its recognizable shape and braille tagging and auditory cues through magnets.

Innovative design elements include:

- MAGNETIC CAP for easier opening and closing for users with limited muscle strength and allowing for auditory confirmation for visually impaired users.

- LARGER ROLLERBALL to cover more surface area in one swipe as additional movement is difficult for people with disabilities.

- HOOK design for easier handling (the hook can be hung for opening with one hand).

- EMBOSSED LOGO for the visually impaired.

- Bottom GRIP that requires limited to no finger movement.

- REFILLABLE design to reduce plastic consumption.

As GLAMOUR put it "Degree just made history by announcing the world's first adaptive deodorant".

The launch reached 2 billion earned impressions in just 12 days, and hit major news media across US and Europe like Good Morning America, Wall Street Journal, ABC News, Fast Company, ELLE, Allure, Glamour, Daily Mail and The Independent.

The disabled community responded in droves - testament to just how ground-breaking this launch is. An example of one of the powerful messages of hope and celebration:

“OMG! Every single day that I put on deodorant I think about how hard it is to get off the cap and how they could make it so much easier!”

Most importantly, thanks to Degree Inclusive, the work to make more personal care products accessible and inclusive has now begun in both Haircare and Skincare categories.