UAE couple launches sock brand to support children with additional needs

Wade and Estelle Loehmer launched a sock brand in the UAE to fund a community initiative for families of children with additional needs.

The couple moved to the UAE from South Africa 11 years ago. After learning their son Eli had Down syndrome during pregnancy, they received significant support from local doctors, teachers, and other families.

This experience inspired them to create Included & Perfectly Different, a community group that organizes gatherings and invites specialists to support parents navigating similar journeys. The couple established Perfectly Different Socks to make their community initiative financially sustainable. The brand turns children's drawings into wearable sock designs, giving young artists a platform to showcase their creativity. Each pair of socks features the name and story of the child who created the artwork.

The brand gained visibility through a partnership with ASICS Middle East for a community run on October 25 during Down Syndrome Awareness Month. The business has grown from an initial order of 200 pairs in 2023 to 5,000 pairs for the latest collection. The Loehmers reinvest the proceeds into their community initiative, including an inclusion scholarship programme to help families subsidize therapy costs. They plan to expand by potentially establishing a factory in the UAE to employ people of determination.