Braille Communicative Tools and the Readiness of Visually Impaired Consumers in South African Apparel Retail: A Socio-material Inquiry into Inclusive Design

Abstract

This paper critically explores the Braille Communicative Tool (BCT) as a material and cultural innovation within South African apparel retail, examining its role in enabling visually impaired consumers' autonomous engagement with garment information. Drawing on an adapted Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, the research investigates how perceptions of utility, social support, and enabling environments influence readiness to adopt the BCT. Employing a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design comprising workshops, focus groups, and simulated retail observations with 60 participants drawn from three South African provinces the findings indicate that the BCT functions not merely as an assistive device but as a catalyst for inclusive sensory engagement, autonomy, and social dignity within a historically visual centric commercial space. Implications for inclusive design, disability rights, and sensory culture within South African material culture studies are discussed.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.18