American Girl has introduced their 2020 Girl of the Year doll, Joss Kendrick, a competitive surfer and the brand’s first doll with hearing loss. The boom of inclusive toys speaks to Gen Alpha’s desire for inclusivity, equality, and diversity both in wider society and in their own lives.

While people with disabilities have long been overlooked, brands are waking up to the fact that there are 93 million disabled children globally. Inclusive design by mainstream brands provides an opportunity for companies to fuel social change through the promotion of quality of life and equality.

Barnes & Noble has come under fire for changing the race of characters on its young adult book covers in the name of ‘inclusivity’. While people want to see diversity prioritized by brands, this backlash highlights the need to do more than simply pay lip service to the issue.

Nubian Skin, which is redefining the term ‘nude’ to encompass people of colour, is bringing its inclusive underwear range to men. Amid backlash against the fashion industry for neglecting minorities, people are looking to brands to challenge the discourse and offer fairer representation.