A new UK business based in Sheffield, STEPS Inclusive Design, has launched with a mission to transform how assistive products are designed and integrated into everyday life.
Established in 2025 by sisters Jules Shiel-Boulger and Toria Chan, the company draws from decades of experience in serious injury rehabilitation to create products that support independent living without compromising on comfort, dignity or style.
The idea for STEPS Inclusive Design emerged from years of working with individuals adapting to life after injury or illness. The founders identified a clear gap in the market: while many assistive products may meet functional needs, they are often designed for clinical environments rather than real homes, which can have a negative impact on confidence, identity and daily wellbeing.
STEPS Inclusive Design aims to address this by developing products that are both clinically informed and thoughtfully designed for modern living. The unique vision of the company is to combine therapeutic insight with a strong focus on style/aesthetics, usability and durability.
The first two products in the Lana Collection include the Lana Perching Stool and the Lana Shower Stool, both designed to provide stability and comfort, while fitting seamlessly into a home environment.
Thoughtful design that feels at home
Head of Design, Toby Chan, brings a background in product engineering and manufacturing to lead the design direction at STEPS Inclusive Design. After completing his degree in Product Design, Toby went on to work with the precision climbing brand Beastmaker and co-founded a specialist manufacturing company with Olympian Shauna Coxsey MBE, giving him a practical understanding of materials innovation and product durability. Toby said, "Over the past 18 months, we have worked with specialist occupational therapists and physiotherapists to re-imagine assistive products that balance clinical function with thoughtful design. What began as a bespoke designing solution for clients at STEPS Rehabilitation, has evolved into STEPS Inclusive Design - a business built around a simple goal of redefining what inclusive products can be."
The Lana collection was designed in partnership with NorthSky Design, Sheffield-based design specialists well-known for their user-centred designs. Tom Harrison, Co-founder and Managing Director, and Tom Pannel, Co-founder and Manufacturing Consultant at NorthSky Design worked closely with the STEPS Inclusive Design team. They said, "From the outset, it was clear that the Lana range had been developed with a genuine understanding of both users’ needs and the environments in which it will be used. Having worked in the healthcare products and medical device sector for more than 15 years, it’s rare to come across products that combine such a strong clinical foundation with exceptional design. We’re proud to have played a part in bringing the Lana range to market and look forward to seeing it make a real difference in healthcare environments."
Clinical expertise at the heart of every product
Co-founders Jules Shiel-Boulger and Toria Chan added, "Since the planning stages of STEPS Rehabilitation well over 10 years ago, we have consistently struggled to find attractive and non-clinical looking designed equipment and aids for our building and so we have decided to do something about it and start a new business."
With the growing demand for more personalised rehabilitation solutions, STEPS Inclusive Design is expected to resonate with clinicians, case managers, and legal professionals supporting clients through their recovery journey.
ENDS
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NOTES TO EDITORS
- Any requests for interview can be made to:
t. 0114 4070159
- STEPS Inclusive Design is a Sheffield-based company creating thoughtfully designed assistive products that support independence without compromising on comfort, dignity or style. Founded in 2025 by the team behind STEPS Rehabilitation, the company combines decades of clinical rehabilitation experience with contemporary product design to develop inclusive solutions that feel at home in everyday living. STEPS Inclusive Design works to improve confidence, comfort and quality of life for people adapting to injury, illness or disability.
- Website: https://stepsinclusivedesign.co.uk/
