The US Air Force Is Crowdsourcing Ideas for Uniforms, Active Apparel, Accessories and More

The U.S. Air Force is crowdsourcing ideas for new appearance improvements, and it’s looking for input from both service members and civilians alike.

In a press release from the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs, the USAF said it’s looking for opinions on “inclusive” designs for things like dress uniforms, accessories, physical training gear and badges.

Within these categories, this includes items like hats, shoes, medals, ribbons, jewelry, gym bags, headphones, backpacks, shorts, socks, T-shirts, patches and multiple sweaters.

As part of the effort to be more inclusive, the Air Force is also crowdsourcing ideas for maternity uniforms, including service dress, all of the utility uniforms listed above, accessories and more.

“If we want an environment in which Airmen feel valued, we need to create transformative opportunities to foster a culture of innovation and then listen to their ideas,” said Lisa Truesdale, Air Force military force policy deputy director, in the press release. “Additionally, wearing the uniform and having pride in your personal appearance enhances esprit de corps.”

All of the ideas are subject to approval from the Air Force’s Uniform Board, who will then make their recommendations to the Air Force chief of staff.

This is similar, albeit a bit more official, to the Space Force merchandise that was up for public opinion last year. That was just for promotional merchandise and logo design, rather than actual uniforms. The real uniforms for Space Force, however, are still the subject of a weird legal battle with Netflix.

With such a wide swathe of product categories, there is a great chance that some of these orders could be fulfilled by promotional products distributors and suppliers. And it also bodes well for the future, indicating that other military branches could go to the public for changes in their aesthetic.