It is important to note that while owning a straitjacket is generally legal in most jurisdictions, their use carries significant physical risks. Being restrained in a heavy canvas or leather jacket can lead to shoulder dislocations, nerve damage, and respiratory distress if not managed with extreme caution. Professional escapologists undergo years of training to use them safely, and in any other context, the rule of "never use alone" is paramount.
Because the straitjacket has become a potent symbol in pop culture—representing everything from "madness" to extreme confinement—it has found a home in various subcultures.
Companies that provide props for cinema and stage productions often stock or custom-build straitjackets. These are designed for visual accuracy, often modeled after the "Posey" or "Humane" styles used in the early 1900s. The Collector and Subculture Market