Sew Important

These local entrepreneurs create apparel brands to support mental health advocacy

BY RACHAEL THOMAS

The Aware Brand

Mental health, self-love, and self-awareness all go hand in hand. Drew Sanders, the founder and CEO of this metro Detroit-based brand, knows that all too well. In the early 2010s, the New York native was experiencing his own evolution and desired to take action against various acts of police brutality occurring at the time. He recalls that those events helped encourage him to start The Aware Brand — which he did with childhood friend Richard Faison after reading author Deepak Chopra’s ideas on self-awareness in his book

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. The brand sells T-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks, and home goods featuring Aware’s logo (an illustrated eye with a heart as the pupil) and affirmations like “I am aware,” “Love will heal the world,” and “Designed for aware humans.” And on the brand’s Instagram page, folks can find helpful content like tips for journaling and practicing mindful habits.

Sanders and Faison are dropping a spring/summer collection this month, which will feature new graphic tees, terry cloth shorts, and crocheted bucket hats. Shop The Aware Brand at theawarebrand.com.

Love Yourself Clothing

During his senior year of college at the University of Michigan, Maher “Munch” Hachem was at a crossroads. He dreamt of moving to Detroit to pursue a career as a musician, but many people were telling him that wasn’t a smart move. Subsequently, it took a toll on Hachem’s mental health as he questioned the right path. On one of those rough days, he remembers gazing in the mirror, grabbing a pen, and writing “Love Yourself” backwards on his shirt as he looked at his reflection — that moment was the genesis of his brand, Love Yourself Clothing. Folks can shop the Detroitbased brand’s hoodies, crewnecks, slouchy T-shirts, and tote bags. Hachem designs the “Love Yourself” message backwards on the garments, so anyone who wears the items can see the affirmation reflected in the mirror. A portion of the brand’s profits is donated to various mental health organizations, founder Jacki Wolverton poses with the brand’s “You Are Loved” and “Tomorrow Needs You” sweatshirts.

 Coddiewomple Co.

The Ann Arbor-based Coddiewomple Co. offers cozy crewnecks, hoodies, and sweatpants with sayings like “You Are Loved” and “I Feel All the Feels” as well as accessories and home goods. The brand’s name is a take on the word “coddiwomple,” an English slang word meaning “to travel in a purposeful manner toward a vague destination.” Fifty percent of the profits go directly toward The Coddiewomple Fund, the brand’s nonprofit arm, which provides financial assistance for those seeking mental health therapy. To date, the nonprofit has funded more than 10,000 therapy hours for individuals. Shop The Coddiewomple Co. at coddiewompleco. com and learn more about The Coddiewomple Fund at coddiewomplefund.org.

You Matter

including The Trevor Project, Wolverine Support Network, Spartan Support Network, and To Write Love on Her Arms. Shop the Love Yourself Clothing brand at loveyourselfclothing.com.

The Coddiewomple Co.

After navigating her own struggles to pay for therapy despite having health insurance, Jacki Wolverton was motivated to create a resource that helped offset therapy costs for others. She did that through both a feel-good apparel brand and a nonprofit organization.

Millennials and Gen Zers who remember the days of the short-form video entertainment app Vine might recall popular content creator and Detroit native Demetrius Harmon, whose relatable skits on high school, work, and parents garnered him more than 1 million followers. As the platform began to fade, the now-Los Angeles resident’s career evolved into acting, writing, creative direction, and philanthropy. In 2017, Harmon’s brand You Matter came to fruition, inspired by sticky notes he wrote to himself during a time when he was suicidal. Folks can shop hoodies that Harmon says feel “soft like a hug but heavy like a gravity blanket and as light as a feather,” as well as crewnecks, T-shirts, sweatpants, and teddy bears with a 30-second voice recording device to share a message with a loved one. Most of the hoodies are stitched with the message, “I feel weak, but I know I’m strong” on the inner wrists, an added touch Harmon wanted for those who wear the product to cover their scars from self-harm. In 2019, Harmon launched the sub-brand You Matter University; in addition to selling collegiate-inspired apparel, YMU gave $10,000 scholarships to five students needing financial assistance. Shop the You Matter brand at youmatter.com