May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Give some love to metro Detroiters who are struggling with their mental health, and support local mental health advocacy groups by shopping these Michigan brands.
The Aware Brand
Mental health, self-love, and self-awareness all go hand听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 鈥 which he did with childhood friend Richard Faison 鈥 after reading author Deepak Chopra鈥檚 ideas on self-awareness in his book听.
The brand sells T-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks, and home goods featuring Aware鈥檚 logo (an illustrated eye with a heart as the pupil) and affirmations like 鈥淚 am aware,鈥 鈥淟ove will heal the world,鈥 and 鈥淒esigned for aware humans.鈥 And on the brand鈥檚 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 .
Love Yourself Clothing
During his senior year of college at the University of Michigan, Maher 鈥淢unch鈥 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鈥檛 a smart move. Subsequently, it took a toll on Hachem鈥檚 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 鈥淟ove Yourself鈥 backwards on his shirt as he looked at his reflection 鈥 that moment was the genesis of his brand, Love Yourself Clothing.
Folks can shop the Detroit-based brand鈥檚 hoodies, crewnecks, slouchy T-shirts, and tote bags. Hachem designs the 鈥淟ove Yourself鈥 message backwards on the garments, so anyone who wears the items can see the affirmation reflected in the mirror.
A portion of the brand鈥檚 profits is donated to various mental health organizations, including The Trevor Project, Wolverine Support Network, Spartan Support Network, and To Write Love on Her Arms.
Shop the Love Yourself Clothing brand at .
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.
The Ann Arbor-based Coddiewomple Co. offers cozy crewnecks, hoodies, and sweatpants with sayings like 鈥淵ou Are Loved鈥 and 鈥淚 Feel All the Feels鈥 as well as accessories and home goods. The brand鈥檚 name is a take on the word 鈥渃oddiwomple,鈥 an English slang word meaning 鈥渢o travel in a purposeful manner toward a vague destination.鈥
Fifty percent of the profits go directly toward The Coddiewomple Fund, the brand鈥檚 nonprofit arm, which provides financial assistance for those seeking mental health therapy. Wolverton says they hope to raise funds for 10,000 hours of therapy for individuals in the near future.
Shop The Coddiewomple Co. at and learn more about The Coddiewomple Fund at .
You Matter
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鈥檚 career evolved into acting, writing, creative direction, and philanthropy. In 2017, Harmon鈥檚 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 鈥渟oft like a hug but heavy like a gravity blanket and as light as a feather,鈥 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, 鈥淚 feel weak, but I know I鈥檓 strong鈥 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 .
This story is part of the May 2023 issue of 糖心vlog安卓版 Detroit. Read more in our Digital Edition.
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