Woman stitches her way through mental health challenges with idea for neurodiversity-themed clothing line

Millie Haywood knows what it’s like to struggle.

The 22-year-old faces ongoing health issues, both physical and mental. He was diagnosed anorexia at the age of 13 and spent years in hospital. She still depends on a feeding tube.

“I loved running, it was my passion. It was my purpose in life,” Haywood told CBS News from his home in Chalford, southern England. “I felt like I had no purpose, because I couldn’t run anymore and I just didn’t have anything to live for other than my family.”

This feeling of not fitting in lasted for years.

“I was frustrated with feeling different and constantly being told that I wasn’t. People couldn’t understand me. I just didn’t know who I was anymore. I had no identity,” she told CBS News.

Trying to enter the workforce in her late teens left her even more discouraged.

“I went through quite a few interviews and was immediately turned down…I felt pretty discriminated against because I had a feeding tube. It really knocked my confidence because it just made me feel, well, what is wrong with me?” she remembers. “But at the same time, it lit this fire in me, to create something that I’m proud of.”

The turning point for Haywood came when she was diagnosed with autism at the age of 21.

“It just changed my life, because I started to understand myself and accept myself and it was like I finally found my voice,” she said.

This clarity helped spark a new sense of meaning in Haywood, drawing inspiration from the giant stuffed animals she used to squeeze during her darkest days.

“I was telling my mom, ‘I wish it was in a hoodie. I wish that feeling, that hug that you get, could be in a hoodie, so I could just go out and feel that comfort.’ I just told him, “I’m going to create this.” I’m going to design this.'”

From her home studio, Haywood launched Mentally Unstitched, an online embroidery business through which she offers a range of soft, sensory hoodies designed to feel like the “comfort hugs” she depended on.

“It’s like a hug in a hoodie,” Millie explained, showing off her soft sweatshirts, each of which weighs two pounds. Designs feature oversized hoods to fit over headphones, weighted fabric to relieve anxiety, and no itchy labels.

The collection celebrates neurodiversity, with hats and other products featuring stitched slogans such as “Slay-DHD” and “Rizz Em with the Tism,”

“I really hope that I can inspire people with my designs and with my story that, you know, what’s different makes you stronger,” Haywood said.

Haywood hopes to eventually create a full line of clothing for the neurodivergent community that is both comfortable and stylish.

And the thread of empowerment she sews into each creation establishes its own blueprint for recovery.

“Finding Mentally Unstitched kind of lit this spark in me,” Haywood told CBS News.