Millie Haywood understands what it means to feel out of place. The 22-year-old from Chalford, southern England, has spent most of her life navigating difficult physical and mental health challenges. Diagnosed with anorexia at just 13, she spent years in and out of hospitals and continues to rely on a feeding tube. The condition also forced her to give up running, the passion that once shaped her sense of identity, leaving her searching for purpose at an age when most of her peers were discovering theirs.
Struggling to be understood
For years, Haywood felt disconnected from the world around her. She describes feeling different yet constantly being told she wasn’t, which only deepened her frustration. As she attempted to enter the workforce in her late teens, the challenges grew heavier. Several job interviews ended in immediate rejection, and she sensed that her feeding tube played a role. The repeated dismissals shook her confidence and made her question her place in the world. Still, the experience sparked something inside her — a desire to create something meaningful that she could be proud of.
An autism diagnosis brings clarity
Everything shifted when Haywood was diagnosed with autism at 21. She describes the moment as transformational, giving her language to understand her experiences and permission to accept herself fully. For the first time in years, she felt she had found her voice. That newfound clarity helped redirect her energy toward something creative, something that made sense of her own sensory needs.
Comfort becomes inspiration
During her lowest moments, Haywood found comfort in squeezing large plush toys. One day, she wondered aloud to her mother what it would feel like to wear that same sense of safety. She imagined turning the warmth of those plush “comfort hugs” into something she could take outside — something she could design herself. From that spark came a vision: a hoodie that feels like being held.
Building Mentally Unstitched
Working from her home studio, Haywood launched Mentally Unstitched, an online embroidery shop offering soft, sensory-friendly hoodies designed with neurodivergent comfort in mind. Each sweatshirt weighs about two pounds, creating a gentle pressure similar to weighted therapy blankets. The designs include oversized hoods that fit over headphones, breathable fabric, and tag-free construction to avoid irritation. As Haywood explains, the pieces are meant to feel like “a hug in a hoodie.”
The brand also embraces humor and pride within the neurodivergent community, featuring stitched slogans such as “Slay-DHD” and “Rizz Em with the Tism.” For many customers, the pieces embody both comfort and representation.
Empowerment through design
Haywood hopes to expand Mentally Unstitched into a full clothing line tailored to the neurodivergent community — apparel that is both stylish and deeply comfortable. More than a business, it has become part of her own recovery. Each design reinforces the message she wants to share with others: what makes someone different can also make them stronger.
Rediscovering purpose through creativity
Creating Mentally Unstitched has helped reignite the sense of purpose she thought she’d lost. As she told CBS News, finding this path “lit that spark back inside me,” giving her renewed confidence and a new way to advocate for people who, like her, have felt misunderstood.
