WHEN a close friend of Alan Gill confided in him that he had been struggling with his mental health, cogs began turning in the 21-year-old’s brain and an important conversation between two friends turned into one man’s mission to make a difference for those who need it most.
The Caherdavin native had already been collecting and selling rare and vintage jerseys online, and thought that his fledgeling knowledge in online entrepreneurism might be put to some use in raising much-needed funds for mental health organisations. Off the back of this, MHM clothing was born.
MHM (Mental Health Matters), launched last month on January 7, is a local clothing brand that sells a wide range of items with a social conscience, touting itself as “a haven where style and empathy intertwine”. 15 per cent of all proceeds from sales, founder Alan says, will go to a different Irish mental health charity every month.
The brand offers hoodies, t-shirts, hats and accessories all emblazoned with motivational messages to help promote mental wellbeing.
Alan told The Ensemble that a long conversation with a friend who had opened up about his own mental struggles drove him to wanting to make a difference and raise some funds for important mental health services.
The sports fan had already been introduced to the fashion and clothing world from his time collecting and reselling sports jerseys and pulled on this experience to put a shape on the early idea generating phase.
“I suppose I knew how to source products already and I have always been into designs of the kits and jerseys, so I designed a few hoodies myself.”
The hoodie designs have a wide range of colours from bright pinks, greens, blues, and purples to more neutral grey, cream, black, and brown tones, all complemented by a positive message, including the brands own slogan ‘mental health matters’ motto.
The brand also offers a range of accessories like smiley face beanies and baseball caps and t-shirts with more positive affirmations such as ‘treat people with kindness’ and ‘have a good day’.
The Limerick lad has found the hoodie slogans and designs have become great conversation starters around mental health too.
Alan says his items are an instant conversation starter, encouraging people to open up conversations around mental health.
“Instantly it’s a conversation starter and brings that conversation of talking to someone about your problems or something you might be struggling with,” he says.
Alan aims to use MHM to raise funds for a different mental health charity each month. Jigsaw, a mental health support service for young people aged 12 to 25, with a base in Limerick’s Arthur’s Quay House, is the brand’s first chosen charity.
“I pick a different charity every month and I’m trying to find as many new charities as I can, or smaller charities who might not get as much appreciation or as much support,” Alan says.
While 15 percent of the brand’s proceeds are currently going to selected charities, Alan’s plan is to increase that figure as MHM grows so that even more can be donated to Irish mental health services.
Looking to the future Alan, who also works as a sandblaster alongside running MHM, says the hope going forward right now is just to raise as much money as possible.
More information on Alan and his mission to make a change, as well as the full range of MHM clothing, is available on mhmclothing.com.
