In the latest edition of our Create Your Own Vision series, where we spotlight visionary creators making an impact in the communities we serve, we spoke with Ben Miller, founder of Wirth.
Wirth crafts high-quality, stylish hats with a powerful mission at its core: to champion mental health. Each purchase helps fund free counselling sessions, making support more accessible to those who need it most. Because Wirth isn’t just about looking good, it’s about feeling seen, supported, and worthy. Check them out here.
You can browse and purchase Wirth's hats for a limited time only at their pop-up at our Commercial Drive location - come on down and have a look!
- Can you share the story behind the inception of WIRTH Hats and what inspired you to start this venture?
The story of Wirth is definitely a personal one for me and it's the reason why the brand exists and continues in its mission today. In 2014 I was going to school in Copenhagen, Denmark where I became good friends with Jakob who was in the early stages of creating a hat company. Jakob and I talked a lot about his hat company, as I had always loved a good hat. What I didn't know at that time was Jakob was struggling with his own internal battle. I only found out when I got the news that Jakob had taken his life. It was very hard news to receive and brought up a lot of emotions. However, the one thing I knew I was going to do was to help Jakob to have his hat company to help him cross that off his bucket list. So I created 25 Wirth hats, which was Jakob’s last name. I wanted the hats to go to his closest 25 and each hat came with a tag around Jakob’s dream and for the hats to be a mental health symbol and reminder and to check in on one another. That's all Wirth was meant to be, it was meant to be a one off act for my friend Jakob.
In 2016 I moved back to Vancouver, BC. My school thesis partner Philipp moved here as well. Philipp became a very close friend to me, there was no one I had probably ever spent more time with over a six month period while we wrote our thesis. After a year of living together, Philipp returned home to Germany after dealing with some visa issues. Philipp and I would have a weekly call and one week he just seemed off. I asked him if everything was okay and he admitted that he hadn't been doing well. Months went by and Philipp and I talked almost every day. He seemed to be doing much better, he got a new job and was excelling in it. However, what I thought wasn't the case. On July 1st 2017, Philipp took his life. I had never been hit with something so hard in my life, it hit me to my core. I knew Philipp was depressed but never in my wildest dreams did I think suicide was an option for Philipp. He was such a larger than life figure. About a month after Philipps death I received an email from a classmate of ours asking if I had any more Wirth Hats left, that he would love to have one if I did as they served as a good reminder. And if I didn't and ever decided to make them again he would be first on the list to get one. The email kept coming back to my thoughts throughout the months of grieving and with the much bigger mental health issue within our society and in honour of my two friends I decided to put Wirth Hats back into the world in June of 2018. Neither Jakob or Philipp went to seek professional support, I wanted this to never happen again for anyone else. I wanted Wirth Hats to help break down the barriers around individuals needing mental health support, and for funds from the hats to pay for individuals who couldn't afford. To date, Wirth has sponsored over 7000 therapy sessions. Also you can always watch the Wirth story video at wirthhats.com/story
- In what ways does WIRTH Hats aim to honor Jakob's legacy through its products and initiatives?
Wirth exists to have an impact in the mental health space. It's the reason why Wirth was put into the world and it guides us in all of our decisions. We also honour Jakobs dream in trying to create the best hat company possible with styles and designs that he would have loved and for hats to be a defining feature of someone's outfit which is what he believed hats could be.
- What challenges did you face in merging fashion with a cause as significant as mental health awareness?
I think we have faced decent challenges. There is a part of me at times especially earlier on that felt people were a bit nervous to wear the hats or follow us on social media because it possibly reflected something about them in terms of their own mental health. But this is what we were trying to change and normalize and I feel the mental health landscape has changed a fair bit since Wirth first started.
- You have a background in improv comedy? Has it helped you in business?
I think it's helped me the most out of any education haha. Whether is public speaking, being okay with uncertainty, being more comfortable to adapt as situations shift and change.It really helps with your listening skills and to be more comfortable with failure. I am definitely a fan of the skills improv can provide and always encourage to experience if they have a chance. In the way people go to the gym to exercise their body, I feel improv is exercise for the mind and body in a different way.
- Can you elaborate on the WIRTH Counselling Program and its impact since its launch in 2019?
From the beginning of Wirth our goal was always to help break down the barriers around getting mental health support and one large barrier is the cost of getting support. In 2019 we launched the Wirth Counselling program with every person being able to apply for up to eight sessions of free counselling support. Since Wirth launched we’ve sponsored over 7000 sessions for individuals who couldn't otherwise afford . If you go to the Wirth site, you will see a variety of videos of individuals who have received counselling support.
- Can you discuss the significance of the unique stitch in each hat and what it symbolizes?
The unique stitch was an idea from Nic, a member of the Wirth team, and we all loved it. We are all uniquely imperfect, no matter who we are. The stitch became our way of celebrating what it means to be human: a symbol that the sum of our parts, imperfections and all, is what makes us who we are. It’s a little reminder that we don't need to be perfect.
- How has the community responded to your initiatives, and can you share any memorable feedback you've received?
Early on with Wirth, I wanted us to be engaged in the community as much as possible. I wanted people to know the story of Wirth and to understand what the hats represented. We started organizing a variety of events focused on simply creating fun, welcoming spaces where mental health conversations could emerge organically — inspired by what Wirth stood for.
I’ll always remember one of the first larger events we did. It was in 2019, and we partnered with the Lululemon Lab. It was our first event where we brought in a therapist to share a bit about what it’s like to go to therapy, followed by a short Q&A after her 10-minute talk. I honestly thought there was a good chance the room would go silent, so I prepared a list of questions just in case.
To my amazement, two-thirds of the audience raised their hands with questions. “I have a loved one who’s struggling — how can I best support them?” “How do you find the right therapist?” The Q&A went on for over 30 minutes. I remember thinking in that moment, what we’re doing is needed.
- What strategies have you employed to break down the stigma surrounding mental health within organizations through WIRTH Talks?
We’ve partnered with many organizations over the years in a variety of ways — whether through a Wirth Talk, or a combination of a talk and Wirth Hats. We don’t follow a particular strategy, but we do share the Wirth story, what we’ve learned along the way, and why we believe it’s crucial for organizations to foster a culture of openness. We truly enjoy partnering with organizations, as we believe it can have a meaningful and positive impact on company culture. And there’s nothing quite like getting a custom company Wirth Hat.
- How do you envision the future of WIRTH Hats in terms of product expansion and social impact?
That’s a great question! For several years, I resisted expanding beyond hats because the story of Wirth — and of Jakob — is so deeply connected to them. Hats were his dream, and they’ve always been a powerful symbol for us. After all, hats are worn on our heads, which ties directly to our mission around mental health.
However, team pressure to expand eventually caught up with me, and last year, we introduced t-shirts for the first time — featuring one of our phrases, Check In On Your Homies. It’s been really popular. I’m not exactly sure what the future holds, but we’re always open to exploring new ways to increase our social impact, whether that’s through product expansion or other creative ideas.
- Can you share a particular story where WIRTH Hats made a significant difference in someone's life?
Over the years, we’ve received many moving messages. Below is one from not too long ago.
“Hi Wirth. My name is Rozhin, and I am grateful to have received counselling support through WIRTH earlier this year. I am just writing to give a big thank you. It’s truly incredible the difference your help has made, and continues to make in my life. I am so fortunate to have had access to the support your company provides, and cannot thank you enough for bringing much needed compassion, kindness, and love into this world. I can assure you it’s truly making a difference- beyond what you can imagine.”
I’ll always remember one comment though that has stayed with me ever since. We were filming a counselling piece for Wirth, and one of the people involved said to me: “Ben, know that the biggest impact Wirth has is in the conversations you’ll never hear about — but that would’ve never happened if it weren’t for Wirth.”
- How do you approach collaborations with other brands or organizations to further your mission?
We love collaborating with other brands and are always open to fun, creative ways to co-create meaningful impact. We want Wirth to be the brand that comes to mind when others are looking to form a meaningful mental health partnership — whether that’s creating a hat together, launching a mental health campaign, hosting a meaningful event, or co-producing a fun social campaign.
- Is it challenging to maintain the the core mission and authenticity of your brand as it grows?
Overall, I don't think it has. Anyone who is a part of Wirth is a part first and foremost because they care about the mission and deeply resonate with the Wirth story, so we see the brand through that lens. The one area that has been challenging is around product: how far do we branch out from hats, and what direction do we take with our designs? Last year, we branched out for the first time — moving beyond just having "Wirth" on the front of our hats, which was a big shift. We actively listen to the Wirth community to help guide our design direction and are always excited to hear feedback and new product ideas.
- What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to integrate social causes into their business models?
Not sure what advice I would give - the journey of Wirth has been incredibly rewarding, but equally challenging and difficult at times. It’s your mission and belief in what you’re doing that get you through those harder days. If Wirth were just a headwear brand, it wouldn’t have lasted more than a couple of years. It’s the bigger “why” behind what we do that drives us, and why I still have so much passion for it. I encourage all entrepreneurs to integrate a social cause into their business model in some capacity. Brands have the power to create real impact in the world, and I believe all businesses should strive to do so.
- Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your journey with WIRTH Hats?
That’s a great question, and I’m sure there is. When I brought Wirth back into the world, I probably could have slowed down at times. I’m an action-oriented person, but sometimes you need to pause and take a breath… or three or four. Covid was challenging, there was so much demand on Wirth, and I tried to keep up with all of it. I remember in 2021, I could feel I was on the verge of burning out. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to take care of yourself.