Ron Finley—guerrilla gardener, artist, and inspirational force of nature—has partnered with San Francisco-based menswear brand Taylor Stitch to create innovative, responsible, work-ready pieces engineered for those prepared to get their hands dirty in the name of change.
Back in 2010, Finley observed the need for a community garden in South Central LA where residents, like 26.5 million other Americans, were living in a food desert. He turned an unused strip of grass between his sidewalk and the road into an organic garden and invited neighbors in his community to take freely from it—eager to educate and offer an alternative to the ubiquitous fast food in the area. After receiving a cease-and-desist notice from the city, he was even more motivated. His battle with the city quickly caught the attention of local news and social media, and the response was overwhelmingly supportive.
Not only was he able to keep his community garden, but he managed to change LA land-use laws—opening up the possibility of community gardens in unused lots for the entire city.
Shortly after, dubbed “The Gangsta Gardener,” Finley hosted a TED Talk, blasting his message of opportunity to millions. More than ten years later, his uplifting initiative has evolved into a powerful non-profit organization, The Ron Finley Project (RFP), committed to empowering people living in food prisons to reclaim agency over their diets and beautify their communities with gardens of their own.
On par with Finley’s adage that “Everything starts from a seed,” each piece of the Digging In Capsule is created with materials either upcycled, recycled, organic, or responsibly-sourced and made to withstand the rigors of renegade gardening for the long haul.
The Carpenter Pant, a continuation of the Taylor Stitch Boss Duck line, is loaded with rugged, practical touches: kick panels, internally reinforced knees, and large tool pockets. The Task Jacket features a new plant-based, waxed shell developed by the masters at Halley Stevensons—available for the first time in the US—and a battalion of functional features like extra pockets and an action back.
Taylor Stitch’s Workshop model guarantees early community buy-in and significantly limits waste caused by overproduction. The brand is challenging the way the clothing industry operates by pioneering a better way to source, sew and sell.
The Digging In Capsule is now available for pre-order exclusively through the Taylor Stitch Workshop—with a portion of every sale donated back to The Ron Finley Project to support their urban gardening initiatives from coast to coast.
