The Cactus Store x Shoyoroll Gardening Gi Is The Ultimate Quarantine Fit
We are rapidly approaching a point in the Covid-19 timeline where yearning for a return to pre-quarantine normalcy is being hip checked out of the picture by an acceptance that quarantine normal will become the new normal normal. The future is going to look a lot more like the present than it does the past. One (of many) sad aspects of this is the continued pervasiveness of “I wore pajamas to work today,” jokes. These jokes, which first gained steam during the onset of blogging in the early aughts (“Q: What is a blogger? A: Someone who goes to work in their pajamas.”), are a pretty cheap form of humor. Nevertheless, there is certainly a new premium being placed on comfortable clothes that feel a bit more pulled together than the standard athleisure fare.
As someone who is trying to incorporate a modicum of movement into this new style of workday (e.g. doing pushups, planks, and squats on the hour), I’ve found myself reaching for roomie Dickies more often than fitted denim. And the long sleeve T-shirt has definitely been a quarantine MVP. But a new entry into the quarantine fit pantheon popped into my Instagram feed last night. Cactus Store, the California purveyor of succulents to the nouveau bohemian set that effortlessly name checks Erewhon, Moon Juice, and Visvim (a demographic I fall squarely into, although perhaps with a little less “nouveau”), teamed up with Shoyoroll, the Japanese designers of jiujitsu gis that will be instantly familiar to the segment of the aforementioned demo that mixes martial arts with its yoga. The result is the world’s first Gardener’s Gi.
According to Cactus Store, the gi was the result of two years of prototyping and field testing. Featuring an indigo color whose depth appears to increase with age, it is cut very similar to the gis worn in Brazilian jiujitsu. The biggest changes are the addition of pockets (so many glorious pockets) and a top that secures with a tie instead of a martial arts belt.
According to Cactus Store, the inspiration for the Gardners Gi came from the Japanese practice of Samu, which involves being mindful during tasks such as gardening, cooking, or chopping wood. In Zen monasteries, practitioners refer to the garment worn during these activities as “Samue.”
The Cactus Store x Shoyoroll gi has a heavyweight construction. If you aren’t familiar with gis, that heft can feel as comfortable as a Gravity Blanket. (I’m certainly not an expert. I started BJJ in February and pulled my groin at my first training session.) The pants have reinforced knees so they won’t wear out if you’re spending time kneeling in the dirt as well as thigh pockets. On the top, the pockets are thoughtfully arranged across the chest, waist, and even the back (similar to what you’d see on a cycling jersey).
One of the things you won’t notice is a bunch of branding patches, which only adds to the appeal. Aside from a delightfully simple “Shoyoroll Cactus Store Garden Gi” tag on the interior of the neckline and a petite “Shoyoroll Keep on Blooming” tag by the hem, there are no markings. And don’t worry if you don’t know your prickly pear from your golden barrel, Cactus Store says the gi is equally suited for non-green thumb pursuits, including “cooking, painting, plumbing, reading, camping, metal detecting, and long voyages in hot air balloons.”
The Cactus Store x Shoyoroll Gardeners Gi goes on sale on April 16 at 12pm PST at shop.hotcactus.la