Jackets have always been hard for me to nail down just right. I either throw one on that’s too heavy or buy such a light variant it does little else than cover my arms — or seems to, anyway.
But ever since Taylor Stitch sent me its Ojai Jacket to try out, I’ve worn it nearly every day — it’s hands down the most comfortable, everyday jacket I’ve worn this winter. And while plain in appearance and minimalist in its design, it’s very attractive. Its 100% cotton sateen fabric is quite honestly addictive to the ouch, and the side pockets let you bury your hands in them from the side like normal or the top if you wanted to drop something in there. Maybe most significantly, it feels like something that will last a long time.
The Ojai is one example of a Taylor Stitch piece of apparel so successful it’s produced often to meet demand. But sometimes it might still run out, like most of what the small-batch manufacturing brand sells. Through its Kickstarter-like, proprietory Workshop, the company basically pitches new designs and produces the ones subscribers want. Sometimes that means taking lessons from an unsuccessful pitch and coming back with a new one based on that information, co-founder and CEO Michael Maher told me when we met a few weeks ago in New York.
Other times it means massive success, as is what happened to the Moto Jacket’s Whiskey Steerhide style, 2780% of which was funded when it was on the pitching block. It’s unsurprisingly gorgeous and comes in espresso and my favorite of the three: midnight. These jackets are hand-made in California out of full-grain cowhide in collaboration with the century-old Golden Bear Sportswear.
And we’re not talking jackets only, of course: The Jack is the brand’s signature button-down and you can feel its production value when you wear it. Same goes for Taylor Stitch’s slim chinos and jeans. The $100+ price point means these options are investments, to be clear, but they’re also going to last a long time. Check out their suit jackets, knitted long-sleeves, and footwear, to see how they spread that hard-hitting quality into various products.
The company prides itself on that long-lasting quality and, perhaps as important to many, sustainable manufacturing. They use recycled plastic, 100% organic cotton, responsibly sourced hemp, and upcycled yarns. The Workshop model results in less wasteful product inventory, which Maher pointed out significantly impacts the amount of water the company doesn’t use in creating too much product.
Ojai Jacket
Scouted selects products independently and prices reflect what was available at the time of publish. Sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations. Don’t forget to check out our coupon site to find apparel deals from L.L.Bean, Lands’ End, Gap, and more. If you buy something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.