© 2024 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Online clothing company sells Syracuse pride, gives back to nonprofits

Ellen Abbott
/
WRVO Public Media
Matt and Taylor Sourwine.

An e-commerce startup in central New York is offering holiday shoppers a chance to show some pride in Syracuse, as well as give back to the community. The SYR Clothing Company is open for orders. 

Matt and Taylor Sourwine want to spread pride in the city of Syracuse through hoodies, t-shirts and caps. They’ve designed a streetwear that they say has been missing in the Salt City.

"We have so many university-related shops,” Taylor Sourwine said. “But we have nothing to do with the city. The pride of the city.”

They aren’t natives. They fell in love with Syracuse during shopping trips from their hometown of Alexandria Bay, and their college career in the Salt City. Both have day jobs. Taylor’s a teacher and Matt is a marketer and designer. They wanted an easy turnkey solution to creating the business, which led to the online-only business model.

"We come up with all the designs ourselves, and we market everything,” Matt Sourwine said. “And we partner with a manufacturer. So, when an order is placed, they actually fulfill and ship the order.”

A portion of each sale goes to a local not-for-profit. Right now, it goes to the Rescue Mission. The way it works allows the Sourwines to add new designs quickly. Beyond the orange t-shirts that say 'Root for the Fruit,' they started a line called 'Stronger than Graffiti,' that lets wearers stand up to the recent spate of racist graffiti at SU.

They’re also starting to get orders from outside the area.

"We had one from Chicago, Boston, Maryland,” Matt Sourwine said. "So, we are seeing that a little bit, which is kind of cool. Don’t forget where you came from.”

Ellen produces news reports and features related to events that occur in the greater Syracuse area and throughout Onondaga County. Her reports are heard regularly in regional updates in Morning Edition and All Things Considered.