How One Fashion Designer Created Art for the Soil

The characters of 4 The Soil, a mole, a cow, a robin, an owl, and a worm as puppets. Photo courtesy of Ruby Gertz.

You may have seen the 4 The Soil coloring books designed by Social Impact Studios, but now… the characters have come to life! 

Ruby Gertz with the owl and robin characters. Photo courtesy of Ruby Gertz.

Ruby Gertz, fashion designer behind Slow Fashion Academy and a professor at Jefferson University, is the puppetmaker and sewist of the 4 The Soil puppets. She designed each of them from sketch to fleece in her studio in Germantown, Philadelphia. 

The idea for the puppets started during a brainstorming session for soil health materials with the 4 The Soil organizing team. Mike Parrish, Virginia Extension Agent of Dinwiddie County, wanted to help convey the importance of soil health to young audiences. 

Ruby's enthusiastic collaboration on the puppetmaking project and expertise sparked a lot of excitement among the 4 The Soil organizing team. Each of the characters has a role in the soil ecosystem and in telling the story of how we can all care for and build soil health. The adorable 4 The Soil puppets include a mole, a cow, a robin, an owl, and a worm. 

Stay connected through the 4 The Soil newsletter and on social channels to learn more about the characters!

A behind the scenes of the puppets in the studio. Photo courtesy of Ruby Gertz