Knitwear Artisan, Rosie Casey is Repurposing Sustainable Fashion

“We constantly get messaging that we're not enough, so we keep buying to fill void... I produce my garments sustainably with very high-quality natural materials. My intention is for them to live forever, or at least until they biodegrade.”- Rosie Casey

With the rise of globalization, the world of fashion has been plagued by its inability to produce goods both ethically and sustainably. Local Tacoma knitwear designer, Rosie Casey, is taking matters into her own hands with her brand In the Wind Goods, which focuses on handcrafted and reclaimed woolen apparel. ​

The self-proclaimed textile nerd graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in fine art during the height of the Great Recession. She went on to study at Seattle Central Community College, where she honed her love of textiles and became immersed in sustainability. “Spending all that time hyper-focused on fabrics and textiles, I started to read more about environmental and human rights abuse in clothing production,” Casey states, “also the Rana Plaza tragedy occurred in 2013, my final year of apparel school which was also the height of fast fashion.”

After graduating from the apparel program at SCCC she found herself working a corporate job as an assistant designer at Tommy Bahama. “It was a fun company to design for because they make these crazy elaborate silk shirts with 15 color prints and embroidery,” Casey says, “I started there doing all the work for their MLB/NFL sports line and got to CAD up all the logos that would be embroidered on the shirts.”

While working at Tommy Bahama, she persisted in refining her craft while attending classes at The Knitting School taught by Helen Sharp, who has grown to be both a friend and mentor. “She is one of those traditional, British-taught knitwear designers and I learned so much from her,”

Casey freelanced at Seattle-based Filson, after moving on from Pioneer Square company, Swift Industries. This transitioned into a full-time job designing for the women’s line, as well as, all color and textile approvals. “I was drawn to the brand because of their heritage story, US manufacturing, and integrity of the product,” Casey describes, “my favorite part of that job was designing the plaids that we produced at the Pendleton mill near Portland and then visiting the mill.”

​The knitwear expert inherited her deep love and respect for making clothes from the women in her family. Her harmless process of production allows her to put that same love into every piece of clothing she makes. To create her unique sweaters and accessories, Casey uses pre and post-consumer waste materials. It takes around one to two days to make one sweater, but Casey prefers to do multiples at a time since there are several steps involved. “I like having 6 partial cones of yarn in 6 different colors and figuring out how to make them work,” says Casey, “It's fun to find an old blanket with moth holes and then wash and mend it to turn it into a loved piece of clothing for someone.”

With an aversion to corporate culture and a need for creative independence, Casey set out to create In The Wind Goods, while continuing to work full-time. She came up with the name after hearing someone use the phrase, “She’s in the wind,” and it came together. “I think I liked that because I've moved around a lot, I never feel satisfied and am always seeking something,” The logo, however, comes from her horoscope sign, Aries, which symbolizes the wool she fashions into apparel. “I'm also very inspired by vintage woolen labels that often have a landscape or pastoral scene.”

Casey pulls inspiration from vintage sweaters, films, Instagram, and books to create her distinctive garments. “I think I like very basic heritage silhouettes, they are like a blank canvas for me.” Her cardigans are a favorite staple item since they represent the expertise, she gained while learning how to use her vintage industrial knitting machine. The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters as consumer habits have shifted significantly in the past thirty years with the rise of fast fashion. Casey is quick to rattle off disturbing statistics that have stuck with her, such as, “Clothing production has more than doubled since 2000,” and, “The average consumer bought 60% more clothing and discarded them twice as fast in that same time period.”

“I think this is a product of our sick, media-driven culture,” states Casey. This resonates with the knitwear aficionados’ mission to produce garments sustainably with high-quality natural materials, with the intention for them to live forever, or at least until they biodegrade.

Casey believes change is beginning to happen in the industry, in large part due to consumer demand, a shift towards circular fashion, and new technology dedicated to textile recycling. “Sustainability is a big factor in how Gen Z and Millennials shop and big business is beginning to notice,” claims Casey, “I think if you don't want to wear a garment anymore you should be able to give it back to the brand and they should recycle it back into fiber.”

The sustainability advocate advises not just buying from eco-brands or second-hand, but to buy quality garments that are built to last. “As I get older, I find myself buying way less, but very high quality.” Casey asserts, “I want to wear a garment for 10 years and then be able to sell it to a consignment shop, since that fabric will still be beautiful, and the design won't go out of style.”

While COVID-19 has been a difficult period, it led to opportunities for the sustainability luminary who was laid off from her part-time job. Recently, she dove into making and creating new sweaters and face masks. Between trying to stick to a routine, practicing yoga, and limiting her news intake, the pandemic has proved productive for Casey who has made her business the forefront of her focus bringing forgotten natural materials back to life.

Her recent addition, The Gleaner Sweater features several beautiful but juxtaposing colorways that are knitted into a mismatched color block reminiscent of modernism art. The combination of marled knits contrasts with the variety of angular blocks. The bold, chunky knit color around the neckline, cuff, and hem accentuate the originality of the wool sweater.

Her most recent drop features chunky blanket scarves that she hand-knit during the pandemic. The soft, natural colors are both color-blocked, yet ombre as each color fades into the next, which conjures a warm-hearted sense. The plush scarves have an innate quality of versatility.

You can shop her website to view and purchase from her eclectic collection while supporting a local artisan. Be sure to also follow her on Instagram @inthewindgoods.