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A lesser known part of our business is that we supply a lot of cloth to small fashion and lifestyle brands. We try to keep our minimum order quantities low to make it feasible for designers and makers to use our fabrics. As makers and artists ourselves, we will always support independent businesses and up and coming artists in whatever way we can. We find it so inspiring to see what our production customers design with our cloth and we know you will too.
We spoke with Rosie, the designer at Roake, about the team’s ideas and inspirations, the joys and challenges of being a slow fashion brand and why they choose Merchant & Mills fabrics for their collections. We have a lot in common with Roake. These fellow coast-dwellers and craft-lovers are an independent, sustainable clothing brand based on the Isle of Wight. They are long-time customers of ours, with an easy and playful aesthetic and a focus on natural materials and ethical practices.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
We love to create everyday clothing that offers flexibility, comfort, and timeless style. We embrace oversized, relaxed silhouettes that allow for easy movement and a practical fit, perfect for everyday wear. We focus on organic textures and natural fabrics that not only feel great on the skin but also embody the quality and craftsmanship that go into every piece we make.
We design with the everyday person in mind—someone who appreciates high-quality, well-made garments that last, and who values the story behind the clothes they wear. Our pieces are meant to be worn, loved, and lived in. They’re not about fleeting trends but about creating wardrobe staples that transcend seasons, offering both comfort and a sense of effortless style.
Ultimately, our aesthetic is about creating clothing that’s comfortable, versatile, and built to last, for people who appreciate the artistry behind their clothes and care about where and how they’re made.
What values and ideas are at the core of your brand?
At the core of our brand are values rooted in sustainability, craftsmanship, and a commitment to creating pieces that are built to last. One of our proudest achievements is being a zero-waste studio—no fabric goes to landfill. We repurpose fabric offcuts to create small products like pouches and accessories, while even the tiniest scraps are used as fillings for our homeware items available in our studio-shop.
We also offer reRoake, our buy-back initiative, which allows customers to return items they’ve purchased from us for a discount on their next garment order. We then repurpose or repair these returned items, offering them at a discounted rate in our studio shop. It’s a great way to give our pieces a new home and provide alternative options for our customers while continuing to honour our zero-waste mission.
Our values of sustainability, quality, and craftsmanship shine through in every aspect of what we do. From the careful selection of fabrics to the creation of timeless garments that can be loved for years, we focus on offering clothing that’s not just made well, but made thoughtfully. We want our customers to feel good about their purchases, knowing they’re investing in something that’s kind to the planet and made with care, while also offering them opportunities to be part of a more sustainable clothing cycle.
Why do you choose to source your cloth from Merchant & Mills?
Merchant & Mills aligns with our values of quality, sustainability, and craftsmanship. Their carefully curated selection of natural fibres like linen, cotton, and wool fits beautifully alongside our own collection of deadstock fabrics which allows us to create unique, sustainable pieces that our customers will love for years to come.
We also really appreciate the relationships we’ve built with our suppliers, and the team at Merchant & Mills is always on hand to help with any queries. Their support makes all the difference when it comes to making informed choices about our fabrics. M&M have a dedication to encouraging people to learn to sew. We feel the same way—teaching people how to mend and care for their clothing is something we’re passionate about. The more we all know about how to mend and care for our garments, the less textile waste there is.
At our studio, we run workshops to teach these valuable skills, and it’s such a joy to work with suppliers like Merchant & Mills who share that ethos. Together, we’re helping to build a community that values sustainability and craftsmanship, and we’re proud to be a part of it.
How do your fabric choices inform your designs? Do you choose your fabrics first or does the design choose the fabric?
Design is always our top priority. Our designer, Rosie, draws inspiration from everywhere, but when it comes to function, we focus on practicality. Our garments are designed to be flexible, versatile, and ultimately easy to wear. Comfort is key, so we ensure everything we make moves with the body. To maintain versatility, we often include reversible styles, wraps, and ties and layerable pieces, favouring these over form-fitting designs.
Fabric choices are often guided by the colours inspired by our beautiful coastal home. Rosie has a special connection with cloth and colour, and it's always exciting to see how new fabric pairings come together during the sampling process. Once we’ve finalised the styles, we offer all our silhouettes in a variety of fabrics, giving customers the freedom to choose their own combinations. It’s truly magical to see which fabric and style pairings become the most popular.
Tell us how your production process works. Do you make everything in house or do you have a production facility elsewhere?
We create everything in-house from our cosy studio in Ventnor, a coastal town on the Isle of Wight. Our dedicated team is made up of a mix of local talent, including apprentices, qualified apprentices, graduates, and skilled machinists. Each and every piece is crafted with care, and every garment is signed by the hands that made it. We are deeply passionate about cut, make, and trim enterprise, and Ventnor’s rich history as a home to artisans and creative industries inspires us every day. From start to finish, every garment is made right here in our studio.
What challenges do you face as a slow fashion brand ?
As a slow fashion brand, we face several challenges, primarily around balancing sustainability with demand. Because we produce everything in-house and focus on quality craftsmanship, the production process is more time-consuming compared to fast fashion. Additionally, sourcing materials responsibly can sometimes require more time to ensure we’re getting the best, ethically produced fabrics.
However, these challenges are what drive us. They push us to maintain our commitment to quality and sustainability. We place a huge emphasis on using high-quality materials in our garments, as we believe that the fabric we choose is integral to both the longevity of the piece and the comfort of the wearer. We’re proud to offer products that not only look beautiful but feel great to wear.
Another core aspect of our brand is creating a comfortable, happy workplace for our team. We want our studio to be a place where creativity, skill, and passion can thrive. By investing in a positive work environment, we empower our team to create with care and attention to detail. We're fortunate to have a loyal community of customers who understand the value of slow fashion and who embrace timeless, trend-less clothing. It’s incredibly rewarding to see them appreciate the energy and care we put into making garments that are designed to last and made in an environment that values people as much as the product.
What do you love about working with natural materials?
From the field to our cutting table and on to production, we make it our business to track the origins of every material. Using natural fibres like linen and cotton not only makes our garments kinder to the planet, but they’re also gentler on the skin, offering a level of comfort that synthetic fabrics simply can't match. These materials have a unique texture and character, and as we work with them, we truly appreciate how they breathe and move.
Each fabric tells its own story, and there’s something satisfying about sewing with sustainable materials. Whether it's the softness of cotton or the crisp press of linen seam, we’re able to craft luxury products that are made to be loved for a long time.
"Visitors to the Isle of Wight can find us at 6 Church Street, Ventnor. Well worth a visit to our bustling seaside market town, full of independent businesses and heaps of creativity."
To enquire about becoming a production customer, please email [email protected]
