#FRIENDOFTHEPEOPLE - Kassia Meador
Kassia Meador
California born and bred, Kassia Meador began surfing at age 14. By 17, she was a sponsored pro longboarder, traveling the world and competing in surf events globally. Known for her graceful surf style, Kassia was crowned the "queen of noseriding" by the New York Times. In 2011 she ranked 2nd on the WSL women's longboard tour.
Throughout her career, Kassia has been actively involved in designing products with her sponsors. In 2013 she left sponsored surfing to build an apparel brand by women for women emphasizing quality over quantity.
Since launching in 2015, KASSIA+SURF has been a game-changer in women's surf culture, lifestyle, and design. With a mission to create technical wetsuits, accessories, and lifestyle gear, KASSIA+SURF is about freedom, empowerment, and enlightenment.
Kassia+Surf
Each KASSIA+SURF design is a result of real, lived experiences. Their mission is to design technical products that perform. They craft high-performance technical wear in the most sustainable, forward-thinking way possible. Example: all fabric cuttings, for example, are collected and repurposed to contribute towards fresh surf products, not landfills. Nice.
Like any outdoor brand worth a second look in a crowded market, KASSIA+SURF embody a distinct culture and ethos. Kassia set out to craft a brand that reflected what she cared about. For her, that translated into a space devoted to inspiring and empowering women to expand their minds, bodies, and souls through the culture and experiences afforded through surfing. Call it what you will—a hub, a resource, a community, a movement. Long story short, it’s about a lot more than wetsuits and price tags. We dig that.
With a legend like Kassia at the helm of this operation, KASSIA+SURF has the means to make big impacts, and to mark a shift in the technical surf industry. Their wetsuit recycling program is a prime example of this; raising awareness about the environmental damage caused by neoprene, and encouraging brands and individuals to think twice about tossing worn gear out.
KASSIA+SURF get their hands dirty as often as they can. They host monthly beach cleanups. They take a stand and lend their voices to issues with global impact, and collaborate with brands with a similar mission. Good people.
Why we see Kassia as a #friendofthepeople
KASSIA+SURF think beyond a product’s intended use. We at Arvin think a sock is more than something you put on your feet—it’s something that can change how we think about the world and live in it.
With KASSIA+SURF, Kassia’s done the same thing. A wetsuit will never be made or used in a vacuum—it’s a thing in the world with tangible impacts on the people who wear it, and the environment it inhabits. By raising awareness about the surf industry’s relationship to the environment, inspiring communities, and changing the game of the surf industry, calling KASSIA+SURF a #friendofthepeople is an absolute no-brainer.
And that’s why we’re working on something good for the coming season...
Hint: it’s a sock, and a damn good one at that. We’ll keep you posted.
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More about Kassia
http://www.huckmagazine.com/ride/surf/kassia-meador-2/
Images - Dane Peterson & Kassia+Surf
