Walter Bassano is blending his passion for upstate nature and design.
The Texas native said he has split time between Brooklyn and Andes for 23 years, with the majority of that time spent upstate. Bassano credited his Catskills experience with inspiring Planetary Gear Recreation Co., a clothing brand launched in 2020.
“I’m a designer for my day job, and this is my passion project that I started a few years ago, so it’s a mix of my background and my love of the outdoors and a frustration with the low-quality T-shirt options on the market,” he said. “There was an absence of what I consider thoughtful design and stuff I really want to wear.
“Our main product is handprinted T-shirts that we make locally in Andes, but we’ve also expanded to accessories — baseball caps and beanies,” Bassano continued. “And we deal with a little bit of curated vintage apparel and accessories. We print small batches by hand, so each piece feels personal, not mass produced.”
Designing with a sense of place and purpose, Bassano said, is a guiding tenet.
“The brand is rooted in the Catskill Mountains, but for me, it’s not just a backdrop, it’s a reminder of belonging to something bigger,” he said. “From the graphics side, the big idea for why this brand exists is that it was ‘born from the belief that nature connects all of us across time and place.’ And, when they wear this, people are reminded of that connection — whether it’s trails or stars, we are all part of this one universe, and that’s what I try to think about when I create. Every shirt we print is a little piece of the outdoors you can wear.”
Bassano said the concept is resonating with “a mix” of customers.
“I do very well at local markets, which is my favorite thing to do, because I get to meet people in my community and really connect, and they get to see the brand’s story with the way I set up my booth,” he said. “So, it’s mostly people who want to have something that reminds them of the place — the Catskills — or (that have) a love for the outdoors or a passion for cool design.
“People really love it,” Bassano continued. “There’s a visual response when people walk up to the booth. Any time I do a hyper-local market — most are in Andes, Margaretville, Delhi — I make specific shirts for that area … and those always sell out. Some other people do that, but the way we do it is very thoughtful, and people love a reminder of place or belonging to a community. People really understand the brand; they really get it.”
Planetary Gear products are available online, though Bassano said he will be vending at the Sept. 20 Margaretville Cauliflower Festival and is planning to be at the Maple Shade Hootenanny, Oct. 11 and 12 in Delhi.
Bassano said he hopes to broaden Planetary Gear Recreation Co.’s offerings and impact.
“My ultimate goal is to grow this into my sole business and income and, with that, expand beyond T-shirts to collaborations, especially with local businesses, and maybe into different product categories — outerwear or bottoms or regular shirts,” he said. “I think it’s just continuing to tell these stories that blend the local with the universal connection.”
For more information, visit planetarygearrec.com or follow @planetarygearrec on Instagram.