Connect
To Top

Rising Stars: Meet Jack Stauss

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Stauss.

Hi Jack, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
From a young age back East, I always wanted to bring up the vibe at a party or out in the woods on some outdoor adventure. Over the years I have hunted the thrift stores of this nation for amazing shirts: Aloha, Hawaiian, zany, strange, hilarious, bright and colorful. This collection of shirts helped me accomplish my goals. I would wear them out downtown here in SLC, mountain biking, ski touring, or bagging a desert tower out in the wilds of southern Utah. Questions came from people and they were always the same: Where did you get that shirt???

After having spent much of my life in the outdoor industry working in brands and companies as well as retailers in a variety of capacities, I saw a gap. I knew there was an interest in these fun wild shirts I had collected, and I saw that there was a need for the outdoor industry to embrace fun, crazy shirts with an adventure bent. We started creating our favorite graphics, giving them and making them even more wild and getting samples from a variety of manufacturers. After almost a full year of R+D, we launched our company: Party Shirt International, and the original Stretch Tech party shirt in late 2018.

Aside from PSI, I hold a Master’s Degree in Environmental Humanities from the University of Utah and work at the Glen Canyon Institute as an environmental advocate; I am a professional skier and teach introductory avalanche education, and I am a freelance writer.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While growth and response to our product from the customers have been amazing, it has certainly not been easy. Just the fact of starting a business is difficult. Working out kinks like which e-comm platform to use (use Shopify btw), how to trademark, how to set up the financials, and generally knowing when to make big moves on products or partnerships can take years of refining. We’re definitely not out of that yet, and what I’ve learned so far is to just slow down, be calculated, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from people that have already done this. We also launched basically right before a global pandemic. So that was fun.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
So as the co-founder of Party Shirt International, I help run operations, and build big-picture ideas and strategies for the brand. I help build awareness about our goal to bring more color and a jovial outdoors to the outdoor industry. I have not left my roots in outdoor activity and advocacy as I’ve grown PSI. I also am a sponsored backcountry skier and avalanche educator as well as a professional environmental advocate. All of these jobs allow me to share my passion for the outdoors with others.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
If you have a dream or passion follow it. Don’t just get complacent or apathetic: do the thing.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, or to do something in concert with a friend or partner. It’s amazing to have support and if you are struggling, chances are it’s something someone else has dealt with the problem before and can help you work through it.

Pricing:

  • Shirt price: $55

Contact Info:


Image Credits
Mat Kestle
Jack Stauss
Travis Pastrana

Suggest a Story: VoyageUtah is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in Local Stories