photos by eric ryan anderson

About Us

Put two chronic dreamers in the same room, and you're going to get more ideas than could ever be implemented in a lifetime (not to mention that most of them probably shouldn't be anyway). Star76 is just one of those ideas that was really worth taking a risk on among the many plans that two friends have crafted over years of carefree brainstorming during cross-country road trips and late-night grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches.

As all good tales begin, ours started with a back-of-the envelope business plan, scribbled out on the 4th of July 2006. The plan became Star76: a creative collective dedicated to creating imaginative clothing and accessories through collaborations with local emerging artists. (This seemed way more interesting than our respective day jobs in non-profit consulting and publishing). Our passion for fresh art and ideas coupled with our desire to change the world (or at least make it a little more livable), also led us to create the Ad Astra Initiative, Star76's t-shirt driven program dedicated to raising public awareness of and supporting causes near and dear to our hearts.

The way fashion and art inform and influence one another, tees discovered on trips across the globe, Sunkist orange soda in a can, Pedro Almodovar films, The Band That Saved The World, and doing the right thing are just some of our shared passions. We are blessed to add to this list the act of bringing together the coolest people we know to make amazing art, to create without restraint.

Thanks for stopping by. If you see something you like, we hope you'll buy it. If you think you can do it better, we hope you'll send us your submission, because our business [this world] is only as good as you help us make it.

Kristen Ball
Jeremy Dewey
Co-creative conspirators

FAQs

You ask (constantly)...we answer.

Who are you people? We are friends, transplanted from Texas, who started a little business just to see if we could make some art, and do something good along the way. For the full story, see the About Us above!

How did you get the name Star76?? We combined a universally recognized symbol for ambition with our shared birth year, 1976, to create a brand evoking vision, aspiration, and emergence.

Where did you find such comfy shirts? All our designs are printed on Alternative Apparel tees.

Why don't you allow returns? For the simplest of reasons: we're convinced you'll like your purchase. If you want the longer answer, you can email us for a detailed discourse on the nature of returns in the retail sector.

We will be happy to exchange your shirt for a different size or style, as long as we have it in stock, or give you store credit.

I live within the five boroughs. Can I pick up my order? Absolutely! Simply choose "store pickup" when you place your order, then type in "contact me for pickup" along with your e-mail or phone number in the special instructions section. We'll contact you to arrange a pickup.

So can anyone submit designs? We're a collaborative company, and we welcome original submissions by emerging artists. Please see our submission guidelines prior to sending anything in.

What's with the limited editions? I really wanted that shirt, but it sold out! We believe that each of our shirts is a work of art and we want you to feel confident that when you buy a Star76 product, you're purchasing an original that speaks to you. Our artists are so talented, we know you?l find something else that you love!

Are your shirts sold in stores? That's all part of a little plan we like to call Phase 2: Electric Retail Boogaloo. We hope to eventually offer some products in boutiques and the like.

How do you decide what organizations your non-profit initiative will support? We hand-pick each organization using a highly developed mathematical equation developed by super-smart scientists. When that doesn't work, we flip a coin. The Ad Astra Initiative is a pilot program that seeks to support emerging (read: young) non-profit organizations that can benefit from additional exposure and awareness via goods created by our artists. We've chosen to begin with non-profits that are near and dear to our own hearts.

So can I suggest a partnership with my own non-profit (or a non-profit I support)? At this time, the Ad Astra Initiative is still a pilot program, and not accepting solicitations for partnerships. We'll let you know when we are seeking new partners!

Wait! I have another question! Email us! We're happy to answer it.