BY SUZY STUMP for WEEKLY VOLCANO 4/3/26 |
Most people in Tacoma already know about eTc, the local company that puts the “line” in the term clothing line whenever they drop a new design. Lines of excited buyers wrapping around the block at their downtown Tacoma store are expected at this point. But we wanted to get to know the team behind it and see if we can help inspire the next innovators out there contemplating their own launch. We hope you will enjoy this interview with Umi Wagoner, co-owner of eTc.
Weekly Volcano: Who are the members of the eTc team and their titles and areas of specialty?
Umi Wagoner: Perris Wright: co-owner and visual director. Grayson Bullinger.
Grayson Bullinger; Co-Owner.
Austin Howard; Art Director.
Stefhen Cador; Veteran Staff & Food Collaboration Lead
Josh Watson; Veteran Staff.
WV: How did you and the rest of your team meet each other?
UW: Perris and I met at the University of Puget Sound doing a summer academic challenge. We worked on a project together, both as young minds hoping to become architects in the future. The rest of the team has developed over time as tasks around the business began to expand in 2014, when the store opened, but initially every other member was a customer prior to employment.
WV: Can you give us a little bit about the origin story of eTc?
UW: In 2005, Perris and I began to design clothing together while juniors at Henry Foss High School. By 2006, we were producing T-shirts through T-Town Apparel. We are forever grateful for their transparency and what they taught us about screenprint. We also expanded into sock production that year and began making socks through For Bare Feet, an American manufacturer. We continued that through our time in college and led with socks instead of graphic T-shirts. It was two years after graduation that we revamped the company and began doing pop-up shops in downtown Tacoma through the Gallery of Ambition, owned by artist Dion “Neon” Thomas, and Feather and Oar, owned by local entrepreneurs Travis and JD. In 2013, we completed a business plan and participated in an early iteration of Spaceworks in hopes of getting a retail space with subsidized rent for six months. They did not make that happen, but it lit the fire under us to keep pursuing the mission, and in 2014 we opened the doors on July 19 at 11 AM PST.
WV: Tacoma shows up in almost everything you make. What does Tacoma mean to you beyond geography?
UW: Tacoma is our world stage. Tacoma means the world to most of the team. Most of us were born and raised in Tacoma. This place has given us so much. We feel the need to repay it with our love and best efforts while balancing the fulfillment of being small business owners and, most importantly, creatives. Tacomans are top-tier creatives. We just want to show that to the world.
WV: What do people outside Tacoma consistently misunderstand about this city?
UW: People outside of Tacoma constantly misunderstand that we have our own soft powers in Tacoma, fine arts, crafts, and farmers market ecosystems and culture, that we have always had and that we are not looking for new but are working to sustain and level up what is already heritage to us. We are already unique in our region.
WV: Why do you think people love to wear your designs?
UW: They can relate to the imagery and sometimes the perspective that we take on pop culture, but mostly Washington, the PNW, and Tacoma. We also love to touch on tangible symbolism of what it means to be from this state and region. There’s some nostalgia attached to a lot of what we do as well. We don’t want Tacoma to forget all the good it provides to the world. That is our hope anyway. Maybe they just enjoy our version of creativity. We’ll take that too.
WV: Walk me through how a design actually gets made, from idea to finished piece.
UW: We start with compiling images and facts, then we debate them for a time internally, then we produce a design, then we debate internally whether it is good enough to release. Once the design is approved, a sample is produced and reviewed for another approval, and then the start button is hit on production. Lots of debating and a solid amount of review prior to release.
WV: What’s one design that worked way better than you expected, and why?
UW: The Every End T-shirts that we decided to produce in perpetuity. We originally did them for more areas than what exists on the racks today, but that idea of representation for each subcommunity in and around Tacoma showed us that representation means something unquantifiably important. It’s also a part of our business we want to explore and grow as we continue the journey to becoming a heritage brand to Tacoma.
WV: How do you decide what stays local vs. what could resonate outside Tacoma?
UW: The beauty is that we do not decide that. Our audience does. But when we make a reference to sports or pop culture, our hope is that it resonates outside of Tacoma.
WV: What’s harder than people think about running a brand like this?
UW: Day-to-day operations, because there is a ton to do and few hands to get it done. We also prioritize having a life outside of the business, so time management is the name of the game. Any and every adult can attest to days, weeks, or even months where you just don’t feel like you can get ahead of yourself, and we have been chasing that for the better part of a decade.
WV: Do you have any advice for local designers who would love to be in your position?
UW: Go for it. Know that overnight means five years, sometimes more, and that your vision on the world is what makes you unique to the industry, so stay focused on your vision and salute others for having their own along the way.
WV: What types of pop-ups are you doing and who should approach you about doing something like that?
UW: We love to have growing and established fine artists and brand owners use the space. Although not every brand fits having a pop-up, there are times that we get picky about that, but when it comes to fine arts, we want to provide space as much as it makes sense with our drop schedule. And if it does not work, we will always point artists to The Broadway Gallery 765.
WV: What makes you say yes or no to a collaboration?
UW: Timing, potential, and brand alignment. We also like to have some rapport. That obviously can go a long way if we become invested in seeing you win.
WV: Haven’t you had some local celebrity endorsements and/or photoshoots? Tell our audience about how that came about.
UW: Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Trufant both are minds who understand what we are doing completely because they have seen and engaged with global brands that are in our industry. So when the timing has aligned, we have been able to curate and produce products that align with both of our brands. We are thankful they see the value in pushing Tacoma to the world as well. It was some humbling and special experiences putting those moments together. And again, we are all Tacomans who never run from being born and raised in the T, so it’s fun and smart to show connection in a customer-facing way.
WV: What would expansion look like without losing what makes eTc “eTc”?
UW: Becoming a vertical company within Tacoma. That means producing everything from T-shirts to outerwear in Tacoma and the surrounding areas. Providing jobs through manufacturing is the biggest goal, hope, and mission we have currently. Anybody reading this who can help or knows someone who can help us realize that would be an asset to our company and Tacoma.
WV: If eTc is still around in 10 years, what does it look like?
UW: Some version of Filson or Ebbets Field Flannels but still family owned by Perris and me.
WV: What would success look like that has nothing to do with revenue?
UW: That line on drop days. There might not be a greater honor than seeing that on drop days. It currently feels like it can never get old. We hope it doesn’t.
WV: Tell us about your latest drop and what’s coming next.
UW: Our latest drop was a sweatsuit that was made in hopes our audience would wear it to the Mariners Opening Day, and they did. Thank you to everyone who was fast enough to get their hands on the set. We have enormous amounts of love for you. Our next drop day is in partnership with UWTacoma, April 18. We are continuing to build a strong bond with the campus admin and student body. The past releases have elicited a nice-size line down Pacific Avenue, and we want to grow that line and experience with the help of our UWT liaisons.
eTc Tacoma
116 S 9th St., Tacoma, WA
253-272-2894
Website: etctacoma.com
Instagram: @etctacoma
