Stewart & Strauss

Stewart & Strauss: Custom Varsity Letterman Jackets and Letter Sweaters Since 1977

Stewart & Strauss, LLC is a family-owned and operated American company that has been producing varsity letterman jackets and letter sweaters since 1977. Operating online through JacketShop, the company presents itself as the maker of "the original" letterman jacket and builds its offer around customization: buyers assemble their own jacket or choose from ready-to-ship stock. The business reports having supplied more than 10,000 jackets and sweaters from its in-stock range and describes itself as trusted to outfit teams, schools and brands since its founding.

Three Routes to a Jacket

The catalogue is organised around three distinct purchase paths, each with its own production logic.

• Design from scratch: a piece-by-piece builder covering body and sleeve colours, knit trim, chest lettering, sleeve patches and one of five back designs. These jackets are made to order and start at $249.
• Ready-to-ship: in-stock jackets in 50 colours, dispatched plain within 1–2 business days, or in roughly 10 days when lettering and patches are added.
• Overstock sale: brand-new jackets at clearance prices with discounts advertised up to 70% off, with new styles added regularly and no restocking once a size sells out.

The site states that no minimum order applies and that big and tall sizes are available.

Lettering, Patches and the Online Builder

Customisation relies on sewn felt appliqué lettering rather than printed decoration. The company lists five lettering styles — Athletic, Pro Block, Script, Old English and Vintage — applied in one or two colours across chest, sleeves and back. Back designs accommodate up to 15 letters per line. The patch and lettering catalogue is described as numbering in the hundreds, and the online builder renders the configured jacket from multiple angles before purchase so the buyer sees the exact result in advance.

Jacket and Sweater Styles

The collection spans several constructions, each with its own material profile:

• Classic jackets in wool and leather, available in 50 colours
• Retro jackets with a vintage Byron collar
• Hoodie jackets in a hooded letterman style
• Satin jackets, described as soft, silky and washable
• All-wool jackets with wool body and sleeves
• Wool and vinyl jackets as a leather-free option
• Letter sweaters, both in stock and custom made
• Hoodie sweaters, in stock and custom made

Separate lines cover full leather jackets, satin bomber jackets and kids' jackets.

Sizing and Turnaround

Sizes run from kids' through adult 6XL, and the size chart lists body and sleeve measurements for every size so buyers can match a jacket they already own. Turnaround depends on the route chosen: plain in-stock jackets ship in 1–2 business days, in-stock items with lettering and patches in about 10 days, with a five-day rush option, while fully custom colours take 3–5 weeks. International shipping is offered on letterman jacket orders.

Group and Institutional Orders

Schools, teams, clubs and companies form a dedicated segment of the business, which cites nearly five decades of supplying matching varsity jackets to such groups. Group orders include discounts, colour consistency across every size and a single point of contact from quotation through delivery. A separate wholesale enquiry channel is also listed.

Customer Feedback

The site reproduces testimonials from buyers in the United States, Germany and France, including a school representative in North Carolina who ordered letterman jackets for senior football players and a producer in New York. A customer gallery collects further photographs and comments submitted by purchasers.