Born from the verse that changed everything

My name is Justin, and I'm the Founder & Vision Keeper of 3 Sixteen Collective. But before I tell you about the brand, I think you should know something about the person behind it. My story isn't one of perfection. It's a story of grace, redemption, struggle, and growth.

For the majority of my life, I struggled with addiction. I spent years in and out of treatment facilities, sometimes coming dangerously close to losing everything. Addiction affected relationships with friends and family, relationships with coworkers, my career, and my finances. There were seasons when life became about simply making it through the day. I remember having only $7 in my bank account and still needing to put gas in my car, knowing the overdraft fee would hit later. For a long time, I kept fighting—fighting addiction, fighting myself, and, whether I realized it or not, fighting God.

That changed in May 2025. When I left treatment for the last time, I came to a realization that would change the direction of my life: I needed to stop fighting with God and let God do the work in me. My relationship with God became more than something I believed in; it became something I depended on. God met me in my struggles, carried me through moments I wasn't sure I would overcome, and continually reminded me that my past does not determine my purpose.

Today, my relationship with God is still growing. I'm learning to trust Him more, surrender more, and recognize His hand not only in the victories but also in the struggles. I don't claim to have everything figured out. I simply know where my strength comes from, and I know the grace I've been given. That grace is at the heart of 3 Sixteen Collective.

I had always dreamed of owning and operating a clothing brand—I just had absolutely no idea how to do it. For years, I also wore Christian clothing and realized how challenging it could be to find faith-based apparel that felt modern, bold, and like something I genuinely wanted to wear. Eventually, those two things came together. The dream wasn't just to create another clothing company. I saw an opportunity to help bridge the gap between faith and modern streetwear without watering down the message behind either one.

There was one verse that represented everything I wanted this brand to stand for: John 3:16. For me, its message comes down to four things: love, sacrifice, faith, and salvation. God loved. God gave. We believe. We live. That's the foundation of 3 Sixteen Collective.

I don't want 3 Sixteen Collective to simply make clothes. I want it to start conversations. When you put on one of our pieces, I want you to feel confident, bold in your faith, unashamed, and part of something bigger than yourself. Most importantly, I want you to be reminded that God loves you.

Then there's the person who sees you wearing it. Maybe they don't understand the message. Maybe they've never heard of 3 Sixteen Collective. Maybe they simply think your hoodie looks incredible and ask, "Where did you get that?" That's the opening. A conversation about clothing can become a conversation about its meaning, and a conversation about its meaning can become a conversation about Jesus. Sometimes, one question is all it takes.

3 Sixteen Collective is for EVERYONE. Maybe you know nothing about God and simply love the design. Maybe you've been absent from church for years and recently started attending again. Maybe you're rebuilding your relationship with God, struggling with addiction, carrying things from your past that you're ashamed of, searching for something more, or maybe you aren't even sure what you believe yet. That's okay. You belong here.

You don't have to have the perfect testimony. You don't need to know every Bible verse, and you certainly don't need to have your entire life figured out. I didn't. Come as you are. Wear what speaks to you. Ask questions. Start conversations. Grow.

Outside of 3 Sixteen Collective, I'm simply Justin. I grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and family is incredibly important to me. I have my mom and dad, an older sister, a younger brother, and two four-legged family members: Gunner, my 8-year-old Goldendoodle, and Cooper, my 6-year-old Blue Heeler.

I’m also a flight attendant, so traveling and meeting people from different backgrounds is already a huge part of my life. When I’m not flying or working on 3 Sixteen Collective, I enjoy theatre, comedy, ATV riding, volleyball, soccer, traveling, reading, and music. Above all, I love worshipping Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, and I’m incredibly grateful for the sacrifices He made for me. My faith is at the center of who I am, and I wouldn’t be the person I am—or where I am today—without Him. And one completely unrelated dream of mine is to compete on Big Brother or The Amazing Race someday. So yes, CBS casting department—I’m available!

I dream of seeing 3 Sixteen Collective become a leading national Christian streetwear brand, but if this company grows, I want our ability to serve people to grow right alongside it. My vision is for 3 Sixteen Collective to reach into underserved communities and help provide Bibles, testimony, resources, and community to people who need them. One day, I would also love for our website to include a worldwide church locator, helping someone anywhere in the world find a church and faith community near them.

Ultimately, I don't want success to be measured solely by how many pieces of clothing we sell. I want to know that something we created reached someone—that a shirt started a conversation, a hoodie reminded someone they weren't alone, a Bible reached someone who needed it, someone who thought their past disqualified them discovered grace, or someone who hadn't stepped inside a church for years found the courage to walk through those doors again.

3 Sixteen Collective was born from a dream, but its purpose was shaped by a journey I never would have chosen for myself. I've learned that redemption doesn't erase your story—it gives your story purpose. I'm still growing, still learning, and still trusting God with what comes next. And maybe you are too.

Wherever you are in your journey—whether your faith has been strong your entire life or you're just beginning to ask questions—there's room for you here. Welcome to 3 Sixteen Collective.