Jack Ventura / Faro

Interview by Glenn Sakamoto

Jack Ventura is a surfer/designer and the owner of the Faro Boardbag company. Faro is dedicated to creating handmade, well-designed and sustainable goods for the traveling surfer looking for adventure. We spoke with Jack to learn more. 

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where were you raised?

I was raised outside of NYC in Brooklyn, in a small part of the borough called Marine Park. No subways hit this part of BK so it is less known. Luckily for me it is also right near the bridge that brings you over to the Atlantic Ocean beaches of Rockaway and Long Beach. 

I spent a lot of time at the beach from a young age. Mainly swimming, skimboarding and skating on the boardwalk. It was not until I moved out to Eastern Long Island that I fell in love with surfing. Cold water Nor-Easters and Autumn hurricane swells provided just enough waves to keep me hooked and always searching for more. 

Any memorable childhood experiences?

One memorable experience from the early surf travel days was my first trip to Puerto Rico. This was before Airbnb. A friend and I flew down to a place arranged through a family friend. It wasn’t far from the mainland, but our first time out of the country alone. We arrived in sunny, pumping Puerto Rico! We found out our accommodation dates were messed up so we were without a place to stay for a few nights. The rental car had 4 seats and there were only two of us so it seemed that problem was solved. That is, until we got out of the bar one night (what is the drinking age in PR anyway?) to find all of our things had been stolen out of the car. They took our passports, money, and clothes. Thankfully, the banditos left our surfboards. With little money, we survived off leftover mangos, bananas and a few hamburgers. 

This experience had me hooked on this idea of “real life” and surfing. I knew I wanted more of the adventures that life held and more of the waves that accompanied these adventures.

What inspired you to design and create the Faro boardbag? 

For much my entire adult life, I’d work in a restaurant for the summer and then travel and surf all winter. I was getting weary of that work-life type of balance and I wanted to dive into something more creative. I started a brand with the idea that there was a need for a surfboard bag brand that made quality gear AND that people could really connect with. A brand that would inspire exploration, adventure, and responsible buying habits. From that idea – Faro was born.

Why is it important for Faro to be “Made in California” and handcrafted?

It is important for all of our products to tell a story. Where they are made, how they are made or what materials they are made from. It is this story and attention to detail that sets our products apart. Being made close to home allows me to be part of the manufacturing process. 

Why did your company choose to invest in 1% For The Planet? Why was this important to you?Investing in 1% for the planet to me, seemed like a non-negotiable part of being in business. Producing any type of physical product puts stress on the environment, no matter how “sustainable” that product is. As a business and a business owner we owe it to our planet to pay our environmental taxes. 

I researched the best way to give back and pay that tax. I was not an environmental specialist so I turned to a group of people I trusted to guide me in the right direction of where to put my dollars. My mentors pointed to 1% FTP. I am glad they did because it reaffirmed my gut feeling that Patagonia and their sister company, 1% FTP, is doing great things and making it easy for business owners to give back. 

We’ve chosen to put our 1% donation to our partner, Seatrees, to replant kelp forests in Palos Verdes, California.

What do you hope your customer feels when using your bag?

I hope everyone who interacts with Faro through one of our products, by seeing us online, or in one of the many pop-up markets we frequent, feels a sense of home. That our products and brand were made for them and that these products are an extension of the story that is within their own life and travel experiences. I made these products for myself, then for friends and family, and now for everyone that wants to be connected to the products they choose. 

Where are some memorable trips you (or your customers) have taken using Faro Boardbags?

I frequent spots south of the California border often and Faro bags work great strapped to the top of the rig. I won’t give away too much but a few years ago, a one-month trip to Baja turned into a 3-month trip because the winter NW swells just wouldn't stop, Eventually I ran out of money and supplies and was forced to pack up and head back home,

What surfboard(s) are you currently riding?

I am mainly riding my own shapes. I recently shaped a classic single fin egg with some really knifey rails that I usually compensate with a large single fin – a 7’6” board with a 9” fin! It’s been fun shaping my own boards. But I’m having even more fun testing them with different fin sizes and setups.

Favorite food and drink?

Lasagna and Topo Chicos. 

What’s next for Jack Ventura and Faro Boardbags?

We’re about to expand the line into some padded board bags and artisan-made goods from Mexico. Be on the lookout for some more products that hold a story and that will be around long enough to be part of your story.

To learn more about Jack Ventura and his Faro brand, follow them on Instagram @faro_boardbags or visit the website at www.faroboardbags.com.