The Story Behind The Original Bug Shirt Company

On this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with the team behind one of Northern Ontario’s most recognizable outdoor products, The Original Bug Shirt Company in Powassan.What started as a simple idea to help people enjoy the outdoors without being eaten alive by black flies and mosquitoes has grown into a globally recognized brand worn by campers, hunters, forestry workers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts around the world. Julie shares the incredible story of how the company began in the early 1990s, how she started sewing bug shirts from home while raising her children, and how that small operation eventually turned into a thriving Northern Ontario business. We also talk about buying the company in 2019, navigating the uncertainty of COVID, and how the business adapted as more people turned to the outdoors.0:00 – Intro3:55 – How the Company Started8:10 – Buying the Business10:03 – Why Bug Protection Matters15:21 – COVID & Going Global Online20:08 – Shipping Bug Shirts Around the World26:13 – New Bug Gear for Kids30:24 – Customer Stories from the Outdoors