When it comes to high-quality custom gear as unique as Alaska, Stellar Designs is Alaska’s go-to resource. Whether it’s apparel, merchandise, or promotional products, if it needs a logo, they can make it happen. For nearly four decades, this family-run business has helped bring Alaska’s brands to life.
From its beginnings in the 1980s as a wholesale giftware business to becoming a leading business in the promotional products industry, Stellar Designs has always prioritized creativity and community. With GCI’s internet and mobile services, Stellar Designs stays responsive, modern, and connected to deliver the best and most efficient service to its customers — one ballcap or berry bucket at a time.
Building a family business rooted in Alaska
Tim Ellis came to Alaska as a toddler in 1962 and has called it home ever since. When the opportunity to own a business arose in the mid-1980s, he took the leap and purchased an existing company. What started as a career shift has since grown into Stellar Designs, a family-run business serving Alaskans for decades. Tim’s kids Jon and Jaclyn are helping carry the legacy on.
“Jon joined the team here in 2015, and my daughter, Jaclyn, in 2020,” Tim shared. “It’s quite an honor to be able to see my kids every day and work with them.”
For the Ellis family, Alaska is more than just a place to live — it’s about community. “Alaska means a lot to us, both from a family and friends standpoint, but also from a business perspective. We have a tremendous group of loyal customers that we rely on for repeat business, which keeps us around,” said Tim.
Stellar Designs originally started in the wholesale giftware industry, selling Alaska-themed apparel. But as competition from out-of-state companies grew, Tim saw the need for change.
“It didn’t take me too long — maybe five or six years — before we shifted from trying to be in the wholesale business selling to retailers to strictly doing custom work. All we do is custom,” Tim explained. “We don’t have to develop a product and hope it sells; now we fill orders. That was a good shift.”
This strategic move allowed Stellar Designs to focus on fulfilling its customers’ needs while staying competitive in an evolving market.
Building designs through technology
When Tim started in the business, the technology landscape looked very different. “I remember when the fax machine came around! Our art department used to have a camera to generate our film positives and we used to have a server for all our files. So much IT work went into keeping up with those things.”
Today staying connected with customers and keeping orders moving requires fast internet. Stellar Designs is a GCI+ customer, using both GCI internet and mobile. “It’s been huge since we switched to GCI. It’s so much faster. All our operating software and file storage is online now, saved to the cloud,” said Tim.
Internet connectivity is an essential part of Stellar Designs’ workflow, from receiving customer inquiries to creating product mockups, and custom designs.
“A customer reaches out via phone or email, and whether they’re looking for T-shirts, pens, or hats, we’ll put a proposal together using the web and send it by email,” Jon explained. “Once we have the order, it goes to our art team, who downloads images from our vendors’ websites and creates a mock-up. Then we send the customer a virtual art proof for approval.”
With suppliers outside of Alaska, a strong internet connection ensures Stellar Designs can efficiently manage orders, collaborate with clients, and meet deadlines.
“Just being able to be connected is important,” Tim added. “More and more business in Alaska is being done on mobile, whether texting or just reaching out after hours. Many of our clients are friends, so we don’t mind them calling after hours or on weekends if they have something going on — we want to help out.”
Being able to bundle GCI+ services for both mobile and internet brings even more value and convenience. “By far, the internet and mobile are the most crucial piece. It’s been huge since we switched to GCI. We switched about five years ago, and it has been night and day compared to the prior service,” Tim shares.
Building fine dining in Sitka: The story of Beak Restaurant
Building on being uniquely Alaska
What sets Stellar Designs apart is its deep connection to Alaska and the people who live here. Many of their clients have been with them for more than 25 years, and word-of-mouth referrals continue to bring new business through the door.
They adapt to the seasonal needs of Alaskans, paying close attention to summer fishing seasons or back-to-school time. “Summer, of course, up here in Alaska, impacts everything from construction and tourism to fishing,” Tim said.
Being part of the local rhythm means understanding the challenges we all face as Alaskans — from seasonality to shipping. That shared understanding helps Stellar Designs better serve its customers. “Those are things I hope we minimize and help our clients get through some of their challenges and hurdles because we live it and breathe it the same as they do,” Tim said.
“The other thing that makes us is our commitment to community. We try to give back, be active, and support a lot of what our customers are doing,” Tim shared.
Stellar Designs has been recognized by Alaska Business Magazine as the best swag supplier in the state for the last four years. “We’re very proud of the work we do and the fact that we’re made in Alaska,” Tim said. “The money you spend with us stays in Alaska. It goes out to my team, who are out in restaurants or buying shoes or whatever they might be doing.”
As Stellar Designs continues to evolve, it’s commitment to quality, community, and innovation remains strong. Built on a foundation of family values, connectivity, and local pride, Stellar Designs is poised for success for years to come.