ElSage

What ElSage does

ElSage (legal entity elSage Designs LLC) is a founder-owned, direct-to-consumer retail and screen-printing studio founded in 2010 by Phoebe Carpenter Eells and based in Mount Vernon, Washington. The company sells original screen-printed apparel, hats, totes, stickers, and accessories alongside a curated assortment of indie-made goods (jewelry, greeting cards, bandanas, socks, sunglasses, bags) through a single physical storefront at 408-410 S 1st St and a Shopify e-commerce store shipping to US and Canadian addresses. Its production capability is in-house hand screen printing using water-based organic inks in a back-room studio on the same block, and the company offers custom design and printing services from small (12-piece) to 500-piece runs for farms, restaurants, schools, unions, community groups, and individuals.

The business operates a hybrid GTM combining retail, e-commerce, wholesale, and a growing custom-printing service that was formalized as a standalone offering in July 2026. Pricing is unit-based across SKUs ranging from $3-$5 stickers to $76 hoodies, with free US shipping over $150 and a flat $9 rate below. ElSage also produces the monthly Valley Made Market at Riverwalk Park, featuring 45+ local makers, which functions as both a community marketing channel and an ecosystem support play. The company has no disclosed funding, no parent, no subsidiaries, and no patent or trademark filings in the available data.

The customer base is predominantly individual consumers and small local buyers in the Pacific Northwest, with a growing SMB custom-printing segment. Revenue is not disclosed; physical footprint is a single retail location, and operating geographies are limited to the US and Canada. The overall profile is a small, artisanal, community-anchored lifestyle brand with limited scale signals and no technology or AI differentiation.

Name

ElSage

Legal name

elSage Designs LLC

Website

https://elsageshop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ElSage is a founder-owned Mount Vernon, WA-based retailer and screen-printing studio selling original apparel and curated indie-made goods via one physical store, a Shopify e-commerce site, and a growing custom printing service for SMBs and individuals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Retail - Apparel & Gifts

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Scarves/Shawls/Winter Neckwear Manufacturing (IMAOAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cold-Weather Accessories Manufacturing (Thermal Sets/Arm & Leg Warmers) (IMAOAFAJ)

Keywords

• Screen printed apparel
• Handmade gift retail
• Indie maker goods
• Custom merchandise printing
• Pacific northwest gifts

Headquarters

HQ city

Mount Vernon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: One-time sales of curated indie-made goods and in-house designed/printed merchandise including apparel, hats, bags, stickers, jewelry, greeting cards, socks, bandanas, and sunglasses.
2. Custom Printing Services: Custom design and printing services for individuals and businesses. Prints on apparel, hats, totes, stickers, and patches. Serves as a side business growing into a significant revenue stream.
3. Wholesale: Wholesale options available for indie-made goods through dedicated wholesale page.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ElSage operates a brick-and-mortar store and Shopify-powered e-commerce shop selling original hand screen-printed apparel (tees, tanks, hoodies, hats, totes, stickers) alongside a curated selection of indie-made gifts, jewelry, greeting cards, bags, bandanas, socks, and sustainable sunglasses. The company also offers custom design and printing services for apparel, hats, totes, stickers, and patches for businesses and individuals, with in-house production using organic water-based inks in a back-room studio in Mount Vernon, WA.

Product overview

ElSage operates as a maker-focused retail studio and e-commerce platform offering a curated mix of independently made goods and original hand screen-printed apparel. The core product portfolio centers on original designs printed in-house on apparel, hats, totes, and stickers using organic water-based inks in a vintage style. Alongside these proprietary offerings (branded as 'Fresh Ink'), the company curates goods from independent makers including jewelry, greeting cards, bags, bandanas, socks, and sustainable sunglasses. The business model combines direct-to-consumer retail through both physical storefront (Mount Vernon, WA) and Shopify e-commerce platform with a growing custom design and printing service for businesses and individuals seeking branded merchandise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original Screen-Printed Apparel
• Hats
• Stickers
• Jewelry
• Bags and Pouches
• Greeting Cards
• Bandanas
• Statement Socks
• Gift Cards
• Sustainable Sunglasses
• Custom Design and Printing Services

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Apricity PressminorOthersPNW collective of artists creating greeting cards. Cards are digitally printed in Kitsap County, WA. A portion of proceeds from each card benefits causes chosen by the artist.
• Gumball PoodleminorOthersWoman-owned independent small business making high-spirited, high-quality socks made in the USA. ElSage curates their statement socks featuring humorous phrases.
• Handker (Beth)minorOthersDesigner from Fulton, Missouri creating screen-printed bandanas. Each bandana is hand screen printed and made with 100% cotton. Designs created in home studio.
• Rachel Elise StudiominorOthersTextile artist from Mars Hill, North Carolina making vegan canvas bags. All bags are designed, screenprinted, and sewn at the studio. Products are 100% vegan.
• Fenna&FeiminorOthersSustainable jewelry maker using plant-based cellulose acetate from Italy and Japan. Items crafted in studios in China and Boise, Idaho. hypoallergenic surgical steel or .925 silver posts.
• Radical Roots CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShop on Bainbridge Island for which elSage designed and printed merchandise. Featured as recent commission work for elSage Custom Design and Printing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Uncommon Goods: Curated online retailer of unique, handmade, and design-forward gifts and accessories — closely comparable to ElSage's curated indie-made gift assortment (jewelry, greeting cards, bags, bandanas, socks).
• Faire: Wholesale marketplace connecting independent makers and brands with retailers — directly comparable to ElSage's wholesale page for indie-made goods and a relevant peer for how ElSage sources and distributes curated vendor products.
• CustomInk: Custom apparel and accessories printing platform specializing in group and business orders (schools, teams, organizations) — directly comparable to ElSage's B2B custom printing service targeting farms, restaurants, schools, unions, and community groups.
• Printful: Print-on-demand and custom apparel/merchandise platform serving creators and businesses with apparel, hats, totes, stickers, and patches — directly comparable to ElSage's Custom Design and Printing service line and offering a scaled benchmark for the same product categories.
• Spreadshirt: Custom apparel and accessories print-on-demand platform serving individuals and small businesses with apparel, hats, bags, and stickers — directly comparable product set to ElSage's custom printing capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Etsy: Large online marketplace for handmade, indie, and curated goods with overlapping assortment categories (apparel, jewelry, greeting cards, bags, prints) — comparable as a broader incumbent channel where many of ElSage's curated vendors also sell.
• Vistaprint: Large custom printing platform spanning apparel, accessories, signage, and promotional products — a broader incumbent benchmark for the custom design and printing category ElSage is expanding into.
• Food52: Curated marketplace for independent makers across home, kitchen, and lifestyle goods — comparable as a broader curated indie-goods platform that overlaps with ElSage's gift and accessory assortment positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/elsageshop
• Instagraminstagram.com/elsageshop
• TikToktiktok.com/@elsageshop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ElSage