Apparel Designer (and other soft-goods)

WERX Design; Fort Collins (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

WERX Design in Fort Collins, Colorado is seeking a Product Designer (junior to Designer I) to work across performance apparel, bags, and accessories for multiple client brands. You will move concepts through production-ready specs and collaborate with the Creative Director.

Bring garment construction knowledge, Illustrator CAD skills, and a portfolio showing design thinking and technical execution. This is an on-site, hands-on role with a fast-paced, growth-focused team.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in Illustrator for CADs and flat sketches.
• Understanding of garment construction from pattern to finished product.
• Knowledge of performance fabrics and functional design principles.
• Portfolio showing design thinking and technical execution.

Responsibilities

• Design performance apparel, bags, accessories, and gear across a rotating set of client brands and product categories.
• Take products from concept through production-ready technical specification, including CADs and construction details.
• Build and maintain detailed tech packs communicating design intent to overseas factory partners.
• Collaborate with the Creative Director and product development team throughout the full development cycle.
• Participate in sample reviews, evaluate proto and counter samples, and provide feedback to vendors.
• Assist with fabric, trim, and material research, and contribute to sourcing direction for new concepts.
• Contribute to presentations, line reviews, and client-facing materials as needed.
• Stay current on market, trend, and competitive landscape in outdoor/hunting/active categories.
• Support the studio's broader design process with curiosity and collaboration.

Skills

Garment construction

Problem solving

Multi-project mgmt

Detail oriented

Communication

Portfolio quality

Education

Bachelor's degree in apparel design or related field, or equivalent

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Job description

Who We Are

WERX Design is a Fort Collins-based product design and development studio with over 15 years building functional softgoods for some of the most demanding categories in the market. We partner with active, outdoor, tactical, hunting, and lifestyle brands to take their product vision from concept all the way through bulk production. We design it, develop it, source it, and manage its production through factory relationships we've spent years building in Asia.

Unlike working inside a single brand, our studio runs multiple client partnerships at once, across categories that don't overlap. That means the products being designed here are never the same twice, the problems to solve are always different, and the thinking required is always fresh. We don't make product that already exists. We don't lift from Pinterest. We design from the problem outward, and we hold a high bar for originality on everything that leaves this studio.

Our team is small and hands-on, which means everyone here touches more of the process than they would anywhere else. There are no siloed lanes. If you are curious about how a product gets made at every stage, and you want to actually be in all of those stages, this is that place.

The Role

We are looking for a Product Designer who will be working across performance apparel, accessories, and bags for the range of brands we partner with. This is a junior to mid-level position, and we are open to candidates who are early in their career but bring the right foundation, drive, and mindset to grow fast in a high-touch environment.

This is not a one-category job. You will be designing cycling apparel one week and a technical hunting bag the next. You will see a product go from a brief to a bulk-production run, and your hands will be in it at most of those stages. That kind of breadth is rare, and it builds a career faster than staying in a single lane at a large brand ever could.

The person who thrives here is someone who genuinely loves solving design problems, who gets energized by constraints and finds the best ideas in them, and who wants to create products that don't look like anything already on the market. If you are looking for a role where the work is interesting, the pace is real, and the learning curve stays steep, this is it.

What You Will Do

• Design performance apparel, bags, accessories, and gear across a rotating set of client brands and product categories
• Take products from concept through production-ready technical specification, including CADs, construction details, material and trim callouts, and color direction
• Build and maintain detailed tech packs that clearly communicate design intent to our overseas factory partners
• Collaborate directly with the Creative Director and product development team throughout the full development cycle
• Participate in sample reviews, evaluate proto and counter samples, and provide clear written and verbal feedback to vendors
• Assist with fabric, trim, and material research, and contribute to sourcing direction for new product concepts
• Contribute to presentations, line reviews, and client-facing materials as needed
• Stay current on market, trend, and competitive landscape across the outdoor, hunting, active, and lifestyle categories relevant to our clients
• Support the studio's broader design process, which means being curious, collaborative, and willing to contribute wherever the work needs you
  

What You Bring

Required

• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, with a demonstrated ability to produce clean, detailed CADs and flat technical sketches
• A working understanding of garment construction, including sewing techniques, seam types, and how a garment is built from pattern through finished product
• Solid knowledge of performance fabrics, technical materials, and functional design principles
• A portfolio that shows both design thinking and technical execution across apparel, bags, or related product categories
• Strong attention to detail and a natural drive to get things right the first time
• A problem-solving mindset. The best design solutions here come from people who treat constraints as creative starting points, not obstacles
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and stay organized in a fast-paced, deadline-driven studio environment
• Clear verbal and written communication skills
• Bachelor's degree in apparel design, fashion design, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience

Nice to Have

• Experience with bags, packs, or accessories in addition to apparel
• Familiarity with the outdoor, hunting, or active performance market
• Experience attending fittings and translating fit feedback into technical corrections
• Experience in 3D rendering, ai rendering and the broader Adobe Creative Suite
• Exposure to PLM systems or development tracking tools
• Any experience working with overseas vendors or factories, even in a supporting role

Employment Details

• Title: Product Designer
• Level: Junior to Designer I, depending on experience
• Type: Full-time, on-site
• Location: WERX Design Studio, Fort Collins, Colorado. This is an in-person role. We do not offer relocation assistance.
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm
• Compensation: $65,000 to $80,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.