Apparel Graphic Designer

Mello; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Paid holidays

Health insurance available on request

Job summary

Mello is seeking an Apparel Graphic Designer to translate brands into compelling merchandise across tees, fleece, headwear, and accessories. You will report to the Design Manager and collaborate with in-house and freelance designers to deliver production-ready concepts.

Bring 2-4+ years of apparel/merch design, a strong Illustrator/Photoshop portfolio, and a keen eye for typography, layout, and graphic styles.

Qualifications

• 2-4+ years designing apparel graphics, merchandise, or brand work.
• Portfolio showing apparel or merchandise design, not only logos/digital work.
• Strong range: typography, illustration, layout, and different graphic styles.
• Knowledge of printing/decorating: color separations, ink limits, stitch counts, placement, sizing.
• Expert in Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Fast, organized, and able to handle several brands simultaneously.
• Open to feedback and able to explain design choices.
• Bonus: experience with tech packs, cut-and-sew, packaging, or AI design tools.

Responsibilities

• Design apparel graphics and collections for Design Sprints: tees, fleece, headwear, accessories, and more
• Turn brand guidelines into fresh merchandise concepts that still feel true to the brand
• Build clean, realistic mockups and client-ready presentations
• Prepare production-ready files for screen print, embroidery, and other decoration methods
• Work quickly through feedback rounds while maintaining high detail
• Collaborate with Pre-Production and Product Development so designs can be made as intended
• Stay current with apparel trends and bring ideas into your work

Skills

Apparel graphics design

Merchandise/brand design

Typography

Illustration

Layout

Graphic styles

Color separations

Ink limits

Stitch counts

Placement and sizing

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Job description

Mello is a premium custom merchandise company for modern brands. We handle the whole thing: creative strategy, design, product development, production, and fulfillment. Our clients are food, beverage, hospitality, lifestyle, and consumer brands, including some you already know.

The role

Design Sprints are how our clients start with us. In a sprint we turn a brand into a merchandise collection: concepts, graphics, product direction, and mockups ready for production.

As an Apparel Graphic Designer, you'll create that work. You'll take a brand's identity and turn it into apparel and goods that people want to wear, not just give away. You'll report to our Design Manager and work alongside in-house and freelance designers.

What you'll do

• Design apparel graphics and collections for Design Sprints: tees, fleece, headwear, accessories, and more
• Turn brand guidelines into fresh merchandise concepts that still feel true to the brand
• Build clean, realistic mockups and client-ready presentations
• Prepare production-ready files for screen print, embroidery, and other decoration methods
• Work quickly through feedback rounds while holding a high bar for detail
• Work with Pre-Production and Product Development so designs can be made as intended
• Keep up with apparel, streetwear, and retail trends and bring those ideas into your work

What we're looking for

• 2-4+ years designing apparel graphics, merchandise, or brand work
• A portfolio that shows apparel or merchandise design, not just logos and digital work
• A strong range: typography, illustration, layout, and different graphic styles
• Knowledge of how designs get printed and stitched: color separations, ink limits, stitch counts, placement, and sizing
• Expert in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
• Fast, organized, and comfortable working on several brands at once
• Open to feedback, with the confidence to explain your design choices
• Bonus: experience with tech packs, cut-and-sew, packaging, or AI design tools

Why Mello

• Design for a wide range of brands, from tees to fully custom cut-and-sew
• See your work get made down the hall in our Austin facility
• A small team that moves fast, with room to grow as our design team grows
• Benefits: PTO, paid holidays, health insurance available on request

Pay

• Performance bonuses and overtime available