Soft Goods Product Designer

ThirtyYears; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Thirty Years, an accessory brand based in Los Angeles, seeks a Soft Goods Product Designer with a passion for bags and a strong grasp of how to bring concepts to production. You will partner with the founder to translate ideas into production-ready tech packs and specs.

You will design a range of handbags and soft accessories, develop construction details, review samples, and coordinate with overseas manufacturers to meet cost and timeline targets. A portfolio of handbag design is required.

Qualifications

• Portfolio demonstrating handbag or soft goods design experience.
• Experience taking physical products from initial concept through sampling and production.
• Strong CAD, technical drawing, and tech pack skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Hands-on experience reviewing samples, redlining, and communicating revisions to factories and development partners.
• Strong knowledge of textiles and materials and how they behave in production.
• Strong understanding of proportion, functionality, construction, and manufacturability.
• Ability to balance design intent with cost, production limitations, and real-world use.
• Strong organization and communication skills.
• Experience working with overseas manufacturing partners preferred.
• Experience with licensed products or brand collaborations is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design original handbags, totes, shoulder bags, crossbodies, backpacks, pouches, and related soft accessories from concept through production.
• Develop product silhouettes, proportions, pocket layouts, straps, handles, closures, hardware, trims, linings, stitching, and functional construction details.
• Create sketches, CADs, technical drawings, and multiple design directions.
• Develop custom hardware, zipper pulls, labels, straps, charms, prints, patterns, and other product details when needed.
• Build complete production-ready tech packs including measurements, construction details, material callouts, hardware, trims, colorways, and tolerances.
• Review prototypes and development samples and provide clear, detailed revision comments.
• Work directly with production and overseas manufacturing partners to resolve construction and development issues.
• Design within target costs, timelines, manufacturing capabilities, and material limitations.
• Develop special products for collaborations and licensed partnerships.
• Manage multiple projects through concept, sampling, revisions, and final approval.

Job description

Thirty Years is a growing accessories brand focused on creating thoughtful, functional products with a strong point of view around design, color, materials, and everyday use. We are looking for a Soft Goods Product Designer with a genuine love for product and a strong understanding of how great bags are designed, developed, and brought to life.

This person will work closely with the founder to develop new product ideas and bring them from early concept through production. The role combines a strong creative eye with deep technical knowledge of bag construction, materials, hardware, functionality, sampling, and factory-ready development.

We're looking for someone who gets excited about the details - proportion, construction, materials, hardware, pockets, straps, and all the small decisions that make a product feel considered - while also being able to translate ideas into clear technical drawings, BOMs, tech packs, and production-ready specifications.

What You'll Be Doing

• Design original handbags, totes, shoulder bags, crossbodies, backpacks, pouches, and related soft accessories from concept through production.
• Develop product silhouettes, proportions, pocket layouts, straps, handles, closures, hardware, trims, linings, stitching, and functional construction details.
• Create sketches, CADs, technical drawings, and multiple design directions.
• Develop custom hardware, zipper pulls, labels, straps, charms, prints, patterns, and other product details when needed.
• Build complete production-ready tech packs including measurements, construction details, material callouts, hardware, trims, colorways, and tolerances..
• Review prototypes and development samples and provide clear, detailed revision comments.
• Work directly with production and overseas manufacturing partners to resolve construction and development issues.
• Design within target costs, timelines, manufacturing capabilities, and material limitations.
• Develop special products for collaborations and licensed partnerships.
• Manage multiple projects through concept, sampling, revisions, and final approval.

What You Bring

• Professional experience designing handbags, backpacks, luggage, or closely related sewn soft goods.
• Strong understanding of bag construction, sewing methods, materials, linings, webbing, hardware, trims, closures, and manufacturing techniques.
• Experience taking physical products from initial concept through sampling and production.
• Strong CAD, technical drawing, and tech pack skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• Hands-on experience reviewing samples, redlining, and communicating revisions to factories and development partners.
• Strong knowledge of textiles and materials and how they behave in production.
• Strong understanding of proportion, functionality, construction, and manufacturability.
• Ability to balance design intent with cost, production limitations, and real-world use.
• Strong organization and communication skills.
• Experience working with overseas manufacturing partners preferred.
• Experience with licensed products or brand collaborations is a plus.

A portfolio demonstrating professional handbag or soft goods design experience is required. Be sure to share work samples of soft goods or handbags you have guided from initial concept through production, featuring your technical drawings, CADs, complete tech packs, and photos of final products.

We're open to freelance, project-based, or full-time opportunities and are flexible based on experience and fit.

Location is flexible, but the designer must be available to collaborate with our Los Angeles based team during working hours.