Soft Goods Designer Posted by Trango on 08/17/2026 Job Basics

Industry Sector:

Fitness, Outdoor

Job Categories:

Design - Accessories, Sourcing

Company Type:

HardGoods/Equipment

State:

CO

City:

Lafayette

Country:

United States

Required Experience:

5 - 7 years

Job Type:

Full Time

Salary:

64,000-70,000 DOE Required to

Relocate:

Yes Required to

Travel:

Yes

Employee May Telecommute:

No

Job Seeker Must Live Within:

Job Description & Requirements

THE OPPORTUNITY

Trango is looking for a hands-on soft goods designer who can turn climber insights and market opportunities into durable, manufacturable products. You will help shape and deliver our sewn-product portfolio—including packs, bags, harnesses, accessories, and related soft goods—while working closely with athletes, factories, and teams across the business. This is an end-to-end product role. You will contribute to the roadmap, create and refine product concepts, build clear technical documentation, guide prototypes and testing, and help move products through commercialization and launch. The strongest candidates combine creative problem-solving with disciplined execution and a genuine connection to climbing.

WHAT YOU'LL OWN

• Shape and maintain a two- to three-year roadmap for Trango's soft goods categories, balancing athlete needs, market opportunities, brand strategy, resources, and commercial potential.
• Translate field observations, athlete feedback, and competitive insights into clear product briefs, concepts, and technical design solutions.
• Lead sewn-product development from concept through commercialization, including design iterations, prototyping, testing, costing, documentation, and production handoff.
• Create accurate, professional tech packs, specifications, bills of materials, artwork, and revision records that enable factories and internal partners to execute with confidence.
• Select materials and construction methods that meet Trango's expectations for performance, durability, quality, manufacturability, and target cost.
• Work directly with global manufacturing partners to review prototypes and production samples, resolve issues, improve reliability, and prepare products for production.
• Keep projects moving through Trango's Product Development Gate System with clear timelines, decision-ready documentation, and proactive communication of risks and tradeoffs.
• Manage lifecycle improvements to existing products, including construction updates, packaging and instructions, and seasonal or annual color updates.

HOW YOU'LL WORK

• Partner with Product Team, Operations, and Supply Chain on feasibility, quality, costing, capacity, and production readiness.
• Collaborate with Marketing to build accurate product stories, launch materials, packaging, and instructions.
• Coordinate with Sales and Finance so the product pipeline reflects customer demand, revenue opportunity, margin goals, and operational realities.
• Contribute to a coherent Trango design language across soft goods and the broader product portfolio.
• Seek input early, communicate clearly, and turn feedback into decisive next steps without losing momentum or product intent.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Five or more years of product design or development experience in outdoor equipment, technical apparel, or sewn products.
• Strong knowledge of soft goods materials, construction methods, pattern development, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong ability to create, maintain, and improve the BOM process.
• Demonstrated ability to create factory-ready tech packs and product specifications.
• High proficiency with Adobe Illustrator and InDesign; working knowledge of relevant CAD(Fusion), pattern-making, or industrial-design tools.
• Experience collaborating with international manufacturing partners through prototype, sampling, and production stages.
• Strong project-management habits, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple development timelines.
• Clear written and verbal communication across technical, creative, and commercial teams.
• A deep interest in climbing and the outdoor industry, with the judgment to translate user needs into practical product decisions.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE WE VALUE

• Design or development of climbing equipment, harnesses, packs, bags, or alpine gear.
• Experience with Asian manufacturing partners and on-site factory collaboration.
• Knowledge of lower-impact materials, responsible sourcing, and more sustainable manufacturing practices.
• Experience supporting product testing, quality systems, packaging, instructions, or launch readiness.

SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE

You build a healthy, well-prioritized pipeline of soft goods; deliver products that climbers trust; strengthen alignment from concept through launch; and improve development speed, product quality, reliability, and margin over time.

WHY TRANGO

You'll have meaningful ownership, direct access to the people who use and build our products, and the opportunity to influence how Trango's soft goods portfolio grows. This role is well suited to a designer who enjoys moving between the field, the sketchbook, the tech pack, the sample room, and the business conversation. About Trango

WHO WE ARE

Founded in 1991, Trango is a company of climbers who design products to improve the climbing experience. We work to share our vertical inspiration with everyone, helping climbers to test their strength, challenge their limits, and live in the ascent. We globally produce and distribute over 20 categories of innovative climbing equipment including carabiners, belay devices, harnesses, ropes, helmets, climbing holds, shoes, and more. We are state of the art. We are progressive and aggressive in our pursuit of excellence. We are worldwide and climbing to new heights.